Applying acrylic to a large nail

[Farley59]

I usually take a maximum of 2hrs to do a set of acrylic infills inc, gel polish and art. However, I have one client who's nails are really wide and she likes to wear them really long and so are taking 3.5 hours which is exhausting. I've tried picking up bigger beads but just end up with a wet bead but even the prep' buffing is taking forever. Would a larger brush be better for application? Any advice gratefully received. TIA. X

 

[blossom]

Wondering what part of the infil takes so long? How long do you spend filing, shortening, applying the acrylic and finishing?

Is there a lot of lifting? Lots of breakages?

If we can isolate some stuff it might help us to advise. I have all infills out in an hour or bit longer for art, however big the nail, so somethings not right here.

What size brush are you using?

And when did you qualify? Xx

 

[Farley59]

Thanks for your reply Blossom, I appreciate your time. I've been qualified for years but have only been doing nails full time as opposed to along side beauty for just over a year. It's only with this one client and I'd say it's definitely the pre filing that's taking most of the time but there's barely any lifting, breakages or cracking. She has uber sensitive nails which doesn't help. X

 

[Farley59]

Forgot to add, that I use #6 brush. X

 

[blossom]

I'm guessing she has maybe a pointy shape too as that takes longer to shorten etc than square?

What file do you use on her? Does she keep pulling her hand away and interrupting?

Do you find all your other clients take much less time?

 

[Emily S]

A size 6 brush seems small, we trained with an 8... I now use a 10

A #10 is huge when you first get it but you'd definitely get used to it, I'd at least give it a try to get your time down, no sets should be taking that long

 

[Mrs Geek]

I usually take a maximum of 2hrs to do a set of acrylic infills inc, gel polish and art. However, I have one client who's nails are really wide and she likes to wear them really long and so are taking 3.5 hours which is exhausting. I've tried picking up bigger beads but just end up with a wet bead but even the prep' buffing is taking forever. Would a larger brush be better for application? Any advice gratefully received. TIA. X

Larger brush may help you. Also, I hope you are charging more. That's a lot of time and effort to charge the same as an hour treatment.

 

[blossom]

Larger brush may help you. Also, I hope you are charging more. That's a lot of time and effort to charge the same as an hour treatment.

Can you really though? I mean, where do you draw the line between normal/extra large? Then you'd get people with small nails asking for discount (when actually they're a lot fiddlier).

I used to think the same though when I did spray tans but never dared say [emoji33]!!

Just my thoughts x

 

[Emily S]

Larger brush may help you. Also, I hope you are charging more. That's a lot of time and effort to charge the same as an hour treatment.

I'd say this would be ok if it wasn't the tech who has the issue...

Whether large or small nail plates, my sets roughly take the same amount of time give or take 5/10 minutes so I'd say it's the tech who has the issue, not the client, no way should they be taking an hour or more longer, not unless they're shovel fingers anyway

 

[Mrs Geek]

I'd say this would be ok if it wasn't the tech who has the issue...

Whether large or small nail plates, my sets roughly take the same amount of time give or take 5/10 minutes so I'd say it's the tech who has the issue, not the client, no way should they be taking an hour or more longer, not unless they're shovel fingers anyway

Agreed. Totally.

But if it is why? And if it is, you must have reasoning behind your decisions. Blossom said... Then should you charge less for smaller nails. Answer is... On average, what do you charge for a full treatment of... Bla bla.

Make a decision, stick to it. If you have an unusual situation... You should at PEP stage, let said client know, what you are doing, charging etc... You guys aren't stupid.... YOU CAN SEE if a treatment is going to be unusual due to clients nails (large etc)... This why PRESCRIBING the correct treatment etc at the BEGINNING is crucial. Everyone knows where they're at.

 

[Emily S]

Agreed. Totally.

But if it is why? And if it is, you must have reasoning behind your decisions. Blossom said... Then should you charge less for smaller nails. Answer is... On average, what do you charge for a full treatment of... Bla bla.

Make a decision, stick to it. If you have an unusual situation... You should at PEP stage, let said client know, what you are doing, charging etc... You guys aren't stupid.... YOU CAN SEE if a treatment is going to be unusual due to clients nails (large etc)... This why PRESCRIBING the correct treatment etc at the BEGINNING is crucial. Everyone knows where they're at.

I think it depends on your price list.

I personally charge per set, whether they are long/short, wide/narrow, pointed/square and the prices don't change.

I think if you're going to charge in these situations you should be charging 'per hour' for everyone, not just singling one client out.

On average I charge 'X' amount an hour, that's up to me to work that amount out as an 'average', between the teeny tiny nails and the shovel nails it evens itself out and the client is non the wiser.... Seems fair

I certainly wouldn't want someone to take an appointment and get through the prepping, give them a price and them say no or feel they can't say no and have a bad vibe with me. I also wouldn't bother with nail consultations so don't know how you could enforce this price structure.

I think it's upto the tech to change their ways and speed up, as I said before over 6 years my sets don't vary that much in time (apart from soaking off NSS nails) so I think upping the brush size is the answer...

 

[Ya Nails]

I usually take a maximum of 2hrs to do a set of acrylic infills inc, gel polish and art. However, I have one client who's nails are really wide and she likes to wear them really long and so are taking 3.5 hours which is exhausting. I've tried picking up bigger beads but just end up with a wet bead but even the prep' buffing is taking forever. Would a larger brush be better for application? Any advice gratefully received. TIA. X

Possible the go, using a bigger brush, just practice the bead consistency using the larger brush until it gets to the point where it can be placed onto the nail with it not flooding all over the skin. The amount of monomer left in the brush will affect the size of the acrylic bead.