help, help, help

[grace]

Hi to everyone,
Please excuse any mistakes i make or any dumb questions this is all very very new to me. I thought it was pretty exciting just on the forum of babtac site but this web site well what can I say its truly amazing and so helpful.

So here goes, I qualified back in 1997 nvq beauty therapy, worked for a short while in the salon and did a bit from home, then gave it all up, had my son and did this and that for several years.

Over the past 6 months i have been re entering the world of beauty and taken some extra courses in Nail extensions and Nail art, airbrushing etc to re vamp old skills, unfortunatly I am still pretty slow on my nails but am trying hard.

I need help advice anything any one can give please, as I feel i am sinking in questions flying about in my head. I thought I would start my business from home, perhaps offering Nail extensions, manicures, waxing, nail and body art, tanning etc maybe furthering onto more beauty treatments as finances alowed, however the more I think about it the more I wonder, to be honest I am really only interested in Nails and just love the art side of it all, love nail and body art and so forth.

So my problem is what products to use, how can I get my timmings faster, I have read and read articles and i have ordered so many trade mag's and catalogues from all the major product brands but still I am lost.

What i do know is I love working for my self, I love designing, I love making others hands look great and I just want to make this work, please any advice that anyone can offer will be gratefully recieved.
Tips advice, nail art, extensions anything just need some positive info, as I feel like I am in the dark on my own right now fighting for survival.

Thanking you in advance
kind regards

 

[mui]

sawasdee ka grace

Welcome to you ka you come very good web site have many thing for teach and idea what i say nail art we go look in everybody web site if you look memberlist in geek have many website and have gallery we go look them all and have many idea new .

For flower we go look christiesnails.com very beautifull have many .

I think everything good for you for sure and only thing you think now what product you want .

I see many nail photo and have many good but if i chosse number 1 i would buy creative because make nail very beautifull for sure .

If some body tell you body art no good for buisness you not listen because them not know what i know my shop and airbrush nail very good and can airbrush nail and paint design brush look very beautifull .

Kop khun ka mui

 

[geeg]

Well my advice is that you go to an expert (Lynn Darling in Plymouth? or Katrina Kneebone) and get yourself assessed for technical skills and timing.

It is impossible to advise someone how they can improve timings and technique when one cannot see them working on a model. It is a pretty unanimous viewpoint on this site that there is NO substitute for good training with an expert ... you can't learn from magazines and the money you are spending on them could be put to better use attending a good class.

As for product choice ... what system are you using at present and with which system did you qualify?

My choice and recommendation is Creative Nail Design products and training. Others whose viewpoint we respect choose other lines, but what we all have in common is the belief that good training is where it all starts. And training with an expert ( a live human one) using a product that won't let your good work down.

If you want to find a Creative expert nearest to you call the central number for the Creative Nail Academy 0113 275 5719 and ask to speak to an Academy Advisor. All Creative Trainers are Master Technicians and a good majority are competition winners as well and with vast salon experience.

Once you get put on the right track we will help with any further questions you may have ... and welcome to the site.

 

[*Glynis*]

Hi and welcome

I am also relatively new here and its a great place for ideas and advice.

Before I started my business I investigated the local area to see if there were any gaps in the market. It turned out in my area that hardly anyone offered fibreglass extensions, so I decided to specialise in that method. I did my training with Backscratchers. I also made sure I knew all the local prices so I could offer competitive rates (not necessarily undercutting anyone).

Perhaps I went a bit far and was a bit cheeky, but I made appointments at most of the salons for a manicure. While in each salon I took notice of decor, atmosphere, service, products etc. and made a mental note of what I, as a customer, liked and didn't like.

I did a high quality leaflet drop in the local residential areas and took leaflets into clothes shops, hairdressers, travel agents etc. everywhere where lots of women work. Places like Safeways, Budgens, Tesco etc. will allow you to put a poster up or business cards for free. The Yellow Pages is also worth the £26 a month for a decent sized ad. Word of mouth via your good service and quality is then an essential ingredient for a good business.

I have based my business on what I like and want as a customer - it seems to have worked well. I quite often give my regular customers little free-bees that cost me next to nothing eg jewels on one nail, emery boards, toe separators, handcream samples etc. it is amazing how far a little goodwill goes!

Finding the right products can be tricky to start with. The first products I used gave me a permanent cough and cold At the beginning I thought I might have to rethink the whole nail salon idea. But, the third system I tried agrees with me perfectly and produces the high quality I expect.

Looking through all the catalogues and comparing prices might be a good way to start. Unfortunately all the trade magazines are not prepared to stick their necks out and give products ratings, they only tell you what is available. I understand the reasons for this, but it is a shame.

It might be worth contacting some of the suppliers and telling them that you are just starting out and deciding which system to use. You never know, some of them might be prepared to give you samples if you don't ask you don't get!

Personally, I would be prepared to send you a free sample of the products I use. Just let me know.

Glynis

 

[Karen]

Hi Grace,

Welcome to the board - I'm sure you will learn a lot here!

I can only agree with Mui and Geeg - Creative do offer a very good all round package. A great product, great training and follow-up advice on this board that is second to none!

I am still new to nails. I completed my Creative Foundation in August of this year and still have lots of questions. Being creative trained feels more like being part of a big happy family where someone is always willing to help.

Best of luck with whatever you decide.

Karen

 

[grace]

Thank you to all so far for your replies. In reply to Geeg, I trained this year back in June with Carlton Institue in Windsor. I originaly trained for my NVQ in 1997 in Poole at a private salon, where to be honest a lot was left to be desired. I will not go into details as it is past now but will say this is why i had to re train.

I attended the Carlton in June as stated and am still trying to complete my IHBC in nail extensions, but am just plodding along. I thought they were all very nice at the college but since leaving it has been very scary as it was a one day course and then you are sort of left to it until you are ready to sit an exame for the certificate in IHBC.

I supose i would do far better going to a creative trainer but I worry as to be honest I have blown all my funds on the training and products bought so far. Am not in the best finacial situation right now, so it makes it tricky.

I used the Nailite products from the college and have also used Star nail products but other than that not a lot. I can not say they are all that great. Mind you My nails look ok as I do my own, and I have so far 4 regular people coming to me, my mother in law, hmm she is a nail picker and bitter had a few start up problems with her nails but touch wood her nails have lasted the past 2 weeks ok. My friend whom has gel over lays on her natural nails and she is just over the moon with hers thank fully, and i have 2 regular paying clients a mother and a daughter that came from word of mouth, they saw my mother in laws nails and asked where she had them done. They have both been pleased and have attended twice now, the daughter has a horse and is very surprised that her nails have lasted so nicly. To be honest I can not understand how they have lasted so well my self.

Must be doing something right I asume.
My timmings are regular I always have the same time no matter what. I can have my client in the door and back out of the door in 3 hours, that is with airbrush nail art also. Obviously i have to speed up, it is just how...

Anyway thank you again for your help, this site realy is a god send.

 

[mui]

sawasdee ka

in geek links go novels and look for finer faster nails .

kop khun ka mui

 

[grace]

hello again,
Creative seem to be the most popular, as finance is incredibly tight I need to go careful, however can anyone tell me how much the creative courses are, perhaps the conversion course.

Also how you go about purchasing the creative products or do you have to be a previous student of theres?

I need extra help somewhere as like I stated previously it is taking me ages to do these nails. I had a regular lady tonight for in fills it took me two and half hours, that is with airbrush design but still it is so slow. I find it hard to blend the infill part in, that is where my time goes, the product that has moved down the nail just never seems to want to be buffed away ready for new application.

I need extra help obviously.
:?

 

[shellybell]

Hi Grace, so glad to see someone else going through what I have.
I've only been "doing nails" for 3 months now, and thought I was the only person on the planet who took so long to do a set. Thankfully I discovered this wonderful site, all I can say is keep going at it. My first infills on a client took 2 1/2 hours to do as you said it was trying to blend in the regrowth area, but I'm glad to say I had my second maintanance infill appointment with another client two days ago and quess what? it only took me 1 hour yipee
The only advice I can give is practice on friends, family stray animals ( only joking too hard to keep them still) :tongue: as that is what I did and thanks to the advice motavation I got from this site I have got a little bit quicker, as I'm sure you will.
Hope this helps a little bit and you hang in there.


More power to your elbow

 

[geeg]

Creative seem to be the most popular,
how you go about purchasing the creative products or do you have to be a previous student of theres?

Creative do require that you do some training with them in order to qualify to purchase. The conversion class would be that training for you. The class is not expensive at all - only the price of the kit. Call and speak to an Academy Advisor - there are 5 of them dedicated to telling you everything you need to know and will happily send you a brochure so you can browse the classes. If money is tight, that will not be a problem with this class. You will wish you had done it years ago, especially when you try the products. So often it can be the poor quality of a product that is letting your good work down. Purchase a Creative 'try me' kit. and see for yourself the instant difference in look and performance of the product. Ring 0113 275 5719 and ask for customer care. They will want to see proof of certificate so get ready to fax it to them ... then ask to speak to an Academy Advisor about the class. Your troubles will be over.

that is where my time goes, the product that has moved down the nail just never seems to want to be buffed away ready for new application.

You have a product that is lifting (doesn't need to happen) and you are what we refer to as 'chasing the line' down the nail until you hit solid product (usually at the stress area). That is a lot of unnecessary buffing. You are buffing in the wrong place. Look at the tutorial for Real Rebalancing and see where you should be buffing ... and try a product that won't let you down.

 

[grace]

Thank you I have contacted creative and found that it is only possible to do a conversion course after being fully qualified for over a year so it appears I would have to do the foundation course, which I have enquired into, I am a bit sad after spending all that hard earned money on the other course in Windsor, hey ho.

I had a little browse on the creative web site also and realised that they are set up with Acrylic which is super and I am still really really interested. however what is a girl to do when it comes to gel extensions? :?

Does anyone recomend any good gel products, after a lot of research Bio sculpture keep popping up but how good are they?

Thank you Glynis also for your advise I am in the throws of e-mailing a lot of the companies for there advice and in hope of a few samples to try, cheeky hey but who knows what they may say.

I don't know about being creative trained to feel like part of a big family, it feels like it already with out the training so must be even better once you enter the creative world, got to earn earn earn so i can too join.

Thank you again to all x

 

[geeg]

You can still get a 'try me' kit and try out the product.

Creative Nail Academies also teach with a gel called Faze which is a simple and popular product and

Fabric# which is a super wrap system. If you want to hear more, search under Fabric on this site and see what loads of technicians who are using it are saying.

 

[ella]

Have you considered who you customers will be? What services / products do they want and how much will they pay. Nails is a broad market with a wide range of opportunities. You could spend a fortune on products and training only to find that this is saturated in your area or that doesn't fit with the clients available spending power.

Lots of people make money from providing cheap, quick substandard nails - these are succesful businesses if all you want to do is make money, but I suspect that you are a nail lover who will strive to find the best products and get the best training.

I have trained with several companies, some assosiated with products, some working towards qualifications but not tied to a brand. I only wish that I had gone straight to Creative and saved myself some money.

What I love about creative is that not only is their training thorough, well researched, well presented, good value and of a high standard (compared to the other courses I have done) - once you have trained with them you are "in the family". There is great technical help & marketing support. Some companies just leave you stranded after you have trained with them.

The Creative liquid & powder system was something that I resisted initially due to price & needing more training, but eventually I discovered that it is far more advanced technically than other systems. The retention+ liquid iuses a different molecular bond than other liquids (a covalent bond to the keratin in the nail as opposed to a weaker hydrogen bond) producing a nail that just does not lift . This gives you happier clients AND saves you time on fills. The other advantage is that the system uses "reinforced cross linking" - basically meaning that the enhancement is incredibly strong but does not need to be a thick as other products. This is patented technology so you just will not get it in another product - believe me I looked into this big style!

I use IBD gel because I have found a real gap in the market locally for coloured gel on toes. There are several coloured gels around, but this one is a true gel - most of them aren't. It is also available locally to me. These factors will all be different for you. I would thouroughly recommend training with the manufacturer of the gel you choose as they all vary in their application.

As far as timing is concerned - practice is the main point, but having good tips is helpful. I used to use Star nails tips which were fine, but then I tried the Creative ones which blend at lightening speed - instantly saving me at least 10 minutes per set! Good prep tools and products have also helped, I love the curette from designer nails - a real time saver. If the client does not want square nails, clip of cut them to shape and then file to perfect. If you just file it takes ages. Don't look up when you speak to them (thanks for that from someone else on this site). Get it worked out exactly what the client wants BEFORE you start. If you discuss it during the process they um and urrr and change their mind.


Enough of the "war and peace" length post now.

 

[*Glynis*]

Ella, I agree that the not looking up at the client while talking does save time. However, do you (like me) ever have the client bending right down and under to try and make eye contact with you?

It makes me feel guilty!! So I assume they are the sort of person who needs eye contact and I bend the rules. The customer is always right!!

Grace, on the timing of infills, in my first month or so I found it took ages. As you get better at applying each new set of nails, the amount of time needed to make them look perfect again reduces dramatically.

Your first lot of customers are helping you build your reputation and get that all important word of mouth going. Most clients don't mind the extra time taken if they can see you are doing a proper job and taking pride in your work.

I think Ella's point about researching the local market is important.

Glynis

 

[grace]

Hey everyone,
Well i have just finished e-mailing a few nail product companies in hope they will be able to offer some tiny samples for me to try, it would be nice to get the feel of some different products with out having to take a bank loan out.

I have taken all that has been said on board, I do love nails and am rather a perfectionist so will never settle for anything less that brilliant results. I will just have to practice practice practice, not quite sure who on at the moment as my husband is a bit fed up, his nails are awful he bites them, no correction he chews his nails like he has never been fed any food in a life time, YUCK....... it does nothing for my reputation but he is a man, stuborn and set in his ways, maybe i could trade him in for a mannequin ahhh.

I am rather hooked on this web site now and spend time every day checking all the bits and bobs out, it is a really fantastic web site, and appears to have fantastic nail techs, it is just magic.

Well I shall let you know if i get any good feed back from the suppliers, I will also be purchasing a creative sample of products can not wait to try theres out, yippee I am feeling more confident in the thought of it all.

Thanks everyone. x