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BIAB what is it

BIAB – do you know what it is?

March 8, 2022 by Marian Newman, BEM

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Some clever marketing has created a ‘buzz’ about a BIAB type of product that has not only got nail pros ‘buzzing’ but also their clients!

But what is it??

BIAB stands for “Builder In A Bottle”.
It is a type of UV gel that is a ‘builder’, that happens to be ‘in a bottle’!!! Nothing more than that! No need for any hype really. Just understanding.

So, what is a ‘builder’?

It is a UV gel product with relatively high viscosity (this means it is thicker than usual). Older systems always had this type of product but it didn’t hold its shape for long, and probably needed a ‘flash cure’ to keep it in place in order to ‘build’ a structure.

Modern products have got this problem sorted! A good formulation will allow building a structure, the surface will self-level but the actual structure will hold its shape for long enough to create, at least, a couple of nails before it starts moving.

THIS is clever development, and many brands have this type of product in their ‘arsenal’. It may be in a bottle… But it may be in a jar!
The result is it ‘builds’!

Virtually all of the best brands (and NailKnowledge does not mention brands) have this type of product. 

My opinion (and this is my personal opinion, which I always admit to, as opposed to facts) is that the days of asking a client to invert their finger to get an apex (due to gravity), to then immediately turn it around and put it under the UV lamp should be a thing of the past. Not only is it unprofessional and uncomfortable for the client, but it is also less than accurate when creating a perfect structure. It is also very time-consuming as each nail coating needs to be done one at a time. 

Many brands have this ‘builder’ product but they choose not to market it as such. But it will be there.

In conclusion:
Don’t be taken in by marketing hype. Understand your products.
Don’t let clients be taken in by marketing hype. If they are demanding a BIAB, then educate them with your understanding and ability to explain. (If you don’t understand yourself then you cannot possibly explain!)

It’s a ‘builder’, that happens to be in a bottle!

Read more on BIAB products here:

  • Builder UV Gel in a Bottle – what’s the buzz?
  • What do clients need to know?

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Filed Under: UV Gel

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