Can I offer gel polish only?

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NatCas

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I was just wondering if any of you offer only gel polish or if you all do enhancements also?

I am trained in gel and acrylic but am really not confident in it. I much prefer gel polish and I think it shows in my work. I should add, I have invested in the gel bottle hard gels and advertised for models to build up my confidence, but got no response, so am tying to get better.

I recently did a set of gel extension for a lady and happened to see her at a family event less than a week later and she had a totally different set on to what I had done. I was too downhearted about it to ask her if they came off or if she just didn't like what I had done.

I don't know if a further course in either gel or acrylic would make me feel better or if I should stick to doing what I know I enjoy and just offer gel polish. Majority of my custom is gel polish but maybe I would be able to further my client base if I am offering enhancements.

If any of you are offering just gel polish are you finding you are sufficiently busy?

Thanks in advance for any reply.
 
I don't offer treatments at the moment as I'm still training and plan to offer a number of services. However, a friend of a friend just offers a gel polish service only and she's always super busy (she's already booked up for the next 2 months!). She markets herself really well, a lot of her clients have come initially from targeted Facebook sponsored posts in her area which don't cost a lot and also appear on Instagram if you have an account (facebook own Instagram). Off the back of that have come referrals which has made her incredibly busy.
If I were you, I would do as many friends and family nails as I could, take some great snaps and build up an image bank that you can then use on social media. If you struggle with that then you could even just do your own nails over again and make the shots look a little different :)
 
I don't offer treatments at the moment as I'm still training and plan to offer a number of services. However, a friend of a friend just offers a gel polish service only and she's always super busy (she's already booked up for the next 2 months!). She markets herself really well, a lot of her clients have come initially from targeted Facebook sponsored posts in her area which don't cost a lot and also appear on Instagram if you have an account (facebook own Instagram). Off the back of that have come referrals which has made her incredibly busy.
If I were you, I would do as many friends and family nails as I could, take some great snaps and build up an image bank that you can then use on social media. If you struggle with that then you could even just do your own nails over again and make the shots look a little different :)
Thank you littlemissnails 81, currently social media is my strongest tool. I have a dedicated facebook and instagram page, I think they are some of the best ways to get yourself out there. I am currently sat trying to think of an October offer I can promote on my pages in the coming days as I have had a range of Autumn colours delivered to my door this morning, so I think something like that would drum up some interest.

I am getting some regulars now which is promising and they are referring friends (I have a new lady tomorrow who has come via recommendation) but it is very reassuring to hear your friend is doing very well with gel polish alone. I love gel polish, its the reason I did a nail tech course in the first place as I was doing it on myself and wanted to be qualified to offer it to paying clients, the acrylics and gels just came as part of the course. I think I am really going to push the gel polish and see how busy I can get with it. Your friend is proof it can be done after all :)

Thanks for getting back to me. x
 
Thank you littlemissnails 81, currently social media is my strongest tool. I have a dedicated facebook and instagram page, I think they are some of the best ways to get yourself out there. I am currently sat trying to think of an October offer I can promote on my pages in the coming days as I have had a range of Autumn colours delivered to my door this morning, so I think something like that would drum up some interest.

I am getting some regulars now which is promising and they are referring friends (I have a new lady tomorrow who has come via recommendation) but it is very reassuring to hear your friend is doing very well with gel polish alone. I love gel polish, its the reason I did a nail tech course in the first place as I was doing it on myself and wanted to be qualified to offer it to paying clients, the acrylics and gels just came as part of the course. I think I am really going to push the gel polish and see how busy I can get with it. Your friend is proof it can be done after all :)

Thanks for getting back to me. x

I think if you're passionate about something, it shows so I'm sure you'll be super busy in no time!
 
I was just wondering if any of you offer only gel polish or if you all do enhancements also?

I am trained in gel and acrylic but am really not confident in it. I much prefer gel polish and I think it shows in my work. I should add, I have invested in the gel bottle hard gels and advertised for models to build up my confidence, but got no response, so am tying to get better.

I recently did a set of gel extension for a lady and happened to see her at a family event less than a week later and she had a totally different set on to what I had done. I was too downhearted about it to ask her if they came off or if she just didn't like what I had done.

I don't know if a further course in either gel or acrylic would make me feel better or if I should stick to doing what I know I enjoy and just offer gel polish. Majority of my custom is gel polish but maybe I would be able to further my client base if I am offering enhancements.

If any of you are offering just gel polish are you finding you are sufficiently busy?

Thanks in advance for any reply.


Hi,

I only offer Gel Polish. I have also done a course in Acrylics but I hated them and never offered this treatment. I did wonder whether it would be popular but I do have regulars and earn OK from it. I dont think there is much point offering a treatment that you dont enjoy which is why I decided not to carry on with extensions. xx
 
I only do natural nail treatments at the moment. I'm trained in enhancements, and have it on my pricelist, but none of my regulars have ever wanted it, and I'm also not promoting it as I am in a similar boat to you and currently not confident enough to push it.

I definitely think you can make a successful business out of it, as long as you target yourself to that particular clientele. For example I mainly do office workers and working parents, who aren't necessarily after enhanced nails, but more a long lasting finish. However, I only do nails part time.
 
The most popular services I've got so far is gel polish although I've had clients asking if I offered Shellac or Jessica Geleration. Others asked for eyelash extensions, and on one occasion, I had a client travelling quite a distance to have a set of extensions done.

But seriously, today I have done extensions on myself as part of a dare and it is really hard to get anything done with my unicorn stiletto nails!
 

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I only offer gel polish and it works well for me. I think you can make a successful business out of natural nails.
 
Absolutely. I offer extensions as well myself but quite a large proportion of my business is just gel polish, so I can't see why not.
Luxury and basic manicures and pedicures would go hand in hand with this and be a source of extra income for you :)
 
I also do just gels with no extensions and have regulars. I have been doing this for 3years and increased my turnover each year. Good luck.☺
 
Same as the other posters.... I only offer normal nail polish and Gelish. I trained in l&p and gel extensions but I'd rather educate people of taking care of their own natural nails. Xx
 
Gel manicures look fantastic but i just had mine taken off today and it left my nails looking horrible and it also hurts really bad (left my nails really thin and with cuts in the middle of them down to the skin under my nails).
 
Gel manicures look fantastic but i just had mine taken off today and it left my nails looking horrible and it also hurts really bad (left my nails really thin and with cuts in the middle of them down to the skin under my nails).
This is NOT what your nails should be like.

Did you go somewhere reputable? How did they remove it?

With a decent product and proper removal, along with you doing your part such as applying oil and not picking, your nails should be in exactly the same state as when your gel polish was applied.
 
Gel manicures look fantastic but i just had mine taken off today and it left my nails looking horrible and it also hurts really bad (left my nails really thin and with cuts in the middle of them down to the skin under my nails).

Oh god that sounds painful [emoji37]. Just like Blossom said, your nails should no way be like that after removal! Did they file the gel off instead of soaking?
 
Thank you all for your replies, its been a great help. I've decided to go for it and I have had 1000 leaflets made advertising my services for gel polish. I'm excited for them to arrive and am currently deciding on the most strategic places to distribute them.
I am currently horrendously quiet and am trying to not let it worry me, hoping for a surge of interest once my leaflets go out. I do only do this part time along side my usual job. I will be due to go on maternity in April so am hoping to build my business as much as I possibly can in that time.

Thank you all once again for getting back to me, most helpful :)
 
Thank you all for your replies, its been a great help. I've decided to go for it and I have had 1000 leaflets made advertising my services for gel polish. I'm excited for them to arrive and am currently deciding on the most strategic places to distribute them.
I am currently horrendously quiet and am trying to not let it worry me, hoping for a surge of interest once my leaflets go out. I do only do this part time along side my usual job. I will be due to go on maternity in April so am hoping to build my business as much as I possibly can in that time.

Thank you all once again for getting back to me, most helpful :)

Good for you! Best of luck with it [emoji173]️[emoji8]
 
90% of my clientele is gel polish or normal polish aswell. i dont advertise sns, i advertise nontixic polish and deluxe mani pedis with organic skincare
 

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