Gelish problems - is it the client or me?

[nail angel 67]

Right, starting to want to hit my head against a brick wall at the moment! :grr:

Been practising with Gelish for months now and even did my translation course a couple of weeks ago which gave me a few tips but I was generally doing everything I should. Now so far I've been practising on friends and family for free and very recently started to do a couple more girls for a small charge who I work with in my part time office job.

Mostly everyone's getting at least 7 days wear out of their gelish but then from, say, around day 9-10 most of them are starting to have problems except one of them. Her nails are always 100% perfect and she admits to using her oil regularly and also ALWAYS using gloves to wash up. However, the others have generally admitted to not always (or never in some cases) wearing gloves when washing or cleaning. My sister especially has admitted to never wearing them (although she says she uses her oil regularly) and she's also admitted to being a picker! She's a full time nanny too and seems to be quite heavy handed. Another thing is she used to always bite her nails until a couple of years ago so not sure if maybe her nails are just not meant to be very long.

I'd say nearly every time someone has a problem it's on their index finger or thumb which I know are the most heavily used fingers. I've started using a layer of structure gel on them recently and it definitely seems to last a bit longer but mostly they still have at least 1 or 2 nails chip by around day 10. If only everyone could get to day 14 I'd feel a lot happier. I've had discussions with a local hairdresser lately who I've now made an agreement with to do gelish nails in his shop but this makes me lose a lot of confidence and I don't want full paying customers to constantly keep coming back saying they've got problems, it would be embarrassing :o

Just been to my mum's again who has thumb and index finger on one hand chipped and middle finger on the other. She did say the thumb was down to trying to get the back of her phone cover off so I suppose I can count that out but will use structure gel on her again next time I do her nails.

I want everyone to be like my friend at work who lasts perfectly for 2 weeks - do you think it's down to me or could it just be my clients? Also, starting to wonder if I should put structure gel on everyone's thumbs and index fingers from now on - what do you think?

Please help I'm getting so fed up now.

By the way, my own nails seem to last to around 10-11 days too most of the time but I'm the worst for not looking after them (terrible I know), I often forget the oil and I never wear gloves either for washing although I don't do much as I have a dishwasher. The thing is I also help my partner run a bouncy castle, soft play business so my nails are treated roughly by cleaning products and lifting heavy items often so personally I think mine last just great considering ...

 

[JuicyLucy]

Now so far I've been practising on friends and family for free and very recently started to do a couple more girls for a small charge

I think this may be your problem pure and simple. If you start charging people the correct amount, they will value the service and start looking after their nails properly.

If it was something you were doing they would't even get 7-10 days out of it, and your one client who has no problems is the proof that you are doing things properly.

Have confidence, I have so many clients that come in every two weeks with nothing but regrowth. Its always the same few clients that have chips.

 

[nail angel 67]

I think this may be your problem pure and simple. If you start charging people the correct amount, they will value the service and start looking after their nails properly.

If it was something you were doing they would't even get 7-10 days out of it, and your one client who has no problems is the proof that you are doing things properly.

Have confidence, I have so many clients that come in every two weeks with nothing but regrowth. Its always the same few clients that have chips.

Aah Juicy Lucy thank you SO MUCH those words just made me feel so much better. :Love: I did sort of think that I couldn't be so bad as there's still one client who has no problems and also as it's normally the same fingers that there are problems with but it does make you start to lose heart. Mind you, I said the same thing as you've just said as a joke to my mum tonight and she said she hates them chipping as she knows she has to wait for me to be free so she's careful even though she doesn't pay (but not so careful that she'll wear gloves eh?)

Do you think it might still be a good idea to generally do structure gel on these people though?

 

[Pooh8bear]

I totally agree with JuicyLucy. When people don't pay they don't care.

I do tell people to extra careful for the first 48 hours as the gel is still curing.
That gives the gel a good time to adhere before they start knocking them around.

 

[OrchidB]

Thank god the replies were exactly the same thoughts that came to my mind!!
Start charging, even friends and family, as they won't care about
Nails unless they have paid for them! I have been doing gelish a yr and half, and business is booming! Recession! What recession! Gelish works! Your clients have to adhere to aftercare! Keep going and have faith xx

 

[nail angel 67]

Thanks so much for your support ladies its given me some confidence back. Could someone answer my question re the sculpture gel though please as I'm not sure what to do for the best? X

Sent from my HTC Wildfire S A510e using SalonGeek

 

[kattyj]

I have a client who always chips her index finger and the one next to within a few days, its on her left hand and she is left handed, I have since used structure gel on those fingers and she now gets a lot longer out of them so maybe worth a try x

 

[nail angel 67]

Aah thanks for that - I'm going to definitely try that from now on.

To be honest the thought of starting to charge my family and closest friends fills me with dread I would feel so bad. Mind you, in their defence they do give me £20 here and there each to add to my colour collection so it's not actually costing me as such to do them which is something.