Ok my brother in law bought my niece for her birthday a pack of Elite 99. 6 colours with top and base coats. She's 15. She asked me round, On Sunday last week, to show her what to do. So I went round and dos her a set. Went on smooth and clean. Today I went round as she wanted me to show her the proper way to remove gel polish. Anyway after filing away lightly the top coat. All it took was 5 minutes of soaking and the whole thing had come away. I was totally amazed. Now I've had some proper nightmares trying to remove NSI gel varnish in the past. So went in thinking it was going to take forever. Her nails were still fab looking no chips no shrinkage or flaking so wears well to. Anyone else tried Elite 99?
Elite 99
- Thread starter ShyChell
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Misstoniilou
Well-Known Member
Why on earth, as a qualified nail technician, would you do that?
The only thing id have done is tell my brother off for buying it in the first place.
The only thing id have done is tell my brother off for buying it in the first place.
MrsBB2013
Well-Known Member
Seems like the whole blue sky thing again looks like they are trying to copy gelish which is a bit annoying! Tbh though I know what you mean about removal I took some gelish off a customer the other week and I seemed to have to do more scraping than I'm used to. I use ibd, and find it really good. Graftons have it on offer for about £xx a bottle atm. Might be worth giving it a try, removal is fab! X
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My bro in law is the type where he has to prove how easy things are to his kids. There are words but I won't use them here lol. But I have been asking around and it seems that Elite99 is quite popular with the do it your selfers at home. A friend of a friend uses Sensationail Acetone from Boots for removal and and Chameleon uv Gels that change colour with the heat/cold. I could see how my friend wants to try them out. By the excitement of telling me about it. But I think she thinks I'll be upset by it. But I cannot force her to come to me and pay me for doing what she could do for free. [emoji53]
MrsBB2013
Well-Known Member
I think the fact is yes it is popular with the diyers. I think you have just shown why you shouldn't be using it as a professional. Some people will want to do it at home some will be good at it some people will be pants. Your clients are ones that want to come and pay for a professional service using professional products not one that they can but in boots x
DebzBeauty
Well-Known Member
I'm mobile & always use CND Shellac as it's professional & good, however a couple of rival mobile beauticians in my area don't use professional products - 1 being Elite99 & obviously they undercut me as it's far cheaper. I don't mind a bit of healthy competition but when they don't use professional products it drives me mad! It also concerns me when people start moaning they are getting allergic reactions from this stuff & then automatically think CND shellac will do the same, so worry about having it.
clairedolci
Member
There are some absolutely ridiculously snooty comments on this thread. It was a perfectly reasonable initial comment.
I have been doing nails and beauty for 20 years and brand names are almost never as good as cheaper brands.
I trial everything before I buy in bulk and offer the treatment from my salon.
Before offering gel polish as a treatment, I trailed at least 5 different 'brands' on a selection of clients more than once, including gelish, opi and Shellac, NONE OF THEM LASTED. SOME OF them ruffled some of them peeled, some of them lasted a few days but NONE of them the full 2 weeks that I was aiming for. I was adamant, if I couldn't find one that I could guarantee for 2 weeks, I wasn't going to bother.
When I had tried 4-5 various brands and didn't get the result I wanted, I was ready to give up. Another client begged me to try one more...... so I did but with the track record, I wasn't going to waste money on an expensive brand so I bought BLUESKY!!! I didn't expect it to last but to my surprised I surpassed the 2 week trial and continued into the 6th week.
That was 3 years ago and I still use it now, daily, I am confident in this'd product and guarantee it for 2 weeks. The majority of people's last 3 weeks without any chips or peeling but I have had clients who's nails have lasted 6-7 weeks or until they've grown them out (which I didn't recommend).
This was also the case with top coats, acrylic powders, nail lamps, nail soaks, lash tint etc I have trialed. It is very rare that the branded expensive products come out on top.
If you find something that works for you, use it regardless of it's name and other people's snobby opinions!!
I have the majority of the business in my area, because I do a good job and because I can guarantee that the products I use work because I have put in that initial time and money to trial various products before deciding which works best for me. People have come to me from an opi salon up the road because they heard mine lasted better and the opi only lasted a week!
My colleague insists on using shellac because that's what she knows and is used to, it rarely lasts as well as my bluesky, ruffled, peels and sometimes doesn't even set. I refuse to use it.
Providing it is removed correctly there is absolutely no problem with bluesky........ and I don't know what you're on about allergic reactions, I have never in the whole 20 years in the beauty industry had anyone who's had an allergic reaction to a nail polish..... why would it be touching their skin???
I have been doing nails and beauty for 20 years and brand names are almost never as good as cheaper brands.
I trial everything before I buy in bulk and offer the treatment from my salon.
Before offering gel polish as a treatment, I trailed at least 5 different 'brands' on a selection of clients more than once, including gelish, opi and Shellac, NONE OF THEM LASTED. SOME OF them ruffled some of them peeled, some of them lasted a few days but NONE of them the full 2 weeks that I was aiming for. I was adamant, if I couldn't find one that I could guarantee for 2 weeks, I wasn't going to bother.
When I had tried 4-5 various brands and didn't get the result I wanted, I was ready to give up. Another client begged me to try one more...... so I did but with the track record, I wasn't going to waste money on an expensive brand so I bought BLUESKY!!! I didn't expect it to last but to my surprised I surpassed the 2 week trial and continued into the 6th week.
That was 3 years ago and I still use it now, daily, I am confident in this'd product and guarantee it for 2 weeks. The majority of people's last 3 weeks without any chips or peeling but I have had clients who's nails have lasted 6-7 weeks or until they've grown them out (which I didn't recommend).
This was also the case with top coats, acrylic powders, nail lamps, nail soaks, lash tint etc I have trialed. It is very rare that the branded expensive products come out on top.
If you find something that works for you, use it regardless of it's name and other people's snobby opinions!!
I have the majority of the business in my area, because I do a good job and because I can guarantee that the products I use work because I have put in that initial time and money to trial various products before deciding which works best for me. People have come to me from an opi salon up the road because they heard mine lasted better and the opi only lasted a week!
My colleague insists on using shellac because that's what she knows and is used to, it rarely lasts as well as my bluesky, ruffled, peels and sometimes doesn't even set. I refuse to use it.
Providing it is removed correctly there is absolutely no problem with bluesky........ and I don't know what you're on about allergic reactions, I have never in the whole 20 years in the beauty industry had anyone who's had an allergic reaction to a nail polish..... why would it be touching their skin???
lilroo
Member
I totally agree with you I have been a nail tech for over 20 years and with my experience now I try out products I don't just go by name because like you I find some of the cheaper brands are better.. You now can buy any professional product on the Internet and don't even have to be a professional so there is no room in this business for snobbery each to there own unfortunately nothing is for the professional anymore x
Karen5066
Member
I totally agree, I use elite99 because it gives you the variety and quality the client needs! Clients are happy with my work and they last sometimes over 3 weeks! I was confused about the allergic reaction also? The only way as you say would be if you touch the cuticle or side walls! Or over cuticle work which I've never had or done!
I know this thread is a bit old now but I came across it as I was doing a bit of research on gel polishes. I have to say I agree with the last two comments. I've recently got back into nails after a long break (yes I'm qualified). I had been having my gel polish done at a very reputable salon but was fed up of the nail tech trashing my natural nail through over buffing so I decided to do my own and to try out Bluesky gel polishes on myself first and I must say I find them excellent. One client had it on for 6 weeks with absolutely no chipping or peeling. I've been using it for a good few months now and have had no chipping or peeling at all. I have read a few alarming things about Bluesky but after further investigation read that their products have been improved to meet European standards. I haven't had any adverse reaction and have only used it on 2 other people at the moment and neither have they. One thing I have noticed though is that Bluesky doesn't soak off as well as other brands that have been used on me in the salon,,but then the salon products didn't last as well. It always amazed me in the past how nail techs would get all hot under the collar about people 'doing their own nails', they're entitled to do what they like really and when they realise it's not as easy as it looks they soon get fed up and go to a proper salon anyway!
pkb
Member
Great article.
Can you share where you get your elite products from?
There are so many people on YouTube now who teach you techniques etc. And so many of them are professionals giving and sharing information.
NailtechJoe
IN:@thenailmaestro
The BBC have published a while ago a radio podcast talking about the same products you mention. It talks about the allergy risks involved in DIY gel kits and the increase in women suffering from contact dermatitis.
I did buy a bottle of elite99 back in 2014 to write an article about knock offs and warn people of the risks involved. In the instructions, it mentions to use gelish foundation. My question is, why would I want to use this product in the first place if it is a knock off from Gelish and specifically says to use Gelish foundation? You are essentially mixing systems which has no guarantee of the product to perform as intended and by using the wrong lamp you will cause product to be undercured which is the principle cause of contact dermatitis.
The bottle now rests in pieces in the trash yard.
