IBD just gel-advice & opinions

[maristar]

Hi there,
newbie first post here


Bit of background, Previously a florist, i have owned my own business for the last 9 years, the last 12 months i have taken some time away from the business & now its time for a career change. I love nails/Nail polish & for the last 5 or so years have become addicted & a collector.

I didnt think i would ever change career but the timing is right & i have had lots of encouragement from my family & friends as they know how passionate i am about nails & nail polish. So, after 6 months of comparing courses & finding one which would suit me best, I finally enrolled in a manicure/pedicure certificate course which starts next week (so I will probably have lots of questions from here on in. Lol)

Now to my questions as i am wanting to use IBD just gel polish (i already have a few) but it dosnt seem to be very popular or well known (compared to gelish & cnd shellac anyway) There is a IBD just gel workshop available here that i will be doing in the next month or so, but before i do that, i wanted others opinions & advice.


So, any pros & cons about it?
Would you recommend it?
(I love the colors but am having 2nd thoughts about the product for a couple of small reasons)


Any hints for application, How do you prep & Do you use the dehydrator or power bond or both? ( I know I will learn this over the coming weeks, especially if i do the IBD workshop) in the meantime though, I want to start practicing on my sisters & want some ideas.

Do you use the just gel cleanser & remover? (i am finding none of the suppliers i know of here stock it, even though they stock the polish) They do however stock the regular IBD ones (just not the Just gel branded ones)

Thanks

 

[maristar]

bump

 

[geeg]

Shouldn't the practise start after you have learned your manicuring and how to use the product? That's usually the way things are done. Makes more sense doesn't it? You can't practice with something you do not have even the bare minimum of knowledge to use.

Why did you choose this product in the first place and then book a class with it, only now to be having second thoughts? It just sounds like you are doing things back way around to me.

On this site we do not teach novices how to do nails. It is pro a site to come to for help, but for those who are trained and qualified or in training or just qualified, not for those who buy products before they are qualified and want to use them with no training. There is always YouTube for that.

I am not trying to be insulting, so don't take my post that way. Surely you can see that if we gave our time in the way you want, we would be teaching DIYers ... And there is enough stuff like that going on already, and people buying pro products that they don't know how to handle. We are not here to perpetuate that nonsense.

Take your classes and then start practising. Then you will know the 'how tos' and then we can help with meaningful answers to questions.

 

[HannahLiciousB]

Hi Maristar

I am also fairly new to nails and I started off using EzFlow TruGel and now IBD Just Gel. They are effectively the same products. I think IBD own EzFlow or vice versa. If you look through the colours you'll see most of them are duplicated through the 2 ranges. I had the same concerns as you as everyone talks about CND Shellac and Bio Sculpture. However after nearly 9 months using the products I think they are great and they set me apart fr om other local therapists. The colour range is slightly restricted but it has plenty to choose from and the shine is amazing. My sets last at least a month with no chips. Once you have done your training you will have more questions so feel free to get in touch. Geeg is right though, it's better to do the training and then once you are qualified ask away xx

 

[maristar]

Thanks for the replies, I understand I am not qualified yet & only have the bare minimum knowledge with manicures. (I have actually been taught by a nail tech friend the basics so I could do my own nails properly, hence the purchase of some ibd products) it was not a proper course with a recognised certificate & as I would love to do other people's nails, I have now chosen to get the qualifications to do so.

My only concerns with ibd are silly really, their website dosnt get updated often & is actually behind in the products available & also that some of the products are not available here. (The just gel cleanser & remover, hence one of my questions)

I really just wanted people's opinion on ibd before I made the decision to do the workshop (which i have to pay to do) or purchase more products. The course I'm doing dosnt use ibd so I wanted ibd users opinions & advice.

Anyway, sorry if I upset anyone by asking questions before being qualified, I guess I'm just impatient.

As for practicing, my course starts this week & i thought it would be normal to practice during the course. (I do have sisters after all)

Anyway, I will come back & ask more questions once I am qualified

 

[geeg]

Thanks for the replies, I understand I am not qualified yet & only have the bare minimum knowledge with manicures. (I have actually been taught by a nail tech friend the basics so I could do my own nails properly, hence the purchase of some ibd products) it was not a proper course with a recognised certificate & as I would love to do other people's nails, I have now chosen to get the qualifications to do so.

My only concerns with ibd are silly really, their website dosnt get updated often & is actually behind in the products available & also that some of the products are not available here. (The just gel cleanser & remover, hence one of my questions)

I really just wanted people's opinion on ibd before I made the decision to do the workshop (which i have to pay to do) or purchase more products. The course I'm doing dosnt use ibd so I wanted ibd users opinions & advice.

Anyway, sorry if I upset anyone by asking questions before being qualified, I guess I'm just impatient.

As for practicing, my course starts this week & i thought it would be normal to practice during the course. (I do have sisters after all)

Anyway, I will come back & ask more questions once I am qualified

IBD is a 40 year old company with a good reputation and they are not now nor ever have been owned by EZF nor the other way around.

If the website is not updated as often as you would like, then it is most likely the fault of the distributor in Oz and not IBD. The IBD home website is current. When you are in a country where the products you want are not manufactured then things are not always current and a company's reputation is only as good as the distributor to whom they have entrusted the care of their brand and image. Sadly not all distributors are good distributors.

Your first post indicated you were going to start practicing on your sisters before the course started

Any hints for application, How do you prep & Do you use the dehydrator or power bond or both? ( I know I will learn this over the coming weeks, especially if i do the IBD workshop) in the meantime though, I want to start practicing on my sisters & want some ideas.

which is why I was concerned for both their and your safety when working with reactive gel products.

My advise is ... Do your workshop ... IBD gel is similar to many other hundreds of gels you could buy so your learning will not go to waste. If you find after your class that you want to try a different gel then take your pick. Which product are they using on your course? Perhaps the answer to that would be more interesting. x

 

[Bel's Gels]

Hi Maristar,

I am a fellow Aussie. I am located in Adelaide.
I use the IBD Just Gel range and I just LOVE it.
I have a lot of information I can pass on to you, ie: tips, a great training academy and stockist information here in Australia.

Can you please go to my facebook page: www.facebook.com/belsgels and please message me personally on there as I would rather discuss everything with you one on one.
I also have some swatches on that page so you can see some of my colours.
Hope to hear from you soon.

 

[NancySyd]

IBD is a brand that is owned by American International Industries, which also owns EZ Flow and SuperNail ProGel, and their gel products are dupes of each other, even down to the colors. IBD also produced the ill-fated Gelac which was replaced by Just Gel. AII also owns China Glaze, Seche, and a bunch of other beauty related brands.

When our salons choose their brand(s), they did a spreadsheet of the major brands and their attributes. Most went with one of the big three - OPI, CND Shellac, or Gelish. Some went with LeChat, Jessica Gelaration or ACG, and some chose two or more brands to offer. One chose only IBD Just Gel and they have struggled from that decision. IBD is an excellent brand, and IBD Just Gel is an excellent product at a price point below many others. But it does not have the name recognition, market penetration or cachet of other brands and I think that has been a problem for the salon. IBD Just Gel sells well in the salon that offers it as a second brand, but in the salon where it is the only brand, it does not do as well. From what I've seen, clients come in asking for the more well known brands and feel that they are getting short shrift when IBD Just Gel is offered instead. So, although I think it is a great product, I don't think I would try to build a business around it alone. But I think that the others make an important point about putting the cart before the horse. Throw yourself into your training and attack this issue when you are finished.

 

[maristar]

Geeg - could you tell me what website you are looking at? ibd The Nail People is the one i have been looking at, a new range (launch 4) of just gels came out over 6 months ago & there is no mention on there. The Jet LED lamp also said coming soon up until 2 months ago & it was already available here (we get everything 6 months or so later, launch 4 is being released here this week)

Iv been looking into IBD just gels for about 12 months, i originally had an australian brand DIY gel kit, received an IBD just gel polish from my sister (hairdresser, supply place stocks it, bought it for me) thats when i started researching IBD. Hubby & sister bought me the JET LED lamp which came with a starter kit, have been using it on myself for the past 6 months or so. Considering i'm not qualified, i actually know a lot about the just gel range (even about their dreaded gelac) i have been researching it for ages. I have no problems with application & get 2 weeks + wear out of it. I just wanted others opinions.

Now that i am training to perform manicures on other people, i just wanted to be sure about the product. I have actually considered others. Gelish is everywhere though, the public can buy it here so why would i use something that they can buy themselves, never had an interest in CND shellac & yes, there are many more to choose from. Opi, tru gel, artistic, the list goes on & on.

Anyway, i like researching, I dont see any harm in doing that, if anything, it shows I have a passion for it.

 

[geeg]

Geeg - could you tell me what website you are looking at? ibd The Nail People is the one i have been looking at, a new range (launch 4) of just gels came out over 6 months ago & there is no mention on there. The Jet LED lamp also said coming soon up until 2 months ago & it was already available here (we get everything 6 months or so later, launch 4 is being released here this week)

Iv been looking into IBD just gels for about 12 months, i originally had an australian brand DIY gel kit, received an IBD just gel polish from my sister (hairdresser, supply place stocks it, bought it for me) thats when i started researching IBD. Hubby & sister bought me the JET LED lamp which came with a starter kit, have been using it on myself for the past 6 months or so. Considering i'm not qualified, i actually know a lot about the just gel range (even about their dreaded gelac) i have been researching it for ages. I have no problems with application & get 2 weeks + wear out of it. I just wanted others opinions.

Now that i am training to perform manicures on other people, i just wanted to be sure about the product. I have actually considered others. Gelish is everywhere though, the public can buy it here so why would i use something that they can buy themselves, never had an interest in CND shellac & yes, there are many more to choose from. Opi, tru gel, artistic, the list goes on & on.

Anyway, i like researching, I dont see any harm in doing that, if anything, it shows I have a passion for it.

It's both good and practical to do the research ... Many don't. I have tried quite a few now myself but am a Shellacker through and through we just run the one brand and have been completely happy with it, performance and clients.

I used IBD for a few years in the salon (not their gel polish as it hadn't been invented then). Always respected them and their education programme. But they sold out along with a few others to AII and who knows what the future will be for those brands. If they go the way of the others in the past that have been gobbled up by them it won't be a long one ... It doesn't surprise me they don't keep on top of the website? So that might be something that should concern you.

I agree completely with you about not buying from companies that have sold out to the consumer. No interest at all and I too have seen the kits you mention readily available in all the drugstores in the States.

If you are not interested in Shellac, why not look at NSI? My friend (wooshka) in Adelaide rates it!