A true definition of a nail technician

[Chameleon]

....This has got me thinking.Currently i dont offer nail enhancements,only natural nail treatments.

One day....hopefully soon i will offer it as a treatment,but what with creating a new salon,adding on Academie skincare,and just bought a house in France
(which has been slightly stressfull,but worth it!),i just havent had the time...

BUT,when i do,and the time will be right...it got me thinking.I currently do so many treatments:karin Herzog and Academie skincare,waxing,massage,body treatments,hot stone massage,indian head massage,aromatherapy,make up,pedicures,as well as manicures,where would i fit nail enhancements into the equation??

What im trying to say is,would i be able to call myself a true nail technician.
I adore nails with a passion,but i also adore skincare,and have always concentrated with it.I get so many clients ask for enhancements,and im itching to do it,but i know i wouldnt be doing nails all the time.

If a professional is only doing one subjet treatment,wether it be skincare,nails etc,thier skills can only grow,and thier skill as a therapist will become even greater.

However,if you are only concentrating on one traetment all the time,do you "lose" your skills at the other treatments?...

My point being,should you stick to just one thing,to become succesful at it,OR if ,like me,just love doing all kinds of tratments....but feeling like you could push yourself more....am i bumbling or am i making sense...:green:

 

[mercedes69]

I envy you Gabi being able to do all those treatments...I wish I could.

If you fancy training to become a nail technician aswell then why not just set aside a certain day or even a certain time slot where you do the nail enhancements each week...

just as a purely hypothetical situation...you could perhaps do nail enhancements, manicures, pedicures etc...( all hand and feet treatments in other words ) all day on a Monday and Thursday for instance...and all your other treatments the other days... that way clients get to know when and what days they can book a treatment. If someone wants a nail treatment outside of these hours or days then you fit them in when you have a free slot.

Or you could just think...my word Jo talks a complete load of trollop and hasn't the faintest idea what she is on about LOL :lol::lol::lol:

Go for it...it is always another string to add to your bow...:green:

( have I totally missed the boat here...can you already do enhancements but have just chosen not to..? And I realised I didn't actually answer any of your queries...I just went off on one...)

 

[blossom]

Gosh Gabi that got me thinking! I see exactly where you're coming from.

Speaking personally I only do nails, I wouldn't have the passion for all the other treatments and I have a big enough client base not to need to diversify atm.

It is certainly true that if you only offer one treatment, then your skills will grow quicker and you will become proficient much more quickly if you, say, do nails all day every day rather than two or three times a week.

But then there is nothing to say that a skilled technician with a good eye and good training cannot be proficient at nails as well, even thought they carry out many treatments.

Good luck with doing nails. It sounds like you've got a lot on your plate at the mo, and the house in France sounds lurvely . . . lucky you. :hug:

 

[geeg]

There is more to being a great nail technician than just being able to turn out good nails (although this is very important). Here are a few thing to think about.

:!: Doing nails is not for the timid personality or the faint hearted ... you need to be able to be strong and firm with people.

:!: Doing nails needs a person with an empathetic nature, one who cares for and about people.

:!: Doing nails is a business, and a good business head is essential if you want to be financially successful.

:!: Doing nails requires self sacrifice and a vocational attitude as you need to be there when and if your clients want you. Staying in late and going in early etc.

:!: Doing nails is not a fun little hobby ... it is a profession and should not be done by amateurs but only by professionals in the true sense of the word (look it up in the dictionary ... interesting).

:!: Doing nails requires a great sense of responsibility. We work on people's bodies. They trust us to work safely and to nurture and care for their natural nails while they are wearing nail enhancements.

:!: Doing nails requires integrity (as should everything) and good business ethics. Business ethics is something allot of newbie technicians know nothing about in the UK ... thinking they can use someone Else's good will ... work in a salon and then leave trying to poach business from the very salon that hired them and helped them in the first place.

:!: Doing nails is one of the greatest most fun and rewarding and satisfying businesses in the world. Enjoy your learning but realize that the learning process never stops ... you will know when you are ready because you will feel confident to make that start.

:!: Doing nails requires an atitude of Life Long Learning. Regular classes are not only necessary, they also increase your average earnings and keep you motivated.

 

[Chameleon]

....yes,i think youve nailed certain "issues" that have been niggling me there Gigi:lol:

My biggest fear was that i do not want to "lose" the skills at nails,but to keep perfecting it with education and one to one classes...i know this will be all in the future...geez this site is amazing for the "free" education you get on here as aspiring nail technicians.

Ive had therapists tell me in the past,..."oh well if you are going to do nails you need to be doing it all the time...!"...that ticks me off somewhat:irked:

My cousin,started an nvq in nails,qualified,and has now given up,because she lacks....and this is my opinion,she lacks the "personality",the "get go",and she questioned me the need for more education......"oh why do that when ive already done an nvq" was her answer

Comments like these only get me more ambitious and passionate to succeed,in whatever capacity i can...sorry to get on the soap box...:lol:

Anyway all your comments...once again appreciated...and i like the one that Jo,aka Mercedes mentioned about putting aside a "nail day"...however alot of my skin care clients would probably want thier nails done aswell as thier facials on the same day...but as this would take alot of time maybe they could come back another day...Thanks peeps:hug:

 

[blossom]

Gabi have you started learning nails yet? :hug:

 

[Chameleon]

Theres so much going on hun,its just always"at the back of the queue!"...and money that Rich doesnt "want to throw away"...LOL:lol:

 

[BABSann]

Well Gabi you are already trained in OPI enhancements so that gives you alittle bit of an insight into the nail industry:green:.It is very hard to be a full time beauty therapist and nail tech,I do all the above that you mentioned also and enhancements,not to mention countless non surgical facelifts which are usually ladies on a course) and have to admit that it is extremely difficult to actually have a big enough gap to fit my nail enhancement ladies in.

I actually do believe that to be a good nail tech you do need to be doing lots of nails regularly and this is virtually impossible when you are a busy beauty therapist as I am and many others are.

I have tried and tried to build up with my nail enhancement clients but it's an absolute nightmare because quite frankly either I havn't got enough of a gap to do a full set or I havn't got regular gaps to do the rebalances.It's a no win situation that I have grown accustomed to.

I dont think you would lose your skills as a beauty therapist i.e skin care,that just comes as second knowledge like riding a bike,look at me,I had 3 and a half months off after my accident,was terrified I would forget something when I went back to work but it was all there,just ready for the taking.I'm not saying if you stopped doing any type of beauty treatments over a longer period of time you wouldn't get rusty but we as beauty therapists all know our training is a constant ongoing must,the same as nails...its a fast moving industry.

It's the getting good at nails that's the problem...It's damned hard,without the practice or the time to do different clients it is a long uphill struggle.The only thing you could do really would be to introduce the enhancement treatments during your quieter times Gabi and see how you get on,I know you said you havnt' done any for a while now,so why not advertise for models during your quiter times?It's worth a try:green:See how you go.Anyway...good luck chuck:hug: