How dodgy!

[Jac4Harry]

I know this happens, and unfortunately happens alot, but lately I am getting SO many clients booking in for gel refills, which of course is fine.
They turn up to the appointment and I begin the consultation, and realise as soon as I see their nails they are in fact l&p- MMA style.

I get angry (internally of course!) for these people, as they generally are paying extra for "gel" nails.

It took me 3 hours- 3 HOURS- to soak off one set on a young girl the other week. Her nails were so damaged I felt terrible, even though it wasn't my fault.

What is the best way to educate these clients on MMA salons? How can I educate them enough to realise they don't care about the overall health of the clients nails, just the $$ side of things. Does anyone hand out info on it to their clients?

 

[raznik]

Im suffering the exact same thing with the mma salons charging more and convincing the clients its gel. Its theft in my book.
Also ive now stopped accepting removal appointments if they have the nails on from an mma salon.

 

[Jac4Harry]

Im suffering the exact same thing with the mma salons charging more and convincing the clients its gel. Its theft in my book.
Also ive now stopped accepting removal appointments if they have the nails on from an mma salon.

I see you're a fellow aussie too

What do you say to people when you refuse? I'm not sure I want to refuse as such, as I gain lots of clients this way.

 

[tigi]

I dont remove, infill or rebalance nails done at an nss salon. I just simple cant afford to do it. I make a loss every time and so after 6 months of trialling different ways and seeing how many come back etc I have decided not to do it anymore.


I just cant afford 3 hours soaking off time and the stench frankly turns my stomach and I am not spending anymore time in my bathroom in the salon vomiting from the smell.

 

[salpep]

I do agree with tigi to a degree..its the most horrid sick smelling stuff and turns my stomach too!

But we have a cross roads because whilst we don't want to deal with this stuff, should we just close our doors on them and send them back for more mess?

I also find that if I do infill these things for them...it's been on thier nails for like 5-6 weeks and when you tell them you need to book in again in 2-3 weeks they are not happy and still end up going back to the place that put them on!

Sometime you do have the genuine people who really want this stuff gone and come to you, so in that case I can't really turn them away. But I only infill these things I won't remove as it just opens a can of worms x

 

[wendy malley]

How on earth do they convince them they are gel are they doing some sort of different application x

 

[Klassy Klaws]

How on earth do they convince them they are gel are they doing some sort of different application x

If someone books in for Gel nails and have never had any kind of enhancements on before they are not going to know what is Gel and what is L&P.
Also if you are being told by a 'Professional' that they are giving you Gel what client is going to argue?

I have had girls come to me who have gone for Gel when they describe how the product has been applied it turns out to be L&P with a UV Gel Top coat.

The stupid thing is I personally dont take longer to do a set of gel enhancements compared to L&P and the cost would be around the same.
I think a lot of people feel that gel is more difficult to do so wont give the time to practice it so just stick with L&P?!

 

[mum]

The salons that use MMA call it gel! (I am talking in general here) They are not trying to mislead or lie. That is what they call it. It makes a 'gel' when l&p is mixed (in fact some time ago a UV gel was called 'premixed')

The MMA salons have a different business community to other salons. They have different suppliers, different training, don't get trade mags, don't attend trade shows.

Many years ago when the pro nail industry was in it's infantcy MMA was used by everyone and no on worried about using a 100 grit file on the nail plate. If you wanted 'false nails' this is what it took. Just like if you wanted blond hair it will end up like straw. It's all changed now but this hasn't reached the MMA salon community.

Not for one second am I agreeing that MMA should be used but they are providing a very popular and efficient service and many of the technicians are very highly skilled.

They are selling a gel because that's what they call it just like some people call L&P acrylic. How many clients really care if they have l&p or UV gel other than what they have been told by their technician? So many are told that UV gel is kinder. It isn't! But that shows that many clients can be educated

How you deal with MMA clients that come to you is your decision. There has been plenty of advice on here. But getting so het up about being sold 'gel' really isn't the issue

 

[tigi]

Its an issue that has given me a fair amount of heartache to be honest. I am never happy if i infill them. they always come back with issues, that I am fixing and the circle just never ends. its almost as if the stuff the local salons are using actively pushes off my products ( I use CND and NSI and have also tried Harmony on them). Its very annoying.

SO, after 6 months of trying my best, I have called it a day with them.

I do feel awful saying no but even filing the stuff has me heaving and then stressing as invariably they will come back not happy and with problems.

I also have to say that I have also found that initially I was educating , explaining and infilling the 'monsters' as I call them, making hardly anything, only to find that they would go back anyway. (its across the road from me and I have seen them going in).

SO, for me its purely a business choice. I cant afford 3 hours soaking them off and backfilling them is not working out. SO, I have decided to turn them away.

 

[Karen Minx]

I will do these clients but they have to agree to a soak off and new set at the cost of a soak off and new set price.

I agree its not a pleasent smell. I clip the whole tip off, buff the tops and then soak. It does't take too much time that way.

I don't get many MMA clients in but when i do i dont want to turn them away. I just do my best with their nails and hope i have pleased and gained a new client. xxx

 

[Emmalouisenails]

Hey Tigi. I hear where your coming from, the NSS are everywhere near I work, I just can't compete. What I don't understand is why someone would choice to go back after being educated, but people do. I too will not file them because of the smell ( there is a reason why the girls in those shops wear a mask) I explain my reason on why I won't and about 25% come back to get there nails done once the NSS ones are off.

 

[hello_kitty]

there is one NSs salon where I lice they for some reason tell everyone it's gel! don't know why as I have soaked off about 15 set (fishy smelling, chewing gum like) where is ment to be gel! I ask client how many times they put under the lamp they say one! so must be using a uv topcoat! my sister in law always goes to an NSs salon n she doesn't get why they stay on longer 5/6 with no infills! n I tell her she needs infill if I do them 3 weeks!!! it's so bad! I wish they would do something in England not being funny not just NSs salons I know so many girls that do nails with eBay acrylic no training!


tasha

 

[sjmand]

Tell me about it i had a lady book in for removal and new set i seen her name in the book and thought eemmm i dont recognise the name :irked: she arrived and still i was confused thinking these arent my nails so then while soaking i find out it was the nail bar across the road tht done them i am in the process of soaking saying to myself fantastic this is going to take me forever i only had her book in for 1 hr 30 minutes for soak off and new application she was in for hours and i had to do my clients inbetween her soaking never ever again will i soak any nails other than my own work. nightmare. as they say u live and learn haha

 

[niclynch]

How can you tell if it's mma? I have a few clients that have come to me from other salons and unless I know if the product is creative I will always soak off!

 

[Mooey]

Its an issue that has given me a fair amount of heartache to be honest. I am never happy if i infill them. they always come back with issues, that I am fixing and the circle just never ends. its almost as if the stuff the local salons are using actively pushes off my products ( I use CND and NSI and have also tried Harmony on them). Its very annoying.

SO, after 6 months of trying my best, I have called it a day with them.

I do feel awful saying no but even filing the stuff has me heaving and then stressing as invariably they will come back not happy and with problems.

I also have to say that I have also found that initially I was educating , explaining and infilling the 'monsters' as I call them, making hardly anything, only to find that they would go back anyway. (its across the road from me and I have seen them going in).

SO, for me its purely a business choice. I cant afford 3 hours soaking them off and backfilling them is not working out. SO, I have decided to turn them away.

I sympathize with what you're saying. Can't you tell the client the product they have on is completely different to what you're using and you don't work with those products. In turn, educate them a little and ask that they get their enhancements taken off where they got them done, then to come back to you. I was once the client in this scenario (when I was about 17) and I was more than happy to oblige and was really pleased with the finished outcome, knowing my nails health would improve as well. Hth's x

 

[tigi]

Yes thats a great idea, I have been telling them to get them off at the nss salon, but not many have.

what I will do is give them a £5 voucher and telling them that if the nss salon will take them off, ill gladly have them back . or if indeed they grow them out then I will do them for them.

Its crazy thats it better financially for me to take a fiver off my nails than have them for hours in the shop making me throw up (how embarassing to admit that the smell has me heaving and actually makes me sick, i dont tell the clients that though!).

Its worth having a proper go at that and seeing how many do come back.

tigi

 

[Nailz73]

Although havent had the pleasure or non pleasure of removing an NSS enhancement, i do have a few that have been and their nails are in a mess.

They have also commented on the fact that i use a different kind of gel lol.. i explain this is UV gel. They tell me that the salon they went to uses a powder and then liquid and say it is gel.. kind of got me confuddled until it was mentioned that there is a product they use called powder gel.. (still non the wiser)..

all we can do is educate our prospective clients in our most professional way so they DO come back to us..

xx

 

[AmeliaR]

i recommend that if i haven't applied them they get them removed were they got them on!

i personally dont like removing/rebalancing nails that i havent done! i dont know what products theyve used how they preped the natural nail etc! they could have used cheap producted and poor prep then if i ever do remove them the may complain about the natural nail because of what the nail tech did before me. x

 

[Mooey]

Yes thats a great idea, I have been telling them to get them off at the nss salon, but not many have.

what I will do is give them a £5 voucher and telling them that if the nss salon will take them off, ill gladly have them back . or if indeed they grow them out then I will do them for them.

Its crazy thats it better financially for me to take a fiver off my nails than have them for hours in the shop making me throw up (how embarassing to admit that the smell has me heaving and actually makes me sick, i dont tell the clients that though!).

Its worth having a proper go at that and seeing how many do come back.

tigi

Yes do the voucher that is an even better idea! Also, (up to you) but you could guarantee that they'll be happier with their nails once you've used CND on them, and that the nails will be healthier. Or even do a specific 'New to CND?' voucher, with £5 off, including all the pro's on there. Good luck hope it works

 

[Jac4Harry]

The salons that use MMA call it gel! (I am talking in general here) They are not trying to mislead or lie. That is what they call it. It makes a 'gel' when l&p is mixed (in fact some time ago a UV gel was called 'premixed')

The MMA salons have a different business community to other salons. They have different suppliers, different training, don't get trade mags, don't attend trade shows.

Many years ago when the pro nail industry was in it's infantcy MMA was used by everyone and no on worried about using a 100 grit file on the nail plate. If you wanted 'false nails' this is what it took. Just like if you wanted blond hair it will end up like straw. It's all changed now but this hasn't reached the MMA salon community.

Not for one second am I agreeing that MMA should be used but they are providing a very popular and efficient service and many of the technicians are very highly skilled.

They are selling a gel because that's what they call it just like some people call L&P acrylic. How many clients really care if they have l&p or UV gel other than what they have been told by their technician? So many are told that UV gel is kinder. It isn't! But that shows that many clients can be educated

How you deal with MMA clients that come to you is your decision. There has been plenty of advice on here. But getting so het up about being sold 'gel' really isn't the issue

Actually, as I am the original poster, being sold 'gel' when its not IS an issue to me. I don't care if they intentionally or unintentionally mislead, its still misleading to unsuspecting clients. One girl I had in for a soak off, went in with a friend. Her friend had french l&p done and paid $50. My client had french 'gel' done and paid $60. So if thats not intentional, what is?!