Not making it to fills

[nemotail]

I am feeling a bit down as I just text a client to remind about her appointement tomorrow, she replied she had to cancel as she had taken them all off.

To date I only have about Brisa 5 clients and none have made it back for infills. These clients are friends and family who I am doing for cost only. They all seem to be saying the same thing along the lines of ~ I broke 1 or 2 and dont like the look then so I took the rest off. 2 Clients have come back and had a full set re-applied one of them is my SIL and she told me last night they she broke a few and took the rest off again.

I am meticulose about PREP, use Liquid Bond, scrub in the first layer, cap the edges ~ all the fab tips I have gained from here. When they return any that are still attached are fine. I take photos when I do a new set and examine them afterwards I have noticed on a couple I havent built up my stress are as much as I should. I think this would account for the 1 or 2 breakages as thats where they are breaking.

I really want to be able to see how the nails last over 2 weeks so I can see
things I can improve on. I havent had the chance to do an infill yet and want to do a few before I try to get any more clients. I dont feel like I am ever going to get there.

So how do I stop them picking them off?

 

[Jaffacake]

I know what you are going through. I used to have the same problem! I think that as long as you are charging them for the products only they have no incentive to look after them. If they know that you will do them another set for peanuts what incentive have they got to keep them on? I have had the same guinea pig for 3 years, she was being charged £5 a set when I started out, she never made it to rebalance EVER!! I told her that i couldnt afford to keep doing them for that price and upped it to £10 and told her i really needed to get to rebalance stage as thats what i needed to practise the most, if she continued to pick/bite them off then I wouldnt do them for her anymore, or if i did then she would be charged the same price as I would charge everyone else!! Miracles... she started wearing rubber gloves where she didnt before, she bought a bottle of solar oil and uses it frequently..... amazing, her nails now last nearly 3 weeks sometimes!! she still has the odd breakage but nothing like it was before, they all look great when she comes back for rebalance!

Maybe if your models were having to pay a bit towards the nails they would be more inclined to look after them too? I know you need them to practise on, thats why I still do my models for £10 three years down the line (putting it up at xmas though) if your friends and family arent going to keep them on your confidence will be knocked and you will be deflated. Maybe you should advertise for models to practise on at a reduced rate, not a silly price though, maybe £15 per set or something? see if they look after them any better....x

 

[nemotail]

Thanks for your advice Sherrie - I am going to speak to my Mum and see if any of her friends fancy being models. I am hoping that the more mature market will appreciate my work more and I might actually get to do a re-balance.