I'm mobile and can't to decide between Shellac and Gelish.

[*aan*]

Hello,

I am a mobile Nail Tech and have used Shellac for several years. Then the creative academy in Bournemouth launched Gelish so I sat the course and introduced Gelish to clients. I had good results from Gelish. However I have just dropped my evenings and upping day work now my youngest has started full time school so currently low on the gel polish clients and would like to use this time to choose between dropping one brand without upsetting clients.

I get on well with both I do love the Gelish bright colours and the durability but I also love the brand name of Shellac most ladies ask for it by name and I wouldn't like to say I don't use it.

The problem is I'm mobile and cant carry everything my stock is getting rather full I need to cut back and I would also like to convert from uv to led there in lies my problem in which lamp to buy the Cnd or Gelish one?

I hope someone can give me some valuable advise to help me make up my mind. I could carry on both but am finding it hard to keep up to date on both brands and I would rather feel loyal and full stocked with one brand.

 

[izzidoll]

Wow, that's a tough one!
I use both along with ACG and thought of phasing out Gelish at one point, but as soon as you think it all of a sudden your clients keep asking for particular Gelish colours! With the amount of colours I now have I could never be a mobile tech!

If you like both systems and have no problems with either then you need to work out other pros and cons for each system.
Sit down and check your record cards and work out what colours are the most popular with your clients, a top twenty of your most used colours.
If it is mainly Shellac colours, try and work out if there is a Shellac alternative to the Gelish ones on your list...and vice versa if mainly Gelish.
If that still doesn't narrow it down, which are easier to transport, could you start using Additives to add to your colour range without adding to your baggage! Or would you prefer a range that is straightforward colours in the bottle no faff!

 

[*aan*]

That is a really helpful reply thank you so much.

So I've just looked and I mostly use all shellac sandwiched between Gelish top and base. Im happy to use additives. The only colour from Gelish id miss would be the lime green but I believe there are neon additives that I can use.

I'd love to offer both but just not when im mobile.

So Im swinging towards Shellac just it's going to be weird to go back to 2 weekly. I never had lots of ladies getting long times from their shellac but I did get several who did so im pretty sure it was them not me.

Do you find your clients go longer with Gelish or shellac?

Thanks.

 

[jigily]

To extend the life of shellac for clients that need it or extra strength too, you can use the Brisa Lite Smoothing Gel or the Brisa Lite Sculpting Gel under Shellac. This is what I learnt from the CND stand at the Pro Beauty show excell in Feb and now I've waited for the new CND LED lamp I'm about to do this.

 

[*aan*]

Thank you for your reply.Yes that is true I carry brisa smoothing gel. Am I right in thinking that you have to be gel extension trained to use sculpting gel? Im not gel trained sadly.

To extend the life of shellac for clients that need it or extra strength too, you can use the Brisa Lite Smoothing Gel or the Brisa Lite Sculpting Gel under Shellac. This is what I learnt from the CND stand at the Pro Beauty show excell in Feb and now I've waited for the new CND LED lamp I'm about to do this.

 

[perfectly polished]

i used to use gelish but found that the lasting power wasnt great. clients would sometimes go about ten days but for the most part, they started chipping ro lifting after a few days. i switched to artistic colour gloss and shellac because the colour ranges are different and i have clientele for both systems. i use artistics correction gel with their gel polishes, and brisa lite smoothing gel plus nailfresh with cnd's shellac polish and now i have clients going for 2 weeks easily and i have had clients come back after 4/5 weeks with perfect nails albeit outgrown.
but i do know that some technicians have had great luck with gelish so i cant say that theyre not a good brand.

 

[Lil lisa]

I have clients whose Gelish can last 4 weeks, most of mine come every 3 weeks. I also use the Gelish LED lamp. However some of the Gelish colours are not great some can be too runny so was a bit trial and error picking all the best ones! Not used shellac before so can't comment but I have a LOT of happy Gelish clients. I think older ladies seem to prefer shellac for some reason and Gelish is a bit more current. But that may be the case just in the area I live x

 

[jigily]

Thank you for your reply.Yes that is true I carry brisa smoothing gel. Am I right in thinking that you have to be gel extension trained to use sculpting gel? Im not gel trained sadly.

I don't think it's a requirement to actually purchase the sculpting gel but you can go on a skills builder course to learn how to sculpt so you can become certified and confident.
I learnt how to sculpt years ago doing cnd l&p (but don't use l&p anymore) but also did the bio sculpture conversion course & did sculpting again then as an add on.

 

[NancySyd]

Well, you can't make a bad choice between these two brands, so no worries there. Each is an excellent brand with unique attributes - the question is which one matter most to you. Gelish certainly has the larger range of colors and effects and its base and top coats can be used with other brands' color coats. CND Shellac is hypoallergenic and has easier (faster) removal. But even with the new lamp, curing time for a Shellac manicure is 190 seconds, twice as long as Gelish's 95.