How to build your business in 2009? Gel Mani's & pedi's

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Gina Silvestro

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Joined
Dec 16, 2006
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Location
Johnston, RI
I posted this on another forum and thought I'd post it here too :)

All of us nail techs go crazy over these new styles, shapes, Bling nails etc... It seems like the more outrageous it is, the better. I wear stiletto's, edge nails, crazy stuff. I get lots of comments on them, some are good some think I'm nuts. The bottom line is, I'm an artsy person and I like it. But is it marketable? Lets be honest here, I have a few clients who will go for the crazy stuff, lots of people love the glitter, but most people really want a nice natural manicured look.

You can offer a service that is so new, many people have never heard of it , that uses very little product per service and clients will rave about it. You can charge double what you would for a regular manicure in the same amount of time, and the same amount as a fill with half the work and product? Do you see where this could build your business even in these difficult economic times?

Many people will be cutting back on everyday expenses and going without. But just as many woman still need to feel good about themselves. Getting a Gel Manicure is a relatively small luxury that makes them feel good and look better and lasts up to 4 weeks. With Pedicure season approaching fast, now is the time to add these services to your menu.

There are many gel polishes on the market you can look into. I know first hand how these services can help to build your business. I opened one salon almost 2 years ago that was booming within 6 months, and we have inexpensive nail salons on every corner here in RI too. We set ourselves apart by offering something different and people raved about it. Word of mouth advertising is the best way to advertise, and when woman find out about something new and exciting, they want to let everybody know and be the first to tell it!

I've recently moved to a new location(6 months ago), and our nail business is already getting very busy. I only have 3 girls working for me but they are already getting booked and on Saturdays we are turning away business. That is remarkable for the simple fact that this is the slowest month for the industry and the worst economic recession.

I would love to see everybody that is struggling open their minds to something new. Investigate it, try it, and most of all MARKET IT!!! Be positive about it, talk about it in the salon, set up refferal programs, offer to do your co-workers nails at NC and have them market it for you. Grab your local coffee shop girl and give her a complimentary Gel Mani, let her market for you. Upsell yourselves and think success. It will be sure to follow.

Here is a quick tutorial. Akzentz Options is a flexible gel that can be filed off or soaked off. Because of its flexibility you can apply it nice and thin and it will not chip. We also have a new bonging gel Opti-Bond, so if you tried Options before and felt it didn't last as long on everybody as you'd hoped, you might want to give it a try again. It is not fool proof, but once you now the product and have your technique perfected it will be. And we are always available for troubleshooting. We use it in our salon with 100% success. If we can do it, so can you!

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The client I used for this tutorial comes to me religiously every 3 weeks for a gel mani. She likes her nails short and natural looking. Her nails last her right up until the day she returns, no problems. I have been doing gel mani's on her for 2 1/2 years now.

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Thanks for this Gina - dont know how I missed it until now.

Do you soak off every time with your gel manicures or do you ever infil with them?
 
i was thinking the same thing as theresa.x
what a great idea though,they look fab.x
 
Hi hi,

It is a great idea, I started doing this last month.

xoxox.
 
This is a fab idea, I am introducing this ready for valentines day promotion,
 
Looked at the website, is this gel available in the UK?
 
Thanks for this Gina - dont know how I missed it until now.

Do you soak off every time with your gel manicures or do you ever infil with them?

Just bumping this up as I'd like to know the answer too. Thanks!
 
I always advise to remove it rather than infil the color, because you need to be sure nothing is going on under the color such as lifting or air pockets. Also with filling in a color, it is sometimes more time consuming and difficult to get an even color and application.

I'm good with my efile, so I file off. I use an xcut carbide for the bulk, then switch over to a cross cut diamond or a sanding band at low speed, and I'm very careful not to damage the nail. The product is on so thin it's easy to remove. Some people like to soak it off. If doing so, the fastest method is:

Starting one finger at a time file off the bulk, place cotton ball saturated w/acetone or soak off solution, wrap in aluminum foil, move to the next finger et cetera et cetera...

By the time all 10 are wrapped, go back to the first nail, remove the foil from that one, push off the loosened product, file & shape the nail and prep cuticle area. Move on to the next et cetera et cetera...

By the time you are finished, all product is removed and the nails are prepped and ready to re-apply. Should take 15 minutes or so. Then application should take another 20. Finish with a massage and give yourself another 10 minutes if you constantly look up to converse with your clients instead of head down working.
 
why do the red nails look puffy/lumpy? that is my fear with using gels......
 
I guess it's a matter of opinion. The reflection of the light in the nail is not straight, so therefore the coating is not smooth. With acrylic, you can make the covering completely uniform and smooth. The red nails look thick at the cuticle on several nails. I want my product to look like a natural nail with polish on. Maybe that's just me.
 
Ah, see thats the beauty of it. This client is very hard on her nails so she likes me to apply it a little thicker. To each his own.. you can apply it as thin as you would like. We have thinner gels that can be applied for a more natural look. This particular client I use Trilite for my finish gel, but Base N Gloss is much thinner.
 

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