Emilyx
Well-Known Member
I was just wondering if any of you just do shellac? could you make a decent business out of just doing this?
Could you make a living just doing Shellac?
- Thread starter Emilyx
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There's no harm in starting up doing clients to make a bit of money back (you're doing the complete, aren't you? Lucky girl 
)l however, my advice to you is don't limit yourself, at least in the long-term.
Shellac is an amazing product - and your clients will go mad for it - but it's not for everyone. Some people cannot wear colour for 2+ weeks due to the jobs and others.. well, others just don't have the nails suitable for it. This is why it's important to be able to be prescriptive for your clients and offer them the absolute best products for them.
For example, if a bride came with 9 beautiful nail and a broken stump, you would want to be able to build her another nail, you can't do that with shellac alone.
If a nurse/chef came to you for special treat for a weekend event, you can't do that with shellac. Well, you could, but it'd be more sensible to do it with vinylux. You get my drift
It's a brilliant starting point though!
)l however, my advice to you is don't limit yourself, at least in the long-term.Shellac is an amazing product - and your clients will go mad for it - but it's not for everyone. Some people cannot wear colour for 2+ weeks due to the jobs and others.. well, others just don't have the nails suitable for it. This is why it's important to be able to be prescriptive for your clients and offer them the absolute best products for them.
For example, if a bride came with 9 beautiful nail and a broken stump, you would want to be able to build her another nail, you can't do that with shellac alone.
If a nurse/chef came to you for special treat for a weekend event, you can't do that with shellac. Well, you could, but it'd be more sensible to do it with vinylux. You get my drift
It's a brilliant starting point though!
I agree with everything Linzi says. It's good to be versatile. However, 80% of my business at the moment is Shellac and that's without me pushing it. It sells it self as long as you follow all CND protocols too. X
Rory Love
Well-Known Member
I definately think you could make a living from just Shellac. You'd obviously need to advertise as a natural nails only tech to attract the right client base.
Shellac is amazing, at 45mins-an hour treatment slot at average £20-£25 a time - easy.
I've almost finished the CND Complete course and my absolute favourite thing has been Shellac, I chose to do enhancements because I want to be able to cater for all clients but at the moment enhancements are driving me round the bend and I just want to Shellac everyone and learn more Shellac nail art. But enhancements will come with time and lots of practice.
Shellac is amazing, at 45mins-an hour treatment slot at average £20-£25 a time - easy.
I've almost finished the CND Complete course and my absolute favourite thing has been Shellac, I chose to do enhancements because I want to be able to cater for all clients but at the moment enhancements are driving me round the bend and I just want to Shellac everyone and learn more Shellac nail art. But enhancements will come with time and lots of practice.
geeg
Judge Gigi-Honorary Geek
I believe you need to know more and offer more than one treatment and solutions for problem nails, just as Linzi has said so well. I think you would have disappointed clients who would seek these solutions elsewhere if you cannot accommodate them. You may not need to offer full enhancement services but you certainly need to be able to use many of the techniques used when doing enhancements if you are going to make what you term a living just using Shellac.
In my opinion & experience yes. Before Brisa Lite & Vinylux were launched I offered CND Shellac service only after having to stop Massage due to health issues. I added Brisa Lite & Vinylux as soon as they were launched to enable an all round service.
411
Well-Known Member
I'm trained in gels & l&p but since I've started my business 6 months ago, all the clients I get are Shellac!
But I'm glad I'm trained in the other nail enhancements because if I need to do a repair on a broken nail I know that I have the experience to do it.
Most of my clients have been scarred from having l&p done from the local high street nss salons so don't want to go anywhere near l&p, even though I explain and educate them its not the product that damages your
Nails, its the technician and how it's applied.
But I'm glad I'm trained in the other nail enhancements because if I need to do a repair on a broken nail I know that I have the experience to do it.
Most of my clients have been scarred from having l&p done from the local high street nss salons so don't want to go anywhere near l&p, even though I explain and educate them its not the product that damages your
Nails, its the technician and how it's applied.
Although Shellac is very popular I personally wouldn't want to put all my eggs in one basket so to speak. I'm glad I can offer other nail options, and even suggest other beauty treatments while I'm Shelllacing!
It's always advantageous to be able to offer all nail treatments including enhancements.
I don't offer enhancements (may do in the future who knows) but I offer Shellac, Brisa Lite Smoothing Gel, Eco Soak Off Gel, Minx, Vinylux and standard polish manicures and pedicures. I started working as a mobile at the end of 2011, created my home salon in August 2012 and just this month gave up mobile. It takes time to build up a client base and as I've gone along I've added more treatments.
I am due to take the Brisa Lite Smoothing Gel training next month, then I'm going to book on to the Build It Class. From what I understand the Build It is for natural nail geeks like myself so that if as the OP mentioned above someone comes to us with 9 fabulous nails and 1 broken or short nail we can remedy that problem by fixing the broken and short nail with Brisa Lite Sculpting Gel then Shellac over the top.
I've looked several times at offering enhancements, but for me at the moment my home salon doesn't lend well for offering them- ventilation being my biggest concern. But never say never
Something Marian Newman (aka mum) once wrote has stuck with me through my 2 years of being in this industry, she basically said something along the lines of if you are going to be a natural nail geek then offer all types of natural nail treatments- I don't mean that she meant offer 101 different gel polishes she meant offer a gel polish/shellac, natural nail manis and pedis, minx etc etc. With the introduction of Brisa Lite us natural nail geeks just got even luckier! And let's not forget Vinylux too!
Ha not sure if I've even answered your question there, but we all start somewhere and Shellac is a good a place to start as any.
I don't offer enhancements (may do in the future who knows) but I offer Shellac, Brisa Lite Smoothing Gel, Eco Soak Off Gel, Minx, Vinylux and standard polish manicures and pedicures. I started working as a mobile at the end of 2011, created my home salon in August 2012 and just this month gave up mobile. It takes time to build up a client base and as I've gone along I've added more treatments.
I am due to take the Brisa Lite Smoothing Gel training next month, then I'm going to book on to the Build It Class. From what I understand the Build It is for natural nail geeks like myself so that if as the OP mentioned above someone comes to us with 9 fabulous nails and 1 broken or short nail we can remedy that problem by fixing the broken and short nail with Brisa Lite Sculpting Gel then Shellac over the top.
I've looked several times at offering enhancements, but for me at the moment my home salon doesn't lend well for offering them- ventilation being my biggest concern. But never say never
Something Marian Newman (aka mum) once wrote has stuck with me through my 2 years of being in this industry, she basically said something along the lines of if you are going to be a natural nail geek then offer all types of natural nail treatments- I don't mean that she meant offer 101 different gel polishes
she meant offer a gel polish/shellac, natural nail manis and pedis, minx etc etc. With the introduction of Brisa Lite us natural nail geeks just got even luckier! And let's not forget Vinylux too! Ha not sure if I've even answered your question there, but we all start somewhere and Shellac is a good a place to start as any.
NancySyd
Well-Known Member
Although CND Shellac is a wonderful product, it is only one product and cannot fulfill the needs of many clients (and potential clients), especially those with problem nails. So it is important to use and offer a range of services, not only to fill their needs but to keep you up on various techniques. Furthermore, the nail industry is evolving quickly in terms of technology. Shellac is new technology, but there will be others around the corner that could render it obsolete. Remember what Shellac did to L&P? You need to diversify your portfolio. So while it is okay to have a business that is primarily Shellac, you need to have the skills in other areas and stay abreast of advances in the field.
Mrs Bod
Well-Known Member
I would have to say no. I have had to turn away four potential clients in as many months who specifically wanted enhancements.
My ideal was to offer natural nail treatments only, but once the first lady called me I began saving for a Brisa Hard Gel course.
I want to build a successful small business and that won't happen if I have to turn clients away because I can't offer them what they want.
That's just my opinion though
My ideal was to offer natural nail treatments only, but once the first lady called me I began saving for a Brisa Hard Gel course.
I want to build a successful small business and that won't happen if I have to turn clients away because I can't offer them what they want.
That's just my opinion though
