TC said:
How do you prescribe? Which system suits which nails etc. ?
Well,
generally speaking, Fibreglass systems are best suited for clients with nice nails that need a little more support. Gel is best suited for clients with nice to not quite as nice natural nails that are not malformed (i.e. ski jump, hooked, bitten, etc). L&P systems are suited for just about everyone.
The reasoning behind each point is:
Fibreglass systems are single linked polymers and so they don't traditionally offer as much strength as other systems. Due to the nature of the method, it is hard to 'design' the shape to the nail as you end up only coating and covering what is already there. Of course there are obvious exceptions to the rule (Fabric# being one of them)
Gels are far stronger than resin systems but generally not as strong as L&P. Strength is not always necessary or desired in applications... sometimes more flexibility is a far better option. This is one of the areas where Gel really shines. However once again, it is significantly harder to 'build' shape into a gel application versus a L&P so it is a little more ideal for nice shapes.
L&P is all around the most versatile as you can literally sculpt the nail as you work.
Now before anyone gets their knickers in a twist, those are just general guidelines and there are always expectations to the rule.
The service you choose will depend on several factors: Your education and skill level with each system, your clients nail type, and the end result you are after.
Don't let yourself fall into the trap of only being able to perform one type of service well. There are times when you will find one type of system works more ideal on a client than another... it is all about customising to your customers needs.
As Mrs. Geek mentioned, these types of concepts can often cloud your understanding of the fundamentals that are needed in your foundation course. Make sure you walk into your foundation course as a blank slate ready to get the most out of it... and you will