I qualified 4 days ago - opinions please!

[munchkinme]

Hi
I qualfied 4 days ago for nail extensions (UV, acrylic & fibreglass) & manicure. Now, my confidence isnt the best! I was surprised to pass actually but I do enjoy it. When I was practising, on my first 2 sets of acrylics, they lifted & came off quite quickly (I've been reading your threads about this so hopefully with a bit more practice, all should be well!) My only question is, in order to gain more experience & more confidence, do you think I should try & get some salon experience (if so, how?) or go mobile & try that way? THe only other option is to go back to the place where I learnt who have a working spa attached & I may be able to work on some clients there but would feel a bit 'odd' about that, if you know what I mean!

Any advice or pointers would be much appreicated. I want to get started but am very nervous!!

 

[Annabel08]

Hello,,

Well done on passing.

I have been qualified in enhancements for nearly 2years now and at first I got a lot of problems like lifting, and I still do get it a little but I would say that is only normal and with time & practice you will get through it.

Again I would say confidence also comes with time, and you will have days when your confidence is boosted and days when your confidence gets knocked, but its all in the process of wanting to be a good tech because you will learn from all experiences.

I think having salon experience is great as you learn how to deal with all sorts of clients and problems, also you don't have to worry about finding the clients which means you can concentrate on doing nails 100% and if you are with a good salon hopefully they can give you support, extra training if need be etc.

All I would say is from my own experience, I got my job in a salon about 3/4 months after I qualified and it is a long process as 1. a lot of salons want at least 1 to 2yrs experience, 2. a lot also seemed to want the whole package as in the beauty side as well, and 3. you may have to just start off with manicures/pedicures while you practice your ehancements whether that be on friends or clients that are only paying for the cover of product costs. About 5months ago is when I really started offering enhancements at the salon properly after working there for a year.

The best thing you can do is get practicing on real people and keep reading through tutorials on here, or books etc. Take pictures of all your work because in 6/12months time when you look back at them you will see how far youve come. And when something doesn't quite go to how you planned, dont stress because your learning and the next time you will know how to deal with it.

I still learn something new everyday so it defo takes time

hth =]
Annabel

 

[ArgyleChick]

Hi,

I passed my nail course 4 weeks ago and can not get people to practice on :cry: .........my nail trainer is the only person I can rely on.

I also don't feel confident to do it on clients as I feel my nails are not good enough for that yet, and worry about negative comments!!

Shall I just keep practising on nail trainer ??????

 

[Scoobs]

Hi Guys i know its not ideal but i practised on myself, there is nothing more difficult than trying to do it one handed !!!!!

I had a lifting problem at first and it was just because i was applying the product to low to the cuticle and using to much resin. Also i notice that if my hands are constantly in water (i have not long had a baby so always washing up !!) they lift often....

Also get your partner if possible to let you have a go on them, my chappy has always got a false nail or two !!!!!! :lol:

 

[kirsty_]

practicing on real people is the best way to improve and learn. ask all your friends and family and anyone else they know if you can do their nails, ask everyone on facebook.. always, always make sure you charge though. If you explain that you are newly qualified and that is why your prices are lower then most people are happy with that. at first, dont worry about your timings, concentrate on the finish of the nails. the timings will come down the more you practice. i qualified in June this year and am only just at a stage where i am happy with my nails however i know i still have room for improvement on smile lines etc. dont be scared to get out there and start getting clients, it really is the best way to learn xx

 

[geeg]

Hi Guys i know its not ideal but i practised on myself, there is nothing more difficult than trying to do it one handed !!!!!

I had a lifting problem at first and it was just because i was applying the product to low to the cuticle and using to much resin. Also i notice that if my hands are constantly in water (i have not long had a baby so always washing up !!) they lift often....

Also get your partner if possible to let you have a go on them, my chappy has always got a false nail or two !!!!!! :lol:

OF COURSE!!! Who better to practice on than yourself???

I completely learned on myself and I also learned that when I had problems like cracking or breaking I was ALWAYS responsible for it MYSELF. Therefore I learned that when clients have breakage problems with cracking and breaking that it was THEIR responsibility not mine ... I was quite confident on that point.
You learn allot about your product and what your clients do, by doing your own nails. You're never short of a model if you d your own.

 

[mary1981]

I've learnt a lot by doing my own too, you can see everyday how they change. When i first started they lifted a little within a day and more so day by day. i now know that this means they were never really bonded to the nail properly in the first place, so i practised pressing and pushing product rather than just brushing and patting, and i could see the difference straight away. If i broke one i could see where and how and know if its an apex issue, and i dont tell fibs lol! Its great being able to see your problems and track them if that makes sense.
A combination of yourself, other real hands, a nail trainer, and the ingenious blue tac methods will have you confident in no time hun xxx

 

[munchkinme]

Ah, thanks for all your pointers & help. Just need to work on my confidence & my own nails! Its really lovely how people have responded to my post. Thank you all x

 

[candice83]

I practice on myself all the time, I drive myself nuts but I love it and I TRY to get creative too... I find the more that you practice the better you get. I could NEVER find anyone to practice on so I was it! But it is so true you are better off to practice on yourself cause you are your own worst critic. I am getting the odd client here and there and I need more practice cause mine aren't perfect but the more practice the better and more confident you will get, I still get really nervous too that is normal:hug:

 

[MichelleG]

OF COURSE!!! Who better to practice on than yourself???

I agree, every time I re-did my own nails, I learned something new or how to improve or caught myself in a mistake and they looked better every time, as did the manicures I did for other people. And I still prefer to try new ideas on myself before trying them on a client.

I stayed home doing friends and family (or anyone else I could get to sit still for me) for 2 months after doing my courses. It got to the point where my technique and feedback were very good and I just needed to get faster.

I felt I couldn't get past that only doing one person today....perhaps another next Thursday....maybe two next week...etc. I came to feel that the only way to break my speed barrier was to actually start work, even if I was still a little slow. So I did two weeks ago.

I was VERY concerned about getting clients only to irritate them (and lose them) with slowness. But my slightly slower speed is being interpreted as a better technique! They're actually saying things like "oh, I see why you're a little slower, you use the file more and you're not grinding me down to a raw nail bed!" Lol, wow....

When you're ready to really serve clients, I think you will know, and you may find the atmosphere of working for real will fine tune you as it seems to be doing me. It was the "pressure" of being in the workplace for real that did it for me and yesterday was my best speed ever.

Just my 2 cents, Michelle

 

[MichelleG]

I still get really nervous too that is normal:hug:

As another newbie, I would say absolutely. However I try not to let the clients see it...if I don't appear to have confidence in myself, I'm afraid they won't have confidence in me. I don't want to "look" new....if that makes sense.

I have to say finding this forum and hearing that it's not just me has been very very comforting though lol...

 

[jnail]

Congratulations on passing and can tell you have a passion for the work you do already.
Did you complete your training in a classroom environment with other students or a 1 to 1 situation?

This falls into the trouble shooting side of your nail journey and can be rectified by a 1 to 1 training day with a trainer from the company/system you are using where it's all about you & what you'd like to cover.
Of course in the meantime practice on yourself and other willing parties, but to nip things in the bud and advance without ingrained bad habits this will to greaten your chances of 'salon employment' when your ready.

You will be inspired and relieved by the end of the day and rearing to go again I know I am after I have nutted out the problem.

 

[munchkinme]

I completed my training in a classroom environment, there were 8 of us I think. I'm already looking at other conversion courses/121 training which I think would boost my confidence once I've been doing it a few months. Its mainly acrylic that I struggle with but it looks like I'm not the only one, after looking at this site! We used Salon System stuff.......practice, practice, practice! Thank you