Method for artificially extending nails

The current invention relates to a method for artificially extending nails as described in the preamble of the first claim. Methods for artificially extending nails using curable gels which cure under influence of UV (ultra violet) radiation are already known. In these methods first a supporting surface is placed under or adjacent to a free edge of a nail. Subsequently a first layer of curable gel is applied onto the nail which extends onto the supporting surface. When the first layer of gel is applied onto the nail and the supporting surface, the first layer of gel already gets the desired shape. The shape of the first layer of gel usually is chosen to be that of a long natural nail. The first layer of gel is never translucent and has a colour, for example a colour which approaches the colour of the nail bed. After application of the first layer, the layer of gel is put under a source of UV radiation after which the gel cures under the influence of this radiation. Eventually, additional layers are applied onto the first cured layer. After application of additional layers of gel, the layer of gel is always put under the source of UV radiation for curing. After finishing of the nail, the supporting surface is removed. However, since the first layer of gel is always coloured and intranslucent, the possibilities for creating of an artificial extension of the nail are limited.

Therefore it is the object of the current invention to create more possibilities for making an artificially extended nail. This is achieved according to the present invention with a device showing the technical features of the characterising portion of the first claim.

Thereto, at least part of the artificial extension is translucent. The inventor has found that by making at least part of the artificial extension translucent, the possibilities for artificially extending nails are substantially increased.

A preferred embodiment of the current invention is characterised in that onto at least part of the supporting surface only curable gel is applied which is translucent after curing.

Such curable gels which are translucent after curing have until now only been used to apply a shining finishing layer onto the nail and/or an artificial extension and allow that the underlying colour remains to be seen and to protect this layer, in other words to finish the artificially extended nail. The composition of a curable gel which becomes translucent is however different with the composition of coloured intranslucent curable gel in order to give the gel the translucent look after curing. The difference in composition of the gels results in different characteristics, such as for example viscosity, density, etc.

The inventor has found that although the characteristics of a curable gel which is translucent after curing are different than the characteristics of a curable coloured gel, the curable gel which is translucent after curing can nevertheless be used to at least partly make the artificial layer itself and thereby make a translucent part in the artificial extension of the nail possible. The curable gel which is translucent after curing in other words surprisingly also allows to be used as a structural carrier and the use of the curable gel which is translucent after curing, is therefore not only limited to finishing the artificial extended nail. Furthermore the translucent gel also allows to make a firm, crack-free and scratchless extension of the nail.

More preferably the curable gel is transparent after curing. The inventor has found that such a gel offers additional creative possibilities.

Other details and advantages of the device according to the invention will become apparent from the description of preferred embodiments of the invention given below. , Below preferred manipulations for artificially extending nails are given chronologically. The manipulations given below are however not limiting and also additional manipulations can be applied. Also, not all the given steps are necessary for the invention and can be omitted and/or replaced by another manipulation.

Preferably, the nail and more preferably also the hand on which the nail is situated, are disinfected. For example, a disinfecting alcohol-based composition can be used or any other composition allowing attachment of the nail with future superposed layers. An example of a disinfecting composition is brought onto the market by PROFESSIONAILS® under the name of PRO SEPTIC SPRAY™. The hand and/or nail of the client preferably is subsequently wiped with for example a tissue to further clean the hand and/or nail.

Preferably, the shape of the nail is adapted with a file. Preferably, a fine file with a fine grain and/or fine surface is used, for example the file which is brought onto the market by PROFESSIONAILS® under the name of BLACK BOARD FILE™. A nail contains a nail plate, which is coloured pink in a healthy nail, and a free end, the free edge, which is normally pale, for example white. Preferably, the nail is manipulated such that the free edge delimiting the nail is as short as possible since the free edge otherwise could shine through the transparent finishing.

Subsequently, possible loos cuticles, present at the cuticle and/or the edges of the nail, are removed. Hereto, an agent can be applied to soften the cuticles a bit in order to make an easy removal possible. Such a product is for example brought onto the market by PROFESSIONAILS® under the name of PRONAILS® CUTICLE REMOVER™. Any device and method known to the person skilled in the art can be used to remove the cuticles, such as for example the PROFESSIONAILS® CUTICLE CLEANER™ brought onto the market by PROFESSIONAILS®.

Subsequently, the surface of the nail is preferably worked in order to make the surface of the nail plane and/or fat-free. Hereto, any method and/or device known to the person skilled in the art can be used, such as for example a file or a sanding device such as for example a nail drill. Preferably, the file is fine or the surface of the sanding device has a fine grain in order to make the surface of the nail as plane as possible and/or as fat-free as possible. An example of such a sanding device which can be used for making the surface of the nail plane is for example the PROFESSIONAILS® NAIL DRILL™ brought onto the market by PROFESSIONAILS®.

Preferably, the nail subsequently is disinfected and the surface of the nail is cleaned to remove dust and other impurities.

Subsequently, an attaching layer, known to the person skilled in the art as a primer, is applied onto the nail. Such primers are for example brought onto the market by PROFESSIONAILS® under the name of PROFESSIONAILS® PRIMER UNIVERSAL™. Preferably, the primer does not comprise acids to minimise allergic reactions. An example of a suitable primer is brought onto the market by PROFESSIONAILS® under the name of PROFESSIONAILS® ACID FREE PRIMER™. The primer can for example be applied with a brush, pencil or a spatula but the method according to which the primer is applied is not critical for the invention.

Subsequently, a first layer of material is preferably applied onto the nail which cures after drying. The first layer can comprise any composition which is used with the manipulation of nails but preferably is a gel. More preferably, the first layer of gel is a layer of curable gel, more preferably a gel which cures under the influence of UV radiation, a so-called UV gel. Such gels are already known to the person skilled in the art and are available on the market. For example, the company PROFESSIONAILS® already brings a line of products onto the market under the name of PROFESSIONAILS® UV GEL & PERMANENT COLOUR UV GEL™. The line for example comprises following products: PERFECTION UV GEL™, PROTECH UV GEL™, UNICUM® UV GEL™, PERMANENT UV NAIL COLOURS™, FRENCH MANICURE UV GELS™. The gels preferably have the characteristic that they form a firm, crack-free and scratchless layer on the nail. The gels can have any colour which is known to the person skilled in the art and can also be translucent. However, the gel preferably gives the nail a natural colour. Such gels for example are already brought into the market by PROFESSIONAILS® under the name of PROFESSIONAILS® UNICUM® MASK UV GEL™ of PROFESSIONAILS® UNICUM® ROSA UV GEL™. The first layer can also be used to protect thin nails, products which are hereto applicable, are already brought into the market by for example PROFESSIONAILS® under the name of PROFESSIONAILS® PERFECTION CLEAR™ or PROFESSIONAILS® PINK ASE UV GEL™. More preferably, the

first layer is cured by radiation with UV light. Hereto, the nail can be held under a UV lamp.

In a preferred embodiment the entire natural nail is covered with at least one layer of gel so that the entire nail has a pink colour after curing. This creates the effect of an enlarged nail bed, which is aesthetically more beautiful, especially when the nail originally has a small nail bed.

The gel can be applied in any way known to the person skilled in the art, for example by a brush, pencil or a spatula. The first layer for example covers the entire nail, so the entire nailbed and/or the entire edge. However, the first layer can only cover a part of the nail. This can be determined by the person skilled in the art and is not critical for the invention.

Subsequently, additional layers can be applied onto the first layer. Preferably, these are also gels which cure under the influence of UV radiation. After application of each layer, the layer preferably cures by radiation with UV radiation. This way one, two, three, four, five or even six or more layers can be applied depending on, among other things, the choice of colour. Subsequently, a supporting surface is applied.

The supporting surface preferably is situated partly under the free edge of the nail or is placed adjacent to the free edge of the nail.

On the supporting surface at least one additional layer of gel is applied which, after curing, forms the eventual artificial extension of the nail which extends partly over the supporting surface and partly over the nail.

The use of a supporting surface as such is already known and supporting surfaces are for example available on the market with the company PROFESSIONAILS® under the name of NAIL FORMS SQUARE™ or REUSABLE NAIL FORMS™. The supporting surface can be destined for single use, such as for example the NAIL FORMS

SQUARE™, or can be reusable, such as for example the REUSABLE NAIL

FORMS™. The supporting surface can be made of metal, plastic, paper, etc.

The supporting surface preferably has a first free edge having a form which is complementary to the shape of the free edge of the nail. The surface of the supporting surface preferably is smooth such that the gel can be easily applied onto the surface. The top surface of the supporting surface preferably fits seamlessly to the top surface of the nail such that when applying the layer of gel a continuous transition between the nail and the supporting surface is created. This continuous transition among other things ensures a more beautiful aesthetical effect and a firmer adhesion of the gel applied onto the supporting surface and the gel applied on the nail itself. The three-dimensional shape of the supporting surface is determined in function of the desired shape of the artificial extension of the nail. The shape can be determined by the person skilled in the art and for example is plane, bent, curved, convex, concave, etc. Preferably the shape is however similar to the shape of a natural nail such that the effect of naturally grown long nails is obtained.

The gel preferably is applied such that the artificial extension has the desired from and thickness. The form and thickness of the artificial nail can be determined by the person skilled in the art, taking aesthetic considerations, the characteristics of the gel, etc. into account. Preferably, the thickness of the artificial extension is of the order of magnitude of the thickness of a naturally grown nail such that the impression of a naturally grown nail is created. The thickness of the nail needs to be such that a sufficient strength is provided.

Preferably, the artificial extension has a curved surface which corresponds to the shape of the nail and the width of the artificial extension corresponds to the width of the nail such that a rectangularly or ovally shaped extension of the nail is achieved. The free edge of the artificial extension of the nail opposing the free edge of the nail can be curved, round, straight, etc. The extension can for example taper towards the outside of the nail or towards the inside of the nail or can widen towards the outside of the nail, the edges of the extension can be straight or curved, etc.

To obtain the desired effect of an artificially extended nail, at least part of the supporting surface is only covered with a curable gel which is translucent after curing, more preferably a UV gel. Such a

gel is for example brought onto the market by PROFESSIONAILS® under the name of UNICUM® CLEAR UV GEL™.

The gel can be applied in any way known to the person skilled in the art by for example a spatula, brush, pencil, etc. The translucent part of the artificial extension can for example be situated at the end of the artificial extension opposing the free edge of the nail or in the middle of the artificial extension or at the begin of the artificial extension or over the entire artificial extension of the nail. The surface and shape of the translucent part of the artificial extension is not critical for the invention and can be determined by the person skilled in the art.

Preferably, the gel is applied over the entire width of the nail and the gel extends over at least part of the supporting surface. More preferably, the gel extends over the entire nail, consisting of the nail bed and the free edge, which, as a consequence, provides an improved adhesion of the artificial extension onto the nail. According to a preferred embodiment, this way an enlarged nail bed is combined with a translucent edge which is a particularly desired aesthetical effect.

At least one of the gels preferably has a viscosity which allows that when applying the gel onto the nail and the supporting surface, the gel can also be given a three-dimensional shape. This way raisings and lowerings can be applied in the gel such as for example ribs in length and/or width direction of the nail.

After curing of the at least one layer of gel which is situated on the supporting surface, the supporting surface is removed. To prevent that the artificial extension is damaged when removing the supporting surface, the composition of the supporting surface is such that the gel applied on the supporting surface does not adhere, or only limitedly adheres, to the surface of the supporting surface.

Preferably, the artificially extended nail now is further cleaned to remove eventual remainders of the supporting surface.

The artificial extended nail is further brought into the desired shape by using for example a file or a sanding device, for example a frais for nails, after which the whole preferably is cleaned once again.

Preferably, this file is fine in order to make a surface which is as smooth and/or plane as possible.

Preferably, once again a layer of UV gel is applied, more preferably a translucent layer of gel. The artificial extension, in addition, can also be provided with further decorative elements such as gems, crystal, glass, etc.