CCO?

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A lot of techs have observed that removal often takes a long time with these brands. But it is hard to tell if this is a result of the quality of the products or of skills of the people using it. However, the higher amount of cheaper photo initiators used in these products tend to make them harder to remove.

Here, BS and CCO are considered counterfeit brands - not my opinion, but a legal designation. They use the graphic identity of other brands to deceive techs, clients, and others about what they are purchasing. They even used the trademarked names of Shellac and Gelish until they were sued to make them stop. They have been confiscated at trade shows. They do still use the bottle design and color names of the known brands. Additionally, there have been issues about the availability of MSDS, insurability, animal cruelty, and allergic reactions. And many techs do not like that it is sold on eBay to anyone. It is generally not considered a professional product. These brands do not offer the associated products like removers, conditioners, or lamps; they simply skim off the most profitable part of the industry. They do not provide any marketing support, education or training, or customer support. They do not advertise in professional media. You are on your own with them.

From a business perspective, you must also remember that product cost is actually only a small part of your prices, usually less than 7-8%, so choosing cheap products has little impact on your costs and can cost you by marking you as a less than professional and even NSS salon. I used to work with borderline NSS salons in improving their business. The very first thing we did was get rid of dodgy products, including counterfeits. The results were consistently good - a very positive response from existing clients and an increase new clients.

I know some techs use BS and CCO and are satisfied. We each have the right and the responsibility to make choices for our business and our clients. We should also consider how our choices impact the industry, since ultimately we can only rise and fall with the industry. Personally, I choose not to use counterfeit products because I believe they undermine my hard-earned professionalism and the professionalism of the nail industry.

Sorry to be so long winded on this. I do think it is an important issue.
THe other point I'd like to make is I believe bs and cco are made in china which HAVEVTO BE TESTED ON ANIMALS
 
Well before I started my nail course I had bluesky gel done on my natural nails for about 2 years every 3 weeks and because it was removed properly my nails where perfectly fine,that's why I feel like it's fine to use on my clients because I've had the experience of using it for years..lets just agree to disagree.

I also love bluesky! Seems to last a lot longer than when I have had CND shellac. I think it's great that you can offer your clients a selection of nail brands! X
 
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I also love bluesky! Seems to last a lot longer than when I have has cud shellac. I think it's great that you can offer your clients a selection of nail brands! X
Thanks Lash2012,I get messages daily off people on here off people because they are too afraid to ask questions on a thread incase they get their heads bitten off for using it xx
 
I also love bluesky! Seems to last a lot longer than when I have had CND shellac. I think it's great that you can offer your clients a selection of nail brands! X

CND shellac is a hybrid so isn't as long lasting as a pure gel polish. They aren't designed to be.
 
Thanks Lash2012,I get messages daily off people on here off people because they are too afraid to ask questions on a thread incase they get their heads bitten off for using it xx

Aw it's so sad how people are made to feel, just because they are using a different brand! ...x
 
Aw it's so sad how people are made to feel, just because they are using a different brand! ...x

The issue is not using a different brand. People here use a wide variety of brands and there are lots of pros and cons for each brand which are often argued back and forth here. The issue is using 1) a counterfeit brand, and 2) a non-professional brand. You would expect to get a negative response in a professional forum for using non-professional products; no surprise there. But there are ethical issues involved in using a counterfeit brand - the availability of MSDS, no customer support, animal testing, etc. and many professionals take those issue very seriously. You have a right to make your own decisions, but our decisions have impact beyond our own business.

As for making people feel bad, there is a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt, "No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." I can't make you feel any which way about your choices. If using BS/CCO makes you feel defensive, you should reassess your choices. If you are fine with using it, go ahead. How you feel is up to you.
 
You won't think it's so great when you hurt someone and you get sued and your insurance company (if you are insured) won't touch you because you've used a counterfeit non professional product.

Is saving a few quid buying eBay crap instead of a professionally recognised, safe and insurable direct from the company worth exposing people to dangerous products and firth belittling and cheapening the industry that so many of us strive to uphold the image of and protect and educate the customers that entrust us with their bodies.
I can't believe how blasé some of you can be about this issue, in my opinion you aren't professionals and need to reevaluate your outlook.
 
Awwww id so let this bother me if I cared what you thought :) until it's illegal I'll carry on using what I'm using..I'm qualified in young nails so I am professional but thanks for your opinion [emoji5]️[emoji106]
 
I'm gonna guess Mikala doesn't have to earn her money to actually live from doing nails. It'll be a side job or she is supported by someone else.
One would hope empathy would help her understand the frustration.
 
I'm gonna guess Mikala doesn't have to earn her money to actually live from doing nails. It'll be a side job or she is supported by someone else.
One would hope empathy would help her understand the frustration.
Oooooh bad guess Krum..full time nail tech here [emoji137] been doing nails for a year and I've gone self employed and worked very very hard to get where I am today so I don't appreciate people telling me I'm not a professional because I've put ALOT of hard work into what I do..I've gone from struggling to even understand how to even apply a nail to being fully booked every week..my clients always walk away happy so I won't let anyone on here put me down for the products I use.
And as for the comment above I am insured and if anything was to ever happen from me using a 'counterfeit' product (which I highly doubt because I only ever really apply over acrylics) then I will only have myself to blame and will learn from it..but as someone who has been getting these products applied on my own nails for the last 3 years I'm confident me and my clients will be fine.
 
And as for the comment above I am insured and if anything was to ever happen from me using a 'counterfeit' product (which I highly doubt because I only ever really apply over acrylics) then I will only have myself to blame and will learn from it..but as someone who has been getting these products applied on my own nails for the last 3 years I'm confident me and my cl
I have to be honest and say that comment really seriously concerns me. You are talking about if one of your clients develops an allergy, such allergies are usually lifelong and result in them being unable to wear any kind of nail coating even normal polish, ever again, and you'll simply learn from it?! How about learning from people who have many, many more years industry experience and understanding rather than taking a risk and subjecting any one of your clients to this possibility? I hope for yours and your clients sake that this doesn't happen to any of them!
 
I have to be honest and say that comment really seriously concerns me. You are talking about if one of your clients develops an allergy, such allergies are usually lifelong and result in them being unable to wear any kind of nail coating even normal polish, ever again, and you'll simply learn from it?! How about learning from people who have many, many more years industry experience and understanding rather than taking a risk and subjecting any one of your clients to this possibility? I hope for yours and your clients sake that this doesn't happen to any of them!
I have never seen or heard of these products doing any harm..I'm actually fed up of having the same argument over and over,think it's just easier to accept that it's not going anywhere..so many salons by me use it aswell as CND (same as I do) and it is totally out of order to say I'm not a professional because of a product I use!
 
How much do you charge for gel polish then Mikala?
 
I have never seen or heard of these products doing any harm..I'm actually fed up of having the same argument over and over,think it's just easier to accept that it's not going anywhere..so many salons by me use it aswell as CND (same as I do) and it is totally out of order to say I'm not a professional because of a product I use!


You have right to do what you want with your business, and you are correct that you will pay the price for you decisions, but please recognize that so will others. Your customer who gets the allergic reaction will pay and since this allergy is permanent, will pay for the rest of her life. And the industry, other nail professionals, will pay as well. I think we all can recount stories of people who won't go to this nail tech because that nail tech did something bad. And the NYT article that made headlines internationally is good example of how the industry is impacted because of the actions of a few.

But to say that you never heard of these products doing any harm is not a reasonable statement. There is an abundance of evidence of it, including lawsuits. And that NYT article as well. Go over to one of the DIY sites like The Purse Forum and look for them. What you will find is lots of DIYers getting allergies, onycholysis, etc. These injuries tend to come from two things - counterfeit products and generic UV/LED lights. Read their stories.

You may be/call yourself a professional, but you are always going to get pushback when you come into a professional forum and say that you don't uphold the standards of that profession. Like a doctor who doesn't support immunization. Our individual experiences are limited and even skewed. Professional standards are the result of an accumulation of experience and data across the profession. Again, you have the right to do what you want with your business. And people are equally entitled to voice their disagreement,
 
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Girls and guys, I highly recommend to read what is an allergic reaction and just because somebody has one, doesn't mean that the product is a faulty product.
It would be more correct to say that ingredients that are used in products are more likely to cause an allergic reaction to the majority, and other products are made with more care and are less likely to cause allergic reaction.
I have clients who are allergic to Harmony Gelish... Does it make it a bad product? No. I use CND Shellac on her as I know it will less likely cause an allergic reaction.
You always have to keep in mind what dehydrators are used prior the application and how the gel nails are being removed etc. As that causes more allergic reactions than so called "non brand" polishes.
 
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Wow what a thread.....
Like one of the previous posters said,you wouldn't go to a hair salon and expect them to use a super drug box dye...tbh the quality of that is probably better as it would have been tested to our countries traiding standards ect lol. Anybody with sense wouldn't go near those products as you know nothing about them and they are in fact just a copycat counterfeit brand. Our clients come to us with complete trust thinking we are honest and knowledgeable professionals. It shouldn't be a fact of not having any problems so far and il learn from it if I do.... it might be too late for the poor client. I do also blame some of the day courses out there for popping out new 'nail techs' left right and center that simply aren't educated enough! Also for alot of people they pay a professional because they want a professional product that they couldn't get themselves used on there nails.
 
http://blueskyuk.training/

after reading this post i decided i was going to find out about bluesky. seems they offer training now and it also says u can get insured? . maybe not as dark and dingy as some thought? i use opi and gelish myself only because they are well known brands
 
http://blueskyuk.training/

after reading this post i decided i was going to find out about bluesky. seems they offer training now and it also says u can get insured? . maybe not as dark and dingy as some thought? i use opi and gelish myself only because they are well known brands
This training looks a bit dodgy still though.
 
This training looks a bit dodgy still though.

They don't really give too much info and for £30?? Could be wrong though, who knows [emoji16]
 
Thanks ladies. Don't suppose you have any thoughts on IBD?
Have top base and few polishes and they are not good - few days and all lifting even though I use other brands and they all fine!
 

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