Fed up with Removing Gelish for £3.00

[sophiegees]

Ok, got myself in a bit of a pricing mess. Started October - had lots of problems - nearly gave up - then it all went ok as I started using Gelish. Anyhow I was/am charging £15 for Gelish application and £18 for Gelish including removal. It takes me an hour to apply gelish and half an hour to remove it.

I am happy with £15 for application. I am quite new and have been through hell with nails/confidence and virtually gave up nails totally at the beginning of December. But now, hey they are looking good and lasting 3 weeks and my clients are so so happy. But yes I am slow - but am fine with that - I am sure speed with come but for now I am just so pleased they are looking good and lasting.

But doing removal for £3 is not a good thing! I am thinking of putting it up - but not sure what amount to charge. My area is very price conscious. It definately needs to go up though. I also plan to buy and make up removal kits. I thought I would buy (probably from sallys) and include the following

Small bottle of acetone
Pack of cosmetic pads
nail file
orange sticks
Would also include a solar oil to use after removal and to use regularly

Then make it all up into packs and the idea is the customer will use their own tin foil.

And I would give it to them free of charge.

So my idea is that if I do put my removal charge up then if its too much for my customers then there is an alternative. They would have the choice.

Or am I a meany for not wanting to do removal for £3. I also hate doing the removal.......

It would be great to hear what you think. And this would be for new customers only - some of my existing ones already do their own removal and the others I will continue for the £3.

thanks
xx

 

[geeg]

I use Shellac and we schedule 45 minutes per appointment, which includes the cost of removal.

However, if you want your clients to remove themselves to save you all that extra time, then Sweet Squared sell a really good kit already put together for you, which you can sell to your clients for home use.

It's called the 'Remove Tube'. Just call 08452106060 and ask about it .. it contains everything clients need if they need to do a removal themselves.

 

[purplespark]

I think making up a pack for removal is an excellent idea! But you need to charge for them hun, or did I get confused there? I also hate doing removal, takes me ages.
I only charge £2 for removal with re-app (to encourage re-ap) or £8 just removal. I would price your kit higher than your own removal as the client will be able to use it more than once. Type up a little guide for them to go with it. Xx

 

[MissLB]

i believe harmony do the same thing for gelish removal that u can retail to clients to remove themselves called the mini soak off kit go on nh website and look under the gelish essentials tab hope this helps

 

[nicole333]

If something is going to cost you something, you shouldn't be giving it away for free. You should be charging for the removal kit, if that's what you decide to offer.
If you are happy with the quality of the service you provide now, which it seems you are, why can't you put your prices up? £15/£18 for Gelish is too cheap in my opinion. You could warn you clients in advance if you worry they won't like it.

What is everyone else in your area charging? Do you know the quality of their work?

 

[tiggerlady]

Why would you want to give away something that has cost you money???
By all means make a pack up, but if your product provider has done the work for you, then retail theirs..looks more professional! If the clients don't want to pay the retail price for it then they'll just have to pay you then, won't they?? Lol!
Also a good idea, as stated, to make it more than your removal prices, which are definately too low!! (even I can see that and I don't do nails yet). If you remove and re-apply, fair enough, as then you are getting another service from the client, but removal only should at least be charged at enough to cover your time and products, surely..x

The thing is, I think, to set your prices after training to what you would like them to be as a fully confident nail tech and have that in your mind, then do an 'introductory offer' for when you first finish your training and need a smidgy bit more practice on paying clients, then when you are happy, finish the 'offer' ..that way clients know what the final prices will look like and appreciate that what they're paying at first won't be the normal price...that's what Im going to do whan I finish my training

 

[elmo]

I include removal in my prices x

 

[Claire-Bear]

When I introduced Gelish into the salon I charged £15 for first application and told clients it would be £3 for removal so each subsequent Re-Gelish would be £18.....................I clearly stated that it was an introductory offer.

As time went by I was unsure whether to increase the price however I gained a couple of new clients who would always 'remove' the Gelish themselves at home to save £3...............result: I spent just as much time removing the bits they had left!!!

I have now increased the price to £20 regardless of whether its first application or a Re-Gelish!! Funnily enough those clients that used to remove it themselves now leave it to me!!

If you choose to offer diy removal kits please bear in mind that the removal may not be carried out properly and you will still be spending time completing the job for them!

Claire
Bare Necessities

 

[rachael204]

I charge £25 for Gelish - same price everytime, includes removal if they need it, but it's same price if they don't.

 

[kirsty14]

I charge £25 for Gelish - same price everytime, includes removal if they need it, but it's same price if they don't.

I am the same as Rachael I charge £25 for colours & £28 for French as it takes a little bit longer! I remove for free if they get another set if not I charge £10 for removal

You've gotta make a living hun I would do a little research into what your competitors are charging then explain you are putting your prices up to be in line with the market value x

 

[Gina Ballerina]

I used to charge £29 for a geleration manicure with free removal with reapplication. It has been that way for about a year but I felt like I was working for free with a removal.
When I put up my prices in October, I put everything up £1 but left the gel man the same but changed the pricing structure to this.
Colour gel man £29
Colour gel man with removal £32
French gel man £32
French gel man with removal £34.
Removal & tidy £10
Removal & mini manicure £14.
I advise all my clients how they can remove them themselves or I can do it for them.
I told my regular clients I was unable to cover the cost of removal anymore and no one complained.
Hth
Gx

 

[JuicyLucy]

It takes me an hour to apply gelish and half an hour to remove it.ably from sallys) and include the following
xx

I think the removal kit is a great idea, but, as others have said, you have to charge for it.

Before you go down this route though, I would take a look at your application and removal time. It is taking too long. I remove and reapply Gelish in 55 minutes, and I'm sure others do it even faster.

What is your soak off routine?

 

[amurphy105]

Gelish soaks off in 10 minutes. What's your prep that takes up so much time? Perhaps you could shorten time by eliminating some step?

Sent from my Desire HD using SalonGeek

 

[SamIam]

I'm confused. Why would you need to charge for removal when a client can come in early to soak off while you finish your other client? Only cost a few pennies and none of my time.

 

[izzidoll]

I'm confused. Why would you need to charge for removal when a client can come in early to soak off while you finish your other client? Only cost a few pennies and none of my time.

Most of us work on our own therefore cannot do this.
Also it isn't like soaking off acrylics where you can set up a bowl of acetone and leave a client to soak, you need to apply the pads and foils, and I also put them in heated mitts for 5 mins.

In total the soak off is 15 mins, I don't have a problem with fitting someone in for just a removal, as I also include it in my price.
95% of clients are remove and redo (1 hour) but ones who just want removal as I say take up 15 mins, when the original application appointment was 45 mins.
So as both appointments are an hour with one being spread out, I don't see the problem here.
Or am I missing something?

 

[marion]

Are you using the correct product to remove gelish? Harmony sell a gelish remover which speeds up the soak off process.
Also do you remove the shiny top coat before soaking? This makes the process much faster.
Even though I do all this, I still get annoyed with myself that I don't charge for removal. And therefore usually persuade the client to have it reapplied

 

[shedunlop]

I would look at your time for removal my darling, it shouldn't be taking you this long to remove Gelish or any of the power polish/gel polish products. Make sure you are breaking the seal properly, buffing the top coat until there is coloured dust, not through to the natural nail but enough for the dust to become the colour of the polish. That way the remover will soak through more quickly. Usually by the time I have applied all 10 foils I am ready to go back to the first nail and remove.

Make sure the client's hands are warm, if they are cold then either cover them with a warm towel or something similar, this will speed the removal time. :wink2:

 

[CazBeautica]

I charge £25 for Gelish and that includes removal if its needed. If not its still the same price. I would retail the removal kits from NH if it was me. I have to say if ive done an infill on a client it does take longer to remove it as its so many layers but there many tips ive picked up from SG as to removal inc using heated mitts.

 

[sophiegees]

Thank you all for your tips and advice. Yes I do think I need to look at why removal is taking so long. I think it coud be the cold partly so will look at that. Also I may be putting the base coat on too thick - I think I am scared of putting on too little incase it does not last. And with the filiing off of the top coat - maybe I am not filing enough. This is my prep

File nail
cuticles - with or without cuticle away (wash with water afterward if so)
buff nails lightly
scrub fresh
ph bond
base coat
brush it with dry brush when cured
2 x colour coats (or more sometimes)
top coat
dsperse
solar oil

To remove

file with 240 grit nail file to remove top coat
use magifoils with acetone
wait 10/15 mins and remove with orange stick - and wipe with more acetone on a pad

Yes I am very slow. I have sussed out I take around 1 minute per nail to paint (how bad is that!!) - a bit quicker on second and subsequent colour coats.

But I use to be both slow and have problems, now Im just slow! I am sure I will get faster with experience - but for now I am so pleased to be doing a good job and having very happy clients!

With regard to the kits - its only a few quid and they will last probably around 5 or 6 removals, so could absorb that ok.

I have checked what other people are charging in my area and its around £18/£20 including removal. Would you believe one salon is charging just £12.

Thanks for all your advice.

xx

 

[KCM]

Just a couple of tips : thinner is better than thicker coats and don't under or over cure the layers. Both these things can affect the longevity of the product. Also keep an eye on your lamps, make sure they are clean and not getting too old. This will affect cure time and the performance of the product.

I take about 40 mins to an hour and the thong that takes my time up is the polish application as I'm a perfectionist. It really comes down to practise. Keep going it's well worth it. I love my job!

All the best x