Feel like such a failure

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LFBB

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 5, 2014
Messages
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Location
Elland, West Yorkshire
I've just had my first Shellac nightmare 😁

New client booked in for 6pm today for removal of Shellac and re application. Whenever I have removed shellac previously it has been a fairly quick process using the nourishing remover and wraps. It usually takes 10-15 mins and removes with ease.

Oh my god! 1hr 45 mins later and it was finally gone! I tried everything I could think of. Firstly I wrapped the nails and after 10 mins had a little peak (normally I can see that the Shellac has broken down into tiny pieces and has lifted. This stuff was stuck fast and looked exactly like it did before I wrapped the nails. I left it on for another 10 mins and gently scraped it with an orange wood stick. Still hardly nothing coming off so I tried filing it a bit and re-wrapped. It still hadn't lifted after another 10 mins and so I tried soaking in acetone which did soften it somewhat but it was still stuck fast. To cut a long story short I had to keep repeating the whole process of wrapping, filing and soaking and eventually it came off.

I felt so embarrassed that I couldn't remove it. This is usually such a simple task!

So my obvious question is - is this normal or do you think it's a fake shellac? My client lives in Spain and regularly visits the same nail tech who apparently imports the shellac from the uk. My client kept telling me that it is definitely 'real' shellac and her nail tech never has a problem removing it. I didn't once say that I thought it was fake and for her to keep telling me it was definately genuine cnd shellac made me think that maybe she knew something wasn't right. I feel really annoyed with myself now as I didn't charge her more but I was just so embarrassed that it had taken me so long and to be honest I just wanted the whole experience to be over!

I now feel terrified at the thought of this happening again and would appreciate any advice as to whether I did everything correctly or if you would have done anything differently to complete the removal process?

Sorry for the long essay I just needed to vent! X
 
Jeez, what a nightmare. Bless you!

Sounds to me like a fake - and she knew something was suss!

You could make it so that you won't remove other peoples work and use this as the reasoner, you could forewarn any person who wants others salons work removed that you charge by the time taken. She would of been able to see you weren't taking the kick to make more money and that you were genuinely trying x x
 
I've had 2 new clients like this in the last 2 weeks, but at least they acknowledged that they'd been applied at a NSS and didn't actually know what they had on their nails! Both removals were a nightmare, but after the second 10 min soak with no difference whatsoever I used a white block to remove the majority of the product. Not ideal but at least there was no damage to their nail plate and I explained why I removed it that way. Both have sworn off NSS and re-booked with a new understanding of nail care :)

Don't beat yourself up about it, it's not your fault that your client was told she was wearing something other than she actually was. As techs we are going to come across these things more and more frequently now and all we can do is educate our new clients and show them that we are professionals who use professional products and hopefully they will see the benefits of this and re-book!
 
Just wanted to echo what others have said, and dnt beat yourself up, it was most probably some kind of fake.Feel uour pain though, has happened yo me before.
onwards and upwards as they say lol.
 
What a shame. I hope you didn't have another client waiting!

That's good advice about charging for removing other clients work by the time spent! I might use that one.

I wonder about these tech's who use product like this. What are their removal techniques when their client comes back? Do they sit there for ages too? What do they use to get it off? Paint stripper or something???
 
Thank you. It's such a shame that people don't know the damage that can be caused all just for saving a few pounds.

Luckily I didn't have another client but what if I had?! Think from now on I'll have to explain that I am not willing to remove anybody else's work as it's just not worth it.

I feel better now I've had my vent. Thanks geeks x
 
Had the same situation myself before. Didnt help that the client was extremely rude and had a baby crying the whole time while she blamed me for the whole thing. Absolute nightmare then she threw the money (barely any money I may add) at me and left.

From then on I out on my leaflet that I dont remove product that I havent applied, but I include free removal for my shellac manicures and upped the price a bit (while raising prices for everything) and it seems to work better and U dont have to fear that removal again!

Atleast you have learned and now you know how to avoid this, dont dwell on it too much :)
 
I wonder about these tech's who use product like this. What are their removal techniques when their client comes back? Do they sit there for ages too? What do they use to get it off? Paint stripper or something???

My client today told me that when she first went back for a re-application the man actually scraped the product off with his thumb nail :eek: She said it was agony and although she had him re-apply the product didn't want to go back for another removal so came to me.
 
LFBB it may well have been real CND Shellac colour but not necessarily CND Shellac base & topcoat.
With my very first unknown paying client I had exactly this problem. That was enough to scar me forever. I now always ask when taking a new booking what ppl have on their nails. Anything other than normal polish needs to be removed prior to their appointment. I have on my website that I do not remove other nail technicians work. Some may see this as loosing money or potential business but my clients understand & as I only do natural nails I dont know enough about other products or systems to feel confident in not damaging nails on removal. I don't want to held responsible for damage someone else may have caused!!

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I never remove other peoples work, because the time that I have. I always had this problem.
I simply ask them to have it removed where they had it applied so I only ever remove my own Shellac
X
 
I think we've all been there and learnt from the experience. I don't remove other people's shellac unless they tell me they had it done at a salon I recognise as being a legit CND shellac salon.

Use the experience to educate. Tell clients, post on your Facebook page...inform people who've had bad experiences that real CND Shellac is fab xx
 
A lot of people use "Shellac" as a generic term for gel manicures.

It may be that a Gelish or similar top coat was applied and that needs buffing prior to removal to break the seal. This allows the remover to permeate to the colour and start the removal process.
 
Don't let it get you down. Use it as learning tool😃 agreed with previous post with using a buffer to remove the top coat 😃
 
Thanks I really do feel a lot better about it today! I've decided it's just not worth removing another techs work so will be putting this on my leaflets.

I've noticed earlier on fb that somebody is selling 20 bottles of 'shellac'. Out of about 20 people that commented on this only one person bothered to ask if this was genuine cnd shellac which I highly doubt and she has not answered the question. It just angers me!
 
Hi, I've had this happen quite a bit, after not charging any extra, though what am I doing!!!! So explain to people although normally removal is in with my price of my application I will charge for removal of other peoples work. Two examples I've come across lately have been 1. I asked client over phone if she knew what brand she had one her nails which she didn't so I then asked if she minded me asking where she had been as I know which some salons do what, so she told me and I knew (or thought I knew!) that they did opi gelcolor so I said fine as I use this along with shellac, so told her to come in and I started the removal process as I normally would, same thing as you the product just would not shift! Time was against me as had another client coming in so started to gently buff explaining to client that I don't normally do this, so the dark colour (which was an opi shade) started to buff away to reveal a red colour! When I questioned the client she said the girl who applied the red was unable to remove it so she just painted over it with the new colour and that it had being her first experience of having a gel polish on so thought it was normal!!!! 2.another client told me her technician use to get the nippers under her bio sculpture and peel it off! I've never used bio but pretty certain this is WRONG WRONG WRONG!! What is up with these people who call them selves nail technicians!!! Xxx
 
At the salon where I work we get clients to read and sign a form when we remove other technicians work, they understand that we are not responsible for any damage. If it doesn't soak off after about 20 minutes then it's most likely buff off gel. It's crazy the amount of clients don't even know what they have on their nails! Poor you, it is very stressful. Sometimes it's not worth the hassle!
 
Sadly I think there are way more salons out there who don't follow procedure than we realise :confused:

I will continue to remove others work purely because I don't want to subject the client to some of these painful and damaging removals but I do charge a minimum of £10 for doing so and I make them aware at the time of booking why I do so.
 
Different situation but i am charging less for everything due to me training atm.

A client contacted me the other day to book in for infills on someone elses work as her nails were that bad she wouldnt go back to the other salon. I charged full price for an infill and im glad i did.

It took me 3 hours in the end. The acrylic was so thick ot had bubbles in it and they resembled spades so there was alot of buffing and filing!!!

I dont have an issue correcting someone else mistakes but im not going to go through all the hard work for nothing.

So i would say if its someone elses work charge a bit more to compensate for the time etc its going to take you.

Xxx

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