Is French polish a must?

[JemmaBeauty]

If you do nails, do you need to be able to do french finish?
I'm just not that good at it! I don't get many people that ask for it but when they do I get so stressed out and I don't think it's worth the anxiety. I always feel bad charging for a treatment that isn't 100%.

I always seem to get the white on the clients skin or under the nail! If I put less on the brush it drags and doesn't look fluid. I'm better with shellac (still dread doing it though!), but normal polish never looks good. My business is mainly massage and facials so nails are only a very small part of what I do, is it a must?

 

[nailpod]

Yes in my personal opinion any decent nail tech or beautician has to be able to do a good free hand French.
But that's is my opinion not everyone will agree with me.

A lot of weddings and people still only just have nail polish , my polishes last quite long anyways so not everyone chooses gel. I do think French paint polish from calgel is the best for French it's not too thick and the brush is good for me. But it's down to personal preference really.

 

[nailpod]

You could opt to remove that from your treatment menu list, if you not comfortable doing it.
Less tempting for them to ask if it's not on the menu.

 

[blossom]

I find the side to side method impossible

Have you tried doing about 6-8 tiny vertical strokes with the white on the tip area? You can always tidy with a tiny brush dipped in isopropyl alcohol (dispersion layer cleanser) run along the inside edge of the French. It always looks a lot better after the second coat, and remember thin coats are better than thick.

Don't give up without trying a different method though x

 

[pinknsparkly]

It's less in fashion in my opinion to have a french polish.

I can do a perfect French finish as used to do loads years ago but rarely get asked now.

The girls that work for me can't do a french that well but it's rarely an issue. I suppose this is the reason they aren't very good at it as it's a rare request.

Id just maybe be honest and say I don't get asked for French that much but will be able to do it but may be a bit slow and then just take your time to get it as perfect as you can.

I think with social media now colour combinations and glitters are more requested as people have more access to different ideas.

 

[Pashaboutnails]

This is just my opinion and I hope it does not offend, but it's worth practising it every now and again, in case you want to do any skill building courses (sorry don't know accreditations you have) as you sometimes have to demonstrate the French manicure technique, such as the CND Master Painter accreditation. Competitions also require you to demonstrate the technique. I don't love the French manicure but I don't hate it as much as I used to. What I did was look for YouTube tutorials showing the different techniques and then practised and worked out which one suited me best.
Also, I offer baby boomer nails instead of a French and they are more popular.

 

[linzi]

I think that clients are asking for it less and less; however, it's still a good skill to have.

I find that I have a better result going centre to side, and then remaining side to centre! I'm right-handed, so i fo centre to right, and then left to centre.

 

[Cindy2021]

I do think it is a service that should be available if requested.
I don't get asked often and when I do it's always with gel polish. I always use a nail art brush to apply as I like a deep smile line and find this easier

 

[krum]

Apply then use a thin flat clean gel brush to clean up the smile line and around sides and edges. The brush can be dipped in alcohol too and wiped off if needs be.

 

[EllenHyuga]

I've done 2 opi courses and they require French polish to be able to pass the courses x

 

[Beautiful-you]

I've always struggled to do a perfect French manicure. When I did my Cuccio Powder Dip course a few months back we were shown how easy it was to do it with this system - it's just a case of getting the nail dipped in the white powder at the right angle - I'm sure there must be YouTube videos demonstrating it if I haven't explained it very well, but I thought it was a really good way to do it.

 

[tuan]

You must be able to do french or don't do nails at all(sorry to sound harsh). It's the very LEAST of all the skills a NT must have.
I'm not good at it myself, but I can still do it. My shape isn't even and it takes me forever to draw a clean line. I know that just made me sound like a total newb but trust me when I say that I am highly keen to my own skills and those of others. I do know what it takes to become good at it despite sounding hypocritical:

1. To draw an even french line, you must be able to have a clear picture of an even french nail in your mind. You may not know this, but when nail techs are able to shape nails evenly, it's because they are able to hold a picture of a nail in the middle of their mind. Any nail shape deviating from the shape held in their mind would mean an uneven nail shape. So, if you can't hold a strong, clear image of a nail in your mind, french lines should be the least of your worries.

2. Practice your technique of swiping with the brush. I've seen people draw a clean, even french line in less than 10 seconds. They are able to this by their technique of swiping the line. It would take practice on your end to see what type of swiping would give you the best results and in the fastest time. Right now, your technique sucks and it's the cause of slow, unclean, uneven french lines.

3. Are you mentally healthy? If not, it can cause you to develop skills very slowly or not even at all. Every nail tech I've met have all been skilled at what they do when it comes to anything that is non acrylic; these skills are the basics of a NT. Those who don't develop the skill are a special case and usually something out of the ordinary is happening with their learning skills. Hopefully, for you, it's just that you are not putting in enough practice. Otherwise, don't do drugs or anything that's hurting your physical body.

 

[jacquelineanna]

If you are a nail tec then you absolutely must be able to do it.
But you do mainly massage and facials so why stress yourself over it.
If you don't want to do it don't do it ... it's your business!
It's not a popular service but if you start losing lots of clients then you would need to reconsider.
If its a couple or three clients over a one year period then suck up the loss.
Be happy ... that's why you are working for yourself!
xx

 

[JemmaBeauty]

Thanks for the tips.
In the past 12 months I've only been asked for french twice but I was curious to know whether it was a skill that others thought I needed as someone who offers nail treatments. Nails only make up around 15% of my business ...which is probably why I'm so out of practise with french! I'll try out some of the techniques mentioned and see if I feel any better about it. Thanks all!

 

[JemmaBeauty]

I've done 2 opi courses and they require French polish to be able to pass the courses x

I completed OPI and Shellac courses a few years ago ...did french in both, passed both. Still not comfortable doing it though. Back then I did a lot more beauty than what I do now, so the less french I do, the more I dread dong it.

 

[JemmaBeauty]

You must be able to do french or don't do nails at all(sorry to sound harsh). It's the very LEAST of all the skills a NT must have.
I'm not good at it myself, but I can still do it. My shape isn't even and it takes me forever to draw a clean line. I know that just made me sound like a total newb but trust me when I say that I am highly keen to my own skills and those of others. I do know what it takes to become good at it despite sounding hypocritical:

1. To draw an even french line, you must be able to have a clear picture of an even french nail in your mind. You may not know this, but when nail techs are able to shape nails evenly, it's because they are able to hold a picture of a nail in the middle of their mind. Any nail shape deviating from the shape held in their mind would mean an uneven nail shape. So, if you can't hold a strong, clear image of a nail in your mind, french lines should be the least of your worries.

2. Practice your technique of swiping with the brush. I've seen people draw a clean, even french line in less than 10 seconds. They are able to this by their technique of swiping the line. It would take practice on your end to see what type of swiping would give you the best results and in the fastest time. Right now, your technique sucks and it's the cause of slow, unclean, uneven french lines.

3. Are you mentally healthy? If not, it can cause you to develop skills very slowly or not even at all. Every nail tech I've met have all been skilled at what they do when it comes to anything that is non acrylic; these skills are the basics of a NT. Those who don't develop the skill are a special case and usually something out of the ordinary is happening with their learning skills. Hopefully, for you, it's just that you are not putting in enough practice. Otherwise, don't do drugs or anything that's hurting your physical body.

Honestly no idea if your post is a joke? ...but it did make me laugh!
I think I'll continue offering nail treatments as I don't think my regulars would be too happy if I stopped doing nails altogether just because of french. Oh also, I'm not a nail tech and I definitely don't do drugs.

 

[rachelizabeth]

You must be able to do french or don't do nails at all(sorry to sound harsh). It's the very LEAST of all the skills a NT must have.
I'm not good at it myself, but I can still do it. My shape isn't even and it takes me forever to draw a clean line. I know that just made me sound like a total newb but trust me when I say that I am highly keen to my own skills and those of others. I do know what it takes to become good at it despite sounding hypocritical:

1. To draw an even french line, you must be able to have a clear picture of an even french nail in your mind. You may not know this, but when nail techs are able to shape nails evenly, it's because they are able to hold a picture of a nail in the middle of their mind. Any nail shape deviating from the shape held in their mind would mean an uneven nail shape. So, if you can't hold a strong, clear image of a nail in your mind, french lines should be the least of your worries.

2. Practice your technique of swiping with the brush. I've seen people draw a clean, even french line in less than 10 seconds. They are able to this by their technique of swiping the line. It would take practice on your end to see what type of swiping would give you the best results and in the fastest time. Right now, your technique sucks and it's the cause of slow, unclean, uneven french lines.

3. Are you mentally healthy? If not, it can cause you to develop skills very slowly or not even at all. Every nail tech I've met have all been skilled at what they do when it comes to anything that is non acrylic; these skills are the basics of a NT. Those who don't develop the skill are a special case and usually something out of the ordinary is happening with their learning skills. Hopefully, for you, it's just that you are not putting in enough practice. Otherwise, don't do drugs or anything that's hurting your physical body.

I think number 3 is a bit harsh! There are lots of people who aren't considered "mentally healthy" but can do perfect French. Jemma Beauty isn't a special case and there probably isn't anything wrong with her learning skills, some people just struggle especially if they're not very artistic.

Anyway, don't do French if you don't want to! I'd say otherwise if you were a nail tech but you're not so I don't think it's necessary if you don't get asked for it that often. If you want to master it tho, just keep practicing even if it's just on those nail display colour rings, and use a brush dipped in d sperse to sharpen the lines up if you get good at it in Shellac, you can always just offer it for Shellac and not regular polish

 

[donnamich]

You can buy a special brush for doing french. Its like a slanted brush with a slight curve to it. I think ink london sell them. Makes the job so much easier xx

 

[donnamich]

This is it. Just found it on ebay xx

 

[Chellbelle]

Honestly no idea if your post is a joke? ...but it did make me laugh!
I think I'll continue offering nail treatments as I don't think my regulars would be too happy if I stopped doing nails altogether just because of french. Oh also, I'm not a nail tech and I definitely don't do drugs.

I have to say that I was fairly disturbed by some of these comments too