Joe, I do not recommend using off the shelf monomer with Acrylikey. They are not all the same and may not be compatible. Although I have purchased acrylic powder and monomer from beauty supply stores, it is safest to use products that are from the same manufacturer and are designed to be used together. I had good success with "No lift Nails" brand. I once tried using an off the shelf monomer with Acrylikey powder and the results were not good. Ryan <div class="gmail_quote">On Sat, Sep 10, 2011 at 9:26 PM, Laura Olsen <<a href="mailto:laura-olsen@att.net">laura-olsen@att.net</a>> wrote: <blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex;"> Thanks, Joe! Laura <div><div></div><div class="h5">On Sep 10, 2011, at 7:17 PM, Joseph Garrett wrote: > Laura said: "OK. Here's my question. How does this wear? The texture is > somewhat different from the original. Does it pick up dirt over time?" > > Laura, > Since I've been using it for a really long time, I can say it lasts a > Looooo nnnnnngggg time. However, there were versions that tend to turn more > and more yellow as they age! Yikes! I ran that past Richard and he blamed > it on olde Monamer. If you have a really picky client, the stuff can be > removed and replaced. The texture difference is usually caused by not > following the mixing instructions...i.e. too much powder and not enough > monamer. BTW, Since the powders have an indefinate shelf life and we use so > little of it, you need to get more monamer from time to time. It is > available from Pianotec, but I recommend you get it from Beauty Supply > places ...at less than half of what Pianotec charges.<G> Tell them what > it's for and they have it in various sized quantities. IF the stuff is > evaporating out of the container it came in. Get a Lab grade bottle from > your local Pharmacy. (that is what Richard used originally and I've not had > any problems with evaporation. I use the monomer to clean out the measuring > cups and the tools, so I do go through a bunch of it. > Hope that helps. > Joe > > > Joe Garrett, R.P.T. > Captain of the Tool Police > Squares R I > </div></div></blockquote></div> -- Ryan Sowers, RPT Puget Sound Chapter Olympia, WA <a href="http://www.pianova.net">www.pianova.net</a>