A little nervous to ask

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Gabby.

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I am training as a nail techncian, working on a home learn course.
I have recently purchased a UV gel lamp and starter kit from '3Week Nails' and am happy with the results, but the brand isn't well known to me and quite expensive at £16 a pot, not ridiculous but still quite pricey.

I am fully aware that the gel and lamp need to be of the same brand to cure properly, but I was wondering if you swapped the bulbs for a different brand and used a gel that corresponds, would it work, is it just the bulb that makes the difference or the container?

Any advice would help, like I say I'm aware you should always use the same brand but if I did chose to swap would I need tp buy a whole new lamp bulb and container or could I just use a different brand's bulb and gel?
 
Hi, not all lamps have the same bulb sockets and operate on different wattage etc so generally it's not as easy as just changing the bulbs on any lamp to suit a different product. £16 is about correct give or take for many gels systems but most are around £20 with vat and postage etc.
 
Mm I thought it would be like that, and I knew it wouldn't be quite as easy as just swapping things about I was just wondering if it would work, as it seems silly if you want to change brands to have to buy a whole new lamp as they can be expensive especially if you have one that works fine.

I don't know much about the brand I have at the moment and can only really see their website as if you put '3 week nails' into a search it comes up with how most gels last for 3 weeks or other irrelevant links, it doesn't show reviews for the brand itself, but thanks for your reply :)
 
Did you get that on some kind of voucher deal? I'm not sure that that is a professional product, I think it's more for home use.
 
I wish it were just as easy as changing the bulbs ... But it's not. There are a few other things that are also crucial to full cure that you may not be aware of.

As you mentioned ... Bulbs differ in the intensity of UV they deliver.

The placement of the bulbs in the lamp is also crucial for full curing and so that the nails sit under the centre of the bulbs where the most UV light is concentrated.

The distance of the nails from the bulbs is another important factor, and this can vary allot between different brands of lamps.

Variations in these factors make a difference to some nail coatings being cured or only semi cured. As all UV cured products appear to the eyes to look cured when they are only 50% cured, it is impossible to tell if full cure has been reached unless you use the correct lamp for your system which might be. any old 4 bulb lamp for hundreds of gels as they mostly come from the same source, as the same formula has been sold to so many different manufacturers.

But don't take it for granted that it is true for all systems for in the case of patented unique innovation such as Shellac, the lamp is also unique and patented and must be used with the system.
 
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I did get it on a promotional offer, but I checked the website before I purchased and there is a good range of colours, base and top coat, and comes with a good cleanser for the sticky layer, I always try product out on myself first an have had no problems with it.

I think I may use this brand until I can afford to stock a well known tried and tested brand such as Shellac, it doesn't hurt to use a lesser known product when starting out and I didn't purchase this one because it wad the cheapest one I found, there are some 'starter kits' out there that look awful!!

Thanks everyone for the advice :)
 
I'm sure I saw these in Boots the other day when I was Christmas shopping, it didn't have a brand just said three week nails or something like that xx
 
Yes the kit I have is most probably a do it at home type. I'm not sure if it's what you saw in boots but it has '3 Week Nails TM' plastered over the lot so it's definitely it's own brand name.

The trouble with starting out on your own is that you have to buy all your equipment yourself and I'm struggling, I do try and get the best for what I can afford, but I hope once I'm up and running properly I can save and buy some better quality product
 
Is shellac the be all and end all it's supposed to be?Are they bringing a new lamp out?
I'm sure there are budget brands that are just as effective
 
Is shellac the be all and end all it's supposed to be?Are they bringing a new lamp out?
I'm sure there are budget brands that are just as effective

Lol .... that's the funniest thing iv read today .... :)
That's like us saying to you all hair extensions are the same ....
No offence hunni but yes there are huge differences ...
To the op - save for the professional products as it makes a huge difference when using the products and the end results (not just shellac either .. Their are many professional brands)
Xxxx


Sent from my iPhone using SalonGeek app
 
Yeah the differences are pretty big.

Do you have any advice on which other products are on par with Shellac?
I'd like to find some builder so I can practice sculpting gel as well as using the in-a-bottle brush on, I have catalogues from sites such as salons direct and nsi but does anyone have a preferred catalogue/website/product?

Xxx
 
Yeah the differences are pretty big.

Do you have any advice on which other products are on par with Shellac?
I'd like to find some builder so I can practice sculpting gel as well as using the in-a-bottle brush on, I have catalogues from sites such as salons direct and nsi but does anyone have a preferred catalogue/website/product?

Xxx

As well as shellac and Cnd I have used opi gel colour. I also use, young nails and nsi for gel and acrylics.

Gelish is pretty popular too!
 
As well as shellac and Cnd I have used opi gel colour. I also use, young nails and nsi for gel and acrylics.

Gelish is pretty popular too!


Thanks, I'm hoping China Glaze Bing out a gel I think they may have, as I love their nail polish, but I'll definitely have a look at the ones youve mentioned :)

Mmm I know gellish is well known, but I see a lot of people who do 'nails' offering gellish as it's quite cheap so I like to look at products a little more up-scale professional
 
Whom are you doing your education with? I just had a little nosey I may be wrong but the uv lamp on the 3 week nails site looks identical to my "backup" lamp I purchased off ebay for less than 25 pounds...I had to buy replacement bulbs off ebay too as Sally's etc don't fit.. :( as I said this is my backup lamp I use my products matching lamp...if you are wanting to use builder gels etc I would use the companies own brand in which you are training with..xx
 
Thanks, I'm hoping China Glaze Bing out a gel I think they may have, as I love their nail polish, but I'll definitely have a look at the ones youve mentioned :)

Mmm I know gellish is well known, but I see a lot of people who do 'nails' offering gellish as it's quite cheap so I like to look at products a little more up-scale professional

No matter how people try and devalue a brand with how cheap they offer it, Gelish is most definately not a product to turn your nose up at. I'm not suggesting your are, but it's easy to find people that also sell themselves cheap offering Shellac too, so It's not the brand, it's the person offering it for silly prices.
 
No matter how people try and devalue a brand with how cheap they offer it, Gelish is most definately not a product to turn your nose up at. I'm not suggesting your are, but it's easy to find people that also sell themselves cheap offering Shellac too, so It's not the brand, it's the person offering it for silly prices.



Ok I'll take that into consideration, I'm not turning my nose up, I want to try and give really luxurious gorgeous treatments and if that means spending a bit more on a bigger branded product, I don't mind doing it as my clients will (hopefully) know that I'm offering the best I can :)
 
Whom are you doing your education with? I just had a little nosey I may be wrong but the uv lamp on the 3 week nails site looks identical to my "backup" lamp I purchased off ebay for less than 25 pounds...I had to buy replacement bulbs off ebay too as Sally's etc don't fit.. :( as I said this is my backup lamp I use my products matching lamp...if you are wanting to use builder gels etc I would use the companies own brand in which you are training with..xx


I'm doing my course with Home-Learn UK. They provided the edge acrylic products but nothing for uv gel so I just had to get what I could afford, it's usefull to know you've got a similar lamp as a back up as it means when I can purchase a more professional one the one I have won't be wasted.

It seems from all the advice that for beginning what I have will be fine but soon as I can I will have a look for a better brand gel and lamp :)
 
Yes I'd recommend maybe doing a conversion course for the brand you decide to use (eg cnd) once you have finished your training...

Gelish and Shellac are very popular as a previous person has said if one seems cheap then this is because of the person selling it;the product definitely is not.. Offering luxurious treatments etc isn't all down to the cost of a product it's how you use it and having a unique way of representing yourself and services..i hope it all works out for u :) x
 
Yes I'd recommend maybe doing a conversion course for the brand you decide to use (eg cnd) once you have finished your training...

Gelish and Shellac are very popular as a previous person has said if one seems cheap then this is because of the person selling it;the product definitely is not.. Offering luxurious treatments etc isn't all down to the cost of a product it's how you use it and having a unique way of representing yourself and services..i hope it all works out for u :) x


Thanks so much :) it's a difficult industry to get in to when you don't know much about the products when you're starting up, but I really appreciate the advice and opinions that have come up from this post. I'll definitely take on board everything everyone has said x
 
IBD Just Gel & Ezflow Trugel are both at the price point you like & are professional only products.

These companies have long & respected histories in professional nail care.

They do the job effectively & are a world above what you have currently invested in. Lots of professionals use them & their range is immense. They will also be able to provide MSDS sheets which you need for insurance & probably aren’t available from your current gel provider.

Even if you need to stay at the lower end of the gel market I think it is imperative you choose a respected nail care brand that is marketed for professionals only.

Aligning yourself with an unbranded gel range sold predominantly to the public damages your credibility as a proficient nail tech.

Their distributor is here: http://www.graftons.co.uk/

Or you can buy from Salons Direct http://www.salonsdirect.com

 

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