“The Grow-Out Method is my signature approach to starting your journey to healthy, natural nails—growing stronger with every visit and becoming the most beautiful nails you’ve ever had.” Linda Reyes
After 41 years behind the nail table, I’ve learned that beautiful nails don’t always have to begin by adding length.
In fact, for most of my regular guests, I prefer the opposite.
Start with the natural nail you already have. Support it. Maintain it. And let it grow.
That’s what I call The Grow Out Method.
Instead of automatically creating an extension, I apply builder gel as a structured overlay over the natural nail. Then, rather than removing everything and starting over at each appointment, I maintain the existing gel with regular fills.
As the natural nail grows, I rebalance the structure, remove any lifting or compromised product, and replace only what needs to be replaced.
Meanwhile, your own nail continues growing underneath.
Eventually, something pretty wonderful happens.
The length you’re looking at is your own.
That’s the goal of the Grow Out Method.
Why I Believe in Growing Instead of Starting Over
I’ve spent 41 years watching nails grow.
I’ve done extensions, sculpted enhancements, repairs, fills and just about everything else that has come across a nail table since I started doing nails in 1986.
Today, however, I rarely create a complete set of extensions.
Partly because I don’t want to anymore. After 41 years, I think I’ve earned that. 😂
More importantly, I’ve found that many of my guests simply don’t need them.
If we can begin with your natural nail, give it the structure and support it needs, maintain that structure consistently and allow your own nail to become the length, why wouldn’t we?
For me, extensions have become a tool rather than the starting point.
My starting point is the natural nail.
What Is a Structured Gel Overlay?
A structured gel overlay is builder gel applied over the natural nail to add support and structure without automatically adding artificial length.
The builder gel allows me to create the shape and balance I want while working with the nail that’s already there.
Then comes the important part:
We maintain it.
As your natural nail grows, the structure moves forward with it. Therefore, during a fill appointment, I can reshape, rebalance and maintain the enhancement instead of automatically removing everything and starting again.
This is the same basic philosophy behind the products I use at my own nail table every day.
You can learn more about the products I use in my NDR Professional HEMA-Free Gel Nail Kit.
Short Nails Are Okay!
This is where patience comes in.
You may not begin with the long nails you’ve been dreaming about.
And that’s okay. We’re growing them.
First, we create the structured overlay. Next, we maintain it as your natural nail grows. At each appointment, I rebalance the nail, refine the shape and address anything that needs attention.
Then we get to the fun part.
Color. Cat eye. Chrome. Glitter. Nail art. Whatever we’re feeling that week. 😂
Growing your natural nails certainly doesn’t mean wearing boring nails.
Trust me on that one. 💅
So What Happens When a Nail Breaks?
Real life happens.
You open something you shouldn’t have opened with your nail. You hit one the wrong way. A corner disappears. Or one nail simply decides it no longer wants to cooperate with the other nine.
That’s when an extension can be incredibly useful.
I can reconstruct the missing length, bring the nail back into balance and allow it to continue growing along with the others.
That’s also one reason I still believe a nail technician should have extension techniques available when they’re needed.
Extensions are a tool. They just aren’t my starting point.
The Grow Out Method Isn’t Just for My Salon Guests
This is where I get especially excited about the Grow Out Method.
If you’re a newer nail technician—or even a DIY nail lover learning to work with builder gel—you don’t necessarily have to begin by trying to create ten long extensions.
Start with what you have.
First, focus on proper preparation and get to know how your builder gel behaves. Next, practice creating an appropriately structured overlay.
As your confidence grows, concentrate on safe product application, proper curing and maintaining the structure as your natural nails grow.
Most importantly, give yourself time to learn.
Two weeks becomes three.
Three becomes four.
Then you fill them, rebalance them and keep going.
Before you know it, you’re filing and shaping length that you grew yourself.
And there is something incredibly satisfying about that.
These Are the Products I Actually Use
This is also why I created the NDR Professional HEMA-Free Gel Nail Kit.
I didn’t go looking around my nail supply and choose a bunch of random products just so I could create a kit.
These are the products I actually use behind my nail table.
The heart of the system includes my HEMA-Free Non-Acid Primer, HEMA-Free Gel Base Coat, HEMA-Free Universal Builder Gel in Ballerina and HEMA-Free No-Wipe Top Coat.
I think of it simply as:
Prep it. Base it. Build it. Finish it. ✨
The complete kit also includes Long Square and Stiletto/Almond Sandwich Dual Forms, the Mini Flash Pro cordless rechargeable UV/LED lamp and the Bling 💎 UV/LED Nail Lamp.
So, while I want newer nail techs and DIY nail lovers to learn how to work with the natural nail first, the tools are also there when you’re ready to practice extensions, repair a broken nail or experiment with different shapes.
You can see everything that’s included in the NDR Professional HEMA-Free Gel Nail Kit – Complete System.
New Nail Tech? Give Yourself Permission to Learn
One thing hasn’t changed in 41 years:
Nobody knows everything when they’re starting out.
And honestly? Nobody knows everything after 41 years either. 😂
I’m still learning.
Products change. Techniques change. Nail technology changes. Sometimes I discover a better way to do something I’ve been doing for years.
That’s part of what keeps this profession fun.
So don’t judge yourself because your first structured overlay isn’t perfect.
Instead, learn from it.
Practice your prep. Watch your product placement. Pay attention to the structure. Learn how the nail looks when it comes back two, three or four weeks later.
That’s where so much of your education happens.
DIY Nail Lover? You Can Start Here Too
If you love doing your own nails, the Grow Out Method can give you a very different goal from trying to create instant length.
Your first goal doesn’t have to be:
“How long can I make them?”
Instead, try:
“How beautifully can I grow them?”
Learn your system. Be patient with yourself. Practice safe application and proper curing. Then enjoy watching your own nails grow underneath your structured gel overlay.
Of course, you can still add gorgeous color, chrome, glitter, cat eye and nail art along the way.
Because we’re growing nails.
We’re not giving up the fun. 😂
Want to Try the System I Use?
I put together the NDR Professional HEMA-Free Gel Nail Kit for newer nail technicians, experienced nail professionals who want to try my HEMA-free system, and DIY nail lovers who want a more complete place to start.
Purchased separately, the products and tools in the kit total $140.
The complete kit is $100.
That’s a $40 savings.
More importantly, you aren’t trying to figure out which primer, base, builder gel, top coat, forms and lamps you need individually.
I’ve already put the system together for you.
After 41 years, I ought to be able to save you a little time. 😂
Shop the NDR Professional HEMA-Free Gel Nail Kit →
Want Me to Do the Grow Out Method for You?
If you’re one of my salon guests—or you’re looking for a nail technician in the Oviedo area—you don’t have to do any of this yourself.
Come sit at my table and let me do my thing. 💅
We’ll work with the nails you have, build the structure they need and let them grow.
And, of course, we’ll make them beautiful along the way.
You can learn more about me and Nails Done Right on my About Nails Done Right page.
From My Nail Table to Yours
After 41 years, I’ve learned that doing nails doesn’t always have to be about creating something artificial from scratch.
Sometimes the best thing we can do is work with what we already have.
Support it.
Maintain it.
Let it grow.
And have a whole lot of fun with color along the way. ✨
That’s The Grow Out Method.
Whether you’re sitting across the table from me, beginning your career as a nail technician or learning to do your own nails at home, that’s the philosophy I want to share.
Grow first. Learn along the way. And have fun doing it.
Because after 41 years, I still do.
— LINDA
Nails Done Right
Behind the nail table since 1986 💅✨
