gelish/harmony lamp
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naturalnails
Legend
I dont think it is imperative. I think as long as it is a 36w lamp it will work. There is also an LED lamp which cures Gelish.
Define expensive? A decent lamp will cost in the region of £100.
Define expensive? A decent lamp will cost in the region of £100.
The LED lamp seems expensive but you will make your money back in no time if you are busy and you are able to apply the product fairly quickly. You can cure Gelish with any 36w lamp though so there is no need to spend a lot of money to begin with. :green:
geeg
Judge Gigi-Honorary Geek
Now before anyone accuses me of dissing the LED lamp or anything else can I just say I am NOT.
As an experienced nail technician, I just really would like Sheila or someone, to explain to me how one would make their money back any faster using the LED curing or UV 4 bulb lamp curing? One can only paint as fast as one can paint ... which is slower than the cure time .. IOW the lamp is faster than I would be. So the clients' gel might be cured, but the other hand would be waiting for me! The fact that the cure is faster doesn't make me faster. So how do you save time with it? And are there any other benefits apart from a faster cure? I mean does the service last any longer?
Another question to which I would be grateful for a reply is .. Does the LED cure five fingers at a time like the CND UV Lamp or is it the four fingers two thumbs as it is in most other 4 bulb UV Lamps?
I do find that the five finger cure with the CND UV Lamp is the thing that has saved me on average about 5 minutes so my service is very quick anyway. Just can't see where the huge benefit is in the LED apart from not having to replace the bulbs as often, but the UV bulbs last for months and the UV lamp is much less expensive so the cost of the bulbs (what twice a year?) is in fact cheaper than investing all at once in a more expensive option that does the same job?
Well that is how I see it anyway. Convince me. I really would like the answers.
As an experienced nail technician, I just really would like Sheila or someone, to explain to me how one would make their money back any faster using the LED curing or UV 4 bulb lamp curing? One can only paint as fast as one can paint ... which is slower than the cure time .. IOW the lamp is faster than I would be. So the clients' gel might be cured, but the other hand would be waiting for me! The fact that the cure is faster doesn't make me faster. So how do you save time with it? And are there any other benefits apart from a faster cure? I mean does the service last any longer?
Another question to which I would be grateful for a reply is .. Does the LED cure five fingers at a time like the CND UV Lamp or is it the four fingers two thumbs as it is in most other 4 bulb UV Lamps?
I do find that the five finger cure with the CND UV Lamp is the thing that has saved me on average about 5 minutes so my service is very quick anyway. Just can't see where the huge benefit is in the LED apart from not having to replace the bulbs as often, but the UV bulbs last for months and the UV lamp is much less expensive so the cost of the bulbs (what twice a year?) is in fact cheaper than investing all at once in a more expensive option that does the same job?
Well that is how I see it anyway. Convince me. I really would like the answers.
user 35377
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Geeg, I agree with most of what you are saying--which is why I chose to stick to the tunnel 36 watt uv lamp. However, I do know some techs that are fast enough with their technique to make it worth their while to purchase one timewise. I am just not one of those techs! 
Where they are saving the most money is in the fact that there is no replacing the bulbs and there is less energy usage by this lamp. And even then, it only saves you a significant amount of money if you are pretty much exclusive to the LED cured gels. Again, I am not one of those techs.....so I will stick to my "old fashioned" UV lamps!
Where they are saving the most money is in the fact that there is no replacing the bulbs and there is less energy usage by this lamp. And even then, it only saves you a significant amount of money if you are pretty much exclusive to the LED cured gels. Again, I am not one of those techs.....so I will stick to my "old fashioned" UV lamps!
sallyleeson
Member
I find that I can fit in 1 extra client per hour with a LED, therefore have made my money back on it already. By the time the curing is finished on one hand, I am ready for the other. As far as the five finger cure is concerned, even when I used my UV, I did a 4 then thumb as most clients thumbs do not sit flat under the lamp and at times the product even came off at the sides of the thumb when they put their whole hand in the the lamp.
The bulbs mean I can be sure of a perfect cure each time.
What I have also found, as a by product, is that clients are so amazed at the speed of curing that it becomes a real talking point and word of mouth has got me new clients. They also prefer not to have their hands under UV light any longer than is needed due to adverse press (true or not) so a LED covers that too.
I would NEVER go back
The bulbs mean I can be sure of a perfect cure each time.
What I have also found, as a by product, is that clients are so amazed at the speed of curing that it becomes a real talking point and word of mouth has got me new clients. They also prefer not to have their hands under UV light any longer than is needed due to adverse press (true or not) so a LED covers that too.
I would NEVER go back
You do not need to be able to apply the product in 30 seconds but in less than 2 minutes to save time on application. Regarding the 4/5 finger thing, it depends on the positioning of the client's thumbs. I they sit flat then yes you can cure the 5 if not then you cure 4 then thumbs. I still save time on this. I have had the lamp since July this year so I have experience with it.
Shellac does not cure with an LED lamp so this is not an issue for Shellac users and the new CND lamp, from what I hear is fabulous. Having said that many of the Shellac users are still using the Brisa lamp which is a 4 finger cure and are happy doing so.
To put the record straight I would have preferred a tunnel lamp which was a 5 finger cure for the LED but I still found the LED faster.
Unlike yourself Gigi I have no particular connection with any company or product, I am just a regular nail tech with over 16 years experience. I have no reason to promote a product or piece of equipment unless I believe it will benefit someone, in my opinion. Everyone is free to choose and if you are not convinced then it matters nothing to me.
Shellac does not cure with an LED lamp so this is not an issue for Shellac users and the new CND lamp, from what I hear is fabulous. Having said that many of the Shellac users are still using the Brisa lamp which is a 4 finger cure and are happy doing so.
To put the record straight I would have preferred a tunnel lamp which was a 5 finger cure for the LED but I still found the LED faster.
Unlike yourself Gigi I have no particular connection with any company or product, I am just a regular nail tech with over 16 years experience. I have no reason to promote a product or piece of equipment unless I believe it will benefit someone, in my opinion. Everyone is free to choose and if you are not convinced then it matters nothing to me.
TweezerHappy
Well-Known Member
Lately I've been waiting for the timer to count down so that I can swap hands. I've been thinking maybe I should get the LED lamp. However, that would mean I'd need to carry 2 lamps as I offer Gelish and Shellac. Being mobile I don't think that would work for me. If I was salon based I would definitely buy it.
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Puffle
Well-Known Member
I have the 36w UV lamp for Gelish, and I always do 4 fingers and opposite thumb (as opposed to fingers, fingers, thumbs) to save a bit of time. Only trouble is I'm then sat with nothing to do while they're in, and then 2 mins seems a very long time!!
Shellac does cure with LED lamp, whatever anyone say, that's the fact. I'm using gelish and shellac with LED lamp since few months, I've tried it on me, clients are happy, brilliant.
That is really interesting and makes me wonder if CND will bring out an LED lamp? :green:
im sure ive seen in previous posts that shellac does NOT cure with LED light! hmm im sure Gigi will solve that one for us!
but regarding LED Lights i use a UV light and the only time i think bloody hell this 2 mins is taking forever is when im waiting for the top coat on the last hand to set! but tbh 2mins is not that long!! some proucts take 3/4mins to cure!!
i think if i had a LED lamp i feel i would maybe rush! so i was tryin to be a quick as the lamp and maybe not be a carefull with my work checking each nail as i do it! i think 2mins is a adequate time to paint one hand but 30sec is a bit to rushed!
and also a UV lamp is more versatile! there are only 1 or 2 products that are LED cure but all other systems are UV cure. if it was me i would get UV as it can be used for more systems and saves a bit of money!
the only thing that would sway me to LED is 5 finger cure! but then the CND UV lamp has that now! YEY! hehe xx
but regarding LED Lights i use a UV light and the only time i think bloody hell this 2 mins is taking forever is when im waiting for the top coat on the last hand to set! but tbh 2mins is not that long!! some proucts take 3/4mins to cure!!
i think if i had a LED lamp i feel i would maybe rush! so i was tryin to be a quick as the lamp and maybe not be a carefull with my work checking each nail as i do it! i think 2mins is a adequate time to paint one hand but 30sec is a bit to rushed!
and also a UV lamp is more versatile! there are only 1 or 2 products that are LED cure but all other systems are UV cure. if it was me i would get UV as it can be used for more systems and saves a bit of money!
the only thing that would sway me to LED is 5 finger cure! but then the CND UV lamp has that now! YEY! hehe xx
im sure ive seen in previous posts that shellac does NOT cure with LED light! hmm im sure Gigi will solve that one for us!
YES, it does.
Puffle
Well-Known Member
At the risk of sounding stupid (no comments please! :lol why can't you do 5 fingers in the Harmony UV lamp? It has 2 bulbs at the top and 2 to the side. Just wondered how the CND one differs? xx
why can't you do 5 fingers in the Harmony UV lamp? It has 2 bulbs at the top and 2 to the side. Just wondered how the CND one differs? xx
TweezerHappy
Well-Known Member
I'm sure CND would not advise this.
Have you tried all colours?
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At the risk of sounding stupid (no comments please! :lol
I can with my own hands and a few other clients but some clients have thumbs that are positioned differently and when they lay their hands flat their thumb nails are on the vertical, if you know what I mean, so part of them is in the shade. :green:
JesseDavidNailDesign
Well-Known Member
I'm using the IBD light, which is 2 handed, and I'm thinking of using that one for toes and switching to a single hand light, because I've heard that the cure is better when the light is just focused on one hand. I figure toes are in a better position for my current lamp. I use IBD for hard gel and Gelish and Cuccio for gel manicures, and none of those brands are that proprietary, and eventually I want to settle down :lol: and use 1 brand for everything. So I don't know which light I want yet.
I like the idea of an LED light because of the faster cure. I don't need it to be 30 secs but I'm usually ready for the next hand after one minute. And my regular customers can get their 2nd hand in, but new ones, they always bump one or don't hold their thumb right. I think it would prevent smudges if I could just cure one hand at a time.
But, like AmeliaR said, there are so few LED compatible gels right now, so a UV lamp would be more versatile.
And I don't know if this is true, but I've read that the LED bulbs are better for the environment (when disposed of) than UV. So that's important to some people too.
I wish I had a crystal ball to see if all the gel manufacturers are going to become LED compatible anytime soon. Or if our current gels could be tweaked just a little to cure faster.
I like the idea of an LED light because of the faster cure. I don't need it to be 30 secs but I'm usually ready for the next hand after one minute. And my regular customers can get their 2nd hand in, but new ones, they always bump one or don't hold their thumb right. I think it would prevent smudges if I could just cure one hand at a time.
But, like AmeliaR said, there are so few LED compatible gels right now, so a UV lamp would be more versatile.
And I don't know if this is true, but I've read that the LED bulbs are better for the environment (when disposed of) than UV. So that's important to some people too.
I wish I had a crystal ball to see if all the gel manufacturers are going to become LED compatible anytime soon. Or if our current gels could be tweaked just a little to cure faster.
Janiwanidoodaa
Well-Known Member
At the risk of sounding stupid (no comments please! :lol
Hi Julie, you can do 5 fingers in the Harmony UV lamp (4 fingers and opposite thumb). It is recommended that you do a 4, 4, 2 formation (lol!) for the Harmony LED lamp.
As for the speed issues mentioned above, day to day curing of Gelish is obviously much quicker with the LED but it really comes into its own with all the amazing, yet easy to achieve designs you can do.
Happy New Year BTW x
Puffle
Well-Known Member
Thanks Jan. I'm probably better sticking at my 4 fingers and opposite thumb that I'm already doing then! Just thought there might be a way which is just as quick without twiddling my thumbs!
Happy new year! :lol:
geeg
Judge Gigi-Honorary Geek
Didn't realise I was such a slow coach ..I must be a poor technician, or lost my touch.
2 minutes suits me just fine at the moment. I already feel like I save tones of time with the 5 finger cure (one hand at a time). No one has convinced me yet I'm afraid .. but if an LED was lauched at a reasonable price which would cure Shallac (and there is NO reason why it shouldn't be). I know a specialist in LED who sells LED lights all over GB and he tells me there is no good reason why the lamps should not be a very reasonable price as the lights definitely are. In a year or so they will nmost likely be half what they are now. I can wait.
2 minutes suits me just fine at the moment. I already feel like I save tones of time with the 5 finger cure (one hand at a time). No one has convinced me yet I'm afraid .. but if an LED was lauched at a reasonable price which would cure Shallac (and there is NO reason why it shouldn't be). I know a specialist in LED who sells LED lights all over GB and he tells me there is no good reason why the lamps should not be a very reasonable price as the lights definitely are. In a year or so they will nmost likely be half what they are now. I can wait.
