Gave Up Offering Nail Enhancements

[Anna Lee]

Flower you would be a great motivational speaker lol. Very good points raised!

Thank you very much..!! I will consider that as a job if I get bored of doing nails... :lol::lol:

Ah...see, there in lies the difference. At least the women who work in the NSSs here in the U.S., for the most part, have gone to school and received their licenses. You're waging a completely different war over there. Please keep pushing for their education because it seems, from reading the thread, you have some talented women doing good work. With the education behind them, they'll only make better professionals out of us all.

Yes. We are fighting a war. It is a tough war but it is not an impossible war.
If we could change our views and approach this in a slightly different way, the end result should be that there is no loser and both sides will be in a win-win situation.
The only people who will lose are the incompetent people, the messers and hobbyist who, quite frankly, does nothing for our industry and I am happy to see the back of.

gr8nailz, Can I just also express that I am very impressed with the way you have handled my posts, that you have listened and not once mis-understood what I have to say. Not challenged me unreasonably, not took any personal offence and managed not to get ourselves into a war. Thank you very much for that. :hug:

This only shows that, with the right attitude and the correct manners, we CAN discuss things on here without having to get into cat fights all the time. I hope others reading this thread are able to be influenced.

 

[StormRose]

At least the women who work in the NSSs here in the U.S., for the most part, have gone to school and received their licenses.

That depends on the state. Here in Wisconsin you can get your license by participating in an apprenticeship. In that case, a salon owner who holds an instructors license can teach students who are working in their salon. The apprentices never have to step foot in a beauty school. Of course, the state requires they have so many hours classroom education on sanitation, health and safety, but often the documents are just forged by the salon owner/instructor. They are taught exactly what they need to do to pass the state board exam, and that's about it.

Here in Wisconsin, if the state cosmetology board would just do random salon inspections like they're supposed to, the problem would go away without any other intervention. Except for the opening salon inspection though, most places here can operate for decades without seeing an inspector.

When people come to me with damage they received at a NSS, I encourage them to report it to the state board, and will even give them the contact information so they don't have to look it up. Customer complaints force the board to do an investigation, and the complaints are permanently logged on the salon license, as well as what the final outcome of the investigation was. Or at least that's how it works in my state.

Recently a salon in the Midwest (it might have been Ohio, but I don't remember the specifics) was shut down because it was basically a human trafficking ring. The salon owner was paying for young Asian women to relocate to the US, forging their licenses, and then forcing them to work for slave wages to pay off their debt. I believe it was a customer complaint to the state board that sparked the investigation uncovering it all.

It's sad that these women, who are very talented if uneducated, are forced to work in those conditions. I'm sure if given the opportunity, many of them would thrive.

I'm sorry you're having such a hard time competing gr8nailz. Your service really does sound lovely!

 

[Susie H]

Flower, I'll tell you what I hate:biggrin:
I went to visit my daughter in law, Becky and grandson this evening.
Becky has two sisters aged 18 and 22, Lauren and Kerry.
Becky has had her nails done by me on a few occasions and knows I don't harm the natural nail plate.
Tonight I told the girls that I'm doing another nail course next month, and will need some models to practice on, no charge, but I will want to take photo's, before I start, once the enhancements are finished and that I'll want them to keep them on for 2 weeks so that I can do a rebalance, again complete with photo's. After that if they want them removing I'll soak them of, no problem.
Kerry works with animals, I reassured her I'd keep them short for her. Becky has a new baby so again promised to keep them more like a natural nail overlay ( she has amazingly long nail beds so I'm very keen to do hers:green:
Lauren was very nervous, told me it took months to grow the damage out the last time her nails were done that the 'tech' made her bleed and the only reason she paid was because they asked for money up front.:evil:
She paid £20 to have her natural nails trashed, she bled all over the place and had that 'treated' with acetone on a cotton wool pad pressed over the rip in her finger and understandably, now has trust issues.
The products used were OPI, I think we can all agree that this is a good product.
Her prep was an E-file run all over her nail plate (and parts of her fingers.)
Followed by a tip and a one bead application. Varnish was applied hands stuffed into a fan and out the door in 40 minutes.
Becky explained that I take a good hour and a half, spend more time getting the nail ready to have it's enhancement then the actual l&p and that I sculpt.
I have promised this lovely but nervous girl that if I trash her nails I will pay for her next salon hair colouring.
That's the only reason she's letting me do her nails and that's what pee's me of about the nail bars.
You can not tell me that OPI train their techs to take an E-file and remove two thirds of a clients nail plate. Or that they teach the tech to take a nail tip and wedge it under an enhancement that's in need of a rebalance and pop it of before starting again.
I don't believe that OPI tell techs it's ok to use the same monomer on more then one client, leave it in the dish over night or use the same E-file bit on one client after another, blowing on it to get the bits of when it's too clogged to work well or leave their work area at the end of the day with all the rubbish from a full days work on it.
Walk past any of our town centre nail bars when open and see how they work, they don't hide it, walk passed after the place has closed you'll see the mess.
Look at my sister in laws miss shaped nails, they are the result of over 15 years of nail bar practices. They are thick, like a woman in her 80's and truly ugly. All of them are hooked, more like horn then nail and twist at odd angles.
Until I did her nails for her last year she'd never heard of cuticle oil, had no idea that a nail service could be pain free and was totally gob smacked that her nails could look as nice as I made them.
All the time they churn out this service for £20 or even £15 with a discount for under sixteen year old girls, who just want to look like the movie stars, girls will continue to go to them and either be put of having any nail treatment ever again or will end up with hooked claws by the time they are in their mid 30's.
That's what I hate. Yes they have up'd their game, they now use a recognised product, but have they changed their practices, not one bit, 40 minute nails is what they want to produce and as far as they are concerned there is only one way for them to do it.
They don't care if they damage a client, they have no interest in educating a client about the correct way to care for their nails all they care about is bums on seats and pounds in pockets.
Well I'm glad I got that of my chest, thanks Flower:twisted:

 

[Susie H]

One more thing, before anyone starts thinking I'm on a race issue here.
The thing that most pee's me of is when I see the truly amazing, breathtaking work produced by techs from the Asian block, the Soviet block etc.
I have never in my life been more impressed by a tech's work then the work I have been seeing over the last 2 or 3 years and it out rages me to have them grouped with the afore mentioned bad work because they happen to hale from the same part of the world.:evil:

 

[JewlZ]

Things I know now, which I wish I knew back then. These NSS salons are big business and are Everywhere in the smaller parts of London, esp where I live, didn't think so many salons could all be so experienced. Having read the articles,I now know the ReaL diff btw the salons and their prices. Learnt my lesson, when my toe got infected(sorry) and I couldn't walk! I vowed never to go back in one again...Here they mix these nail bars with hair salons, in markets, uh thinking about the hygiene and the drills now, makes me cringe. My nails used to be so weak and Thin!! But I see the temptation. Tenner for a full set of acrylics-eww nva again, I just hope to be the best I can be

KNOWLEDGE IS POWER

 

[geeg]

Well I think we can all print out horror stories, but I think flowers point has been drowned out in all the pages of type and I think that is sad.

Upping the game is not all about the product. We all Know that good products can be bought by bad technicians and flower's point was nothing to do with product, but with EDUCATION.

Give me the ability to communicate with and to teach an entire NSS the right techniques and WHY they should be using them, and I bet they would take it on board in a heart beat and then their game would be upped alright! And it will happen.

 

[Anna Lee]

Yes, Geeg is right.
My point in short is: EDUCATION

But in order for this girls to recieve education, we need to begin by seeing them in a different perspective.
I am not speaking for them and or on their side.
I do not agree with what they do.
I am just hoping that we can turn something negative into a positive.

That is all.

 

[deanosnana]

Yes, Geeg is right.
My point in short is: EDUCATION

But in order for this girls to recieve education, we need to begin by seeing them in a different perspective.
I am not speaking for them and or on their side.
I do not agree with what they do.
I am just hoping that we can turn something negative into a positive.

That is all.

Well said!

 

[gr8nailz]

Thank you very much..!! I will consider that as a job if I get bored of doing nails... :lol::lol:



Yes. We are fighting a war. It is a tough war but it is not an impossible war.
If we could change our views and approach this in a slightly different way, the end result should be that there is no loser and both sides will be in a win-win situation.
The only people who will lose are the incompetent people, the messers and hobbyist who, quite frankly, does nothing for our industry and I am happy to see the back of.

gr8nailz, Can I just also express that I am very impressed with the way you have handled my posts, that you have listened and not once mis-understood what I have to say. Not challenged me unreasonably, not took any personal offence and managed not to get ourselves into a war. Thank you very much for that. :hug:

This only shows that, with the right attitude and the correct manners, we CAN discuss things on here without having to get into cat fights all the time. I hope others reading this thread are able to be influenced.

Flower, I am open to hearing all points of view and have been enlighted by yours. I figured that was what Salon Geek was all about. I've been in the industry for quite some time but there's so much more I can learn. At the end of the day, we're all human, right?

 

[christi1326]

I am shocked at how far off the path this question has gone! We need to remember what these NSS salons have done for our industry! When I started doing nails 100 years ago :wink2: artificial nails was a small industry and only the more wealthy got their nails done. I believe the NSS salons have brought a huge influx of woman to the nail industry because their prices are low. I only do natural nail services and my business is booming because of shellac. Now woman can have their own natural nails and have the growth and length only acrylic could provide in years past. Maybe it is time for you to advertise a bit for more natural services and see what happens. I believe the best advertisement is still word of mouth but if you are changing the way you do business it might be worth advertising for a bit. There will always be places that do things or sell things cheaper and this is what makes the world go round! You have to reach in and grab the type of business you want and go for it! I am in the US and in a small town also and there are two other nail technicians in my salon. We are all very busy because of the quality of our work! Take pride in what you do and maybe look for a new product such as shellac and run with it! Good luck to you and keep your chin up!

 

[british.jem]

I am shocked at how far off the path this question has gone! We need to remember what these NSS salons have done for our industry! When I started doing nails 100 years ago :wink2: artificial nails was a small industry and only the more wealthy got their nails done. I believe the NSS salons have brought a huge influx of woman to the nail industry because their prices are low. I only do natural nail services and my business is booming because of shellac. Now woman can have their own natural nails and have the growth and length only acrylic could provide in years past. Maybe it is time for you to advertise a bit for more natural services and see what happens. I believe the best advertisement is still word of mouth but if you are changing the way you do business it might be worth advertising for a bit. There will always be places that do things or sell things cheaper and this is what makes the world go round! You have to reach in and grab the type of business you want and go for it! I am in the US and in a small town also and there are two other nail technicians in my salon. We are all very busy because of the quality of our work! Take pride in what you do and maybe look for a new product such as shellac and run with it! Good luck to you and keep your chin up!

Its so good to hear that your doing so good doing natural nails! Im starting out just doing natural nails until i feel confident enough to do L&P & Gel.. So really helps to hear other people just doing natural nails and that their doing well.

 

[JewlZ]

Its so good to hear that your doing so good doing natural nails! Im starting out just doing natural nails until i feel confident enough to do L&P & Gel.. So really helps to hear other people just doing natural nails and that their doing well.

This is what i am planning to train with CND. What I wouls like to know is, is it quick to learn and start straightaway? Also how would you advertise to attract clients without disappointing them with the fact that you don't do acrylics??

 

[british.jem]

A friend of mine wanted to book me for her mums wedding for L&P with one of my designs. ( i do alot of nail art etc) But i told her i wouldnt feel comfortable to do L&P for her for such a special even because im not completely confident in doing them yet. However if she wanted to go with someone else i would still give her the designs she wanted etc. She decided to grow her nails out so i would still do them for her for her wedding. I guess not doing L&P or gels will turn away some clients but there are alot of people out there who have had bad experiances with uneducated nail techs doing their nails incorrectly. They become your best natural nail clients! I do alot of different designs on myself for advertising, this also helps get the word out. Plus products such as minx (am going to introduce this as soon as ive got the money to buy the kit) and Shellac will bring in alot of clientele too.

 

[Pinkbunny28]

Can I ask..... Does anyone offer only gel and silks? Because I'd like to offer enhancements but hate l&p, don't like the look of it bcs it doesn't shine easily, don't like how it takes ages to come off and people will always go to NSS salons for l&p bcs they're cheap whereas if I offer gel as an alternative, sort of as a USP iykwim then would this work?? Also silks because there will always be people like my mother lol

I don't think any of us like being undercut but maybe if we found a new way to market ourselves people would come to us? Education on the effects of untrained people using e-files etc? x

 

[british.jem]

I dont know anyone that JUST offers gels but i do know that where im located its becoming more and more popular to have gels insted of L&P. Of course there will alway be a lot of people who love both or L&P more then gel. But ive found mums are more prone to gels because they are slightly flexable. Also im in CA so there is alot of people who go to the beach and swimming etc. Therefore Gel trumps L&P again. So i dont think it would really matter if you just to Gels and not L&P. Its personal preferance for clients and to be honest i doubt many of them can really tell the difference. So aslong as your happy doing them, it will show in your work

 

[Dream Nails]

I did market myself differently but decided to give up on a losing battle. In a 5 mile radius of my salon there are 17 NSS salons offering nails enhancements ranging from $12 - $17. I was just so disappointed because I felt that I was creating art.

This is what I told my last regular acrylic client who left for an NSS because it was "cheaper":
Always remember this, you had a regularly scheduled appointment...just you and me. When you sat down at my table, your ice cold glass of champagne was already waiting for you. The heat and massage on your chair was turned on, ready and waiting as was the foot massager. I'd created several nail art swatches with you in mind for your treatment that day. When the enhancement service was complete, I'd exfoliate your hands with an exotic sugar scrub and massage your hands with an equally exotic lotion then I'd wrapped them in hot towels. About an hour after it all began, some great conversation and a couple glasses of champagne later, I'd send you on your way ooooing and aaaaahing about your nails. I'm not expensive. I'm wonderful. I wish you the best.

Gosh that just sounds like heavenly bliss. Why would anyone not want that??
I know a few people who have said and this is the exact words they used "I don't feel like I've had my nails done unless I've been cut a few times and it burns a bit"
Yikes what's that all about!!!
( shakes head and goes back to the happy place gr8nailz created )
Vicki xx


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[Dream Nails]

I offer Shellac and gel at the moment. The main reason I don't do L&P is because I'm newly qualified I want to make sure that I can offer something fantastic before moving onto the next. I just feel more comfortable doing this than being so so at both and loosing clients
Vicki xx


Sent from my iPhone using SalonGeek

 

[british.jem]

I offer Shellac and gel at the moment. The main reason I don't do L&P is because I'm newly qualified I want to make sure that I can offer something fantastic before moving onto the next. I just feel more comfortable doing this than being so so at both and loosing clients
Vicki xx


Sent from my iPhone using SalonGeek

Agreed ! This is why I'm not doing them at the moment and just foing natural nails. I want to be the best I can be before charging cliets for the service.

 

[Lovebeauty14]

I'm with you as I'm just going to be offering gel nails, buff off and Shellac, as for me anyway the smell of l&p is awful! Lol. I can't bear it and as I'm hoping to work from home I don't really want my whole family inhaling that chemical smell! Lol. Although if Gr8nails was nearby I would just stick a peg on my nose and drink champagne until I no longer notice the smell! Lol. Where abouts in Florida do you work again? Is it Tampa? When I was younger we often went on holiday to Florida, it's awesome there. 

 

[gr8nailz]

I'm with you as I'm just going to be offering gel nails, buff off and Shellac, as for me anyway the smell of l&p is awful! Lol. I can't bear it and as I'm hoping to work from home I don't really want my whole family inhaling that chemical smell! Lol. Although if Gr8nails was nearby I would just stick a peg on my nose and drink champagne until I no longer notice the smell! Lol. Where abouts in Florida do you work again? Is it Tampa? When I was younger we often went on holiday to Florida, it's awesome there. 

I'm here at Divine Designs in Brandon, Florida. The big window on the right is the Nail Spa. The l&p I use is by Premier and is very mild, almost sweet. The salon has a built in ventilation system in the ceiling that pulls the odor out of the Nail Spa. And thank you for the "props." My service is all about luxury but that's what a 5-star salon and spa is all about. ;o)