I think in a nutshell,the nailgeek or salongeek as it is now, is here to help those considering a career in the nail industry, and by considering a career I also mean considering training, those who are training (like myself) and those who have got the training but have figured out they won't ever stop learning in this biz. What we don't want are the freeloading know it alls who think because they have managed to convince a wholesaler that they should sell them the tackle, they can come on here and get the techniques for nothing.

The only way we were allowed access to the wholesalers was with a verified tutor/ college letter while training and then by producing our qualification certificates when we passed our exams. How are unqualified people buying nail products from wholesalers? Or are they in different industries and buying products they are not trained for? The wholesalers where I live seemed stricter than this. They should record in records what your qualifications allow you to buy, maybe that would help.
As for training, if you really want to be the best you can be in your chosen profession you get all the training you can. I took myself back to college as a single parent with 3 children and no working income or help with maintenance. Knowing what I know now, it wasn't the best training but I put 100% effort into it and learnt as much as I could. I read trade magazines, went to the trade shows, research constantly and constantly learn from this site.
Now technically I am qualified on paper, but to feel happy and confident in my work I am arranging more training as we speak. Yes it costs money but I put a bit away as and when I can, I also use birthdays and Christmas to help pay for products to practise with on friends, family and my trusty nail trainer. When I say 'practise', I have completed over a years worth of courses so far with distinctions. But I know that I will keep training and training all the time.
What I am trying to say in my long winded way is that there is no excuse. If you want to be in this industry GET TRAINED- you are doing any clients AS WELL AS YOURSELF an injustice by not being the best you can be at what you do. I would be embarrassed and horrified to work on anybody knowing my work was of shoddy standard and dangerous but had no intention of doing anything about it!

Know what Keron..... the trouble is you are totally exhausting!!!
I thought at first... "hey this girl has not read the post right", but reading your profile and looking at all the post you have responded to etc... I then thought that you must be intellegent enough to comprehend what was being said. That was yesterday. Today another thread is added with a poll, and yet again, you don't GET IT!!!

Again and again and again: PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT INTENDING TO TRAIN!!!! WHO ARE NOT EVER INTENDING TO TRAIN.... WHO WISH TO COME ON GEEK AND GAIN INFORMATION AND NEVER INTENDING TO GO THROUGH A FORMAL EDUCATION REGARDING NAILS - NOT GCSE OR ANYTHING ELSE... JUST BLOOMING NAILS!!!!

You are NOT amongst those people..... you came across as one as you told us you do yours, your family and friends nails and DIDN'T inform us that you were considering a course.

You have said time and again in this thread and others that you ARE now intending to do a course. SO, we are all happy and content in that... just DON'T think you should be working on the g.p at the moment!!! PHEW!


edit: btw : I voted : STOOOOPID

who would vote smart??????????????????????????????

the people who think they are too good to get trained and always will be....then post your pics and let us tell you just how good you are....or do as Geeg said in another thread and take a test on here..lets see what you really know.....!!!!

Keron love, I hope you've calmed down now.


Firstly, I believe it is the Industry itself to blame for people who don't think they need qualifications. When Keron says that "People know enough about the nail industry", who's fault is that? Where are the standards, where is the policing, there are too many loopholes that people can get through I think.

I bet if a study was done on all the salons in Australia, the percentage of un-qualified techs would be larger than we think!!

Also when Keron says that people are "too scared with the thought of training", well that is ridiculous. I would be too scared NOT to train!!

PS. This site is all about "encouragement" by the way.

I voted stupid for one reason: safety.

I did nails only on myself for years, from about 14 to 19, when i went to school.

Learning about safety and sanitation simply blew me away... it made me thankful that I hadn't attempted to have clients and do it without training or licensure...

So many little things can GO WRONG!! So wrong...

It's frightening, and it's scary to know that so many people do beauty services [nails and hair] without regard to the people they are supposedly 'serving.'

They're really only serving themselves.

Only people who are STUPID!!

What a good and sensible answer ... that I think everyone can understand (???)

I agree with the majority, and since finding this site its been a realy big help and encouragement to me.
I think its awfull that there is unqualified people out there willing to use qualified techs help and information just so as they can earn some easy money without shelling out for training.
I my self am currently doing a level 3 course in nail services which as you all know is not cheap! but after completeing my nvq 3 beauty therapy course a few years ago i did not feel fully compitent at artificial nail systems which is why i am doing another course as i would be unhappy working on paying clients if i wasn,t confident that i was carrying out a good service.
Yes its costly but worth it in the end for your own peace of mind.
Please dont let the non genuine techs put you off as i know as a student i find all the help and advice on here invaluable..

Velouriapixi x

I'm guessing it's very obvious how I voted. There are a few things I'd like to point out or maybe clear up...

Part of my job is retraining, yes RETRAINING, people who think they know what they are doing after taking a 1 day course or reading tutorials on the internet and practice on themselves, friends and families. They come into my class room with all of their bad habits and self made practices thinking they are "all that and a bag of chips" believing that they are the next wonderkid of nails. Usually these people are argumentative and when we are doing practical work the 1st thing they usually say when I offer help or reinforce the correct way is "well I've always done it this way and nothing has ever happened" or "my nail lady always does it this way" or " I read about this on site xyz and it said..."

Don't get me wrong, I'm very glad they turn up in my classroom because it's obvious they have the desire, I just would like them to realise that I have nearly 20 years of experience and I keep my education up to date. Most of us on this site are dedicated and we do pursue our education. When there is a question posed you are likely to get a "world famous" person responding. There is a wealth of knowledge, and most are willing to share BUT (man I have a big but after all those scone recipes ) sorry, BUT those who are doing nails with little or no training are causing harm not only to their clients, they are potentially risking their own ability to learn. I often see those who have been doing things for years the wrong way struggle to relearn something correctly.

It would be nice if we were all independantly wealthy and could afford the "best" training, flying off to all the classes, but we cant so while we work on that, we need to work together as a community to improve the industry and educate not only our clients but our "kitchen sink" nail technicians (not the mobile kind, the ones who aren't trained or prepared and use stuff from the "kitchen sink" like Sassy and her toothpaste )

Great thread by the way, I'm all for going to school, fly on over if I have at least 12 I'd be willing to stick in another nails only class!!!

I feel this thread is too important (at least to me) to let it be buried so quickly!

I thought your comment, Jeni, re "risking ones own ability to learn" was interesting and a view point that I hadn't considered before.

Arrogance in the nail industry is something that I have always noticed and wondered if it is the same in say the beauty industry or the hair industry?? You know, the ones who know it all and feel they have nothing else to learn?

In my experience, the ones who are at the top are the ones who are always the most humble about their abilities, and the ones who always thirst for more knowledge. The 'know alls' and the ones who feel they don't need any help from anyone .... do you ever hear of them??? NEVER. They come they go or they end up with the worst reputation in town OR they are busy with others like themselves with no discrimination and always go for the lowest common denominator.

I cannot believe that to date 5 people have voted it Smart to be untrained and they seem to be so proud of this.

In my opinion for what it is worth - they are sticking two fingers up at this entire Forum and should not be here.

It is funny how the ones who are at the top of their game or even the middle generally are the ones who strive to be better by education. I know of so many people who have done a Foundation course and felt that was enough and struggle on being mediocre for ages. But the ones who do the Foundation then carry on to the next step are the ones who will succeed and help to improve the state of the entire industry.

Good for you.

Just five arrogant and stupid folkes, who no one will ever hear of and who will never leave their mark nor ever become expert at anything. Not worth 2 seconds of your time or energy to worry about babe. x