Is it commercially viable?

[The Pink Orange]

Hello Geeks!

I got my first issue of Scratch the other day! woop! woop! I love it!! It has made me think tho...Many of the nails featured are quite extreme...Fab! and the techs have skills that i aspire to...but I just can't see that they would be very popular with clients on a regular basis...Am I totally wrong? or are they mostly seen in competitions?

Thanks.x

 

[loubylou]

They are mostly seen in comps and on the nails of nail techs,
i love nail art and always have worn nails like that but it is very rare any of my clients stray from the regular pink and whites, hth

 

[missfemale]

i have gel nails with glitter tips and gems, get bored of the french polish too easily

 

[Nail Delights]

it all depends on where you live and what the market is around you, some area's and people love the whole hog nail art others can be quite conservative about it all x personally i love it all

 

[ris]

Hello Geeks!

I got my first issue of Scratch the other day! woop! woop! I love it!! It has made me think tho...Many of the nails featured are quite extreme...Fab! and the techs have skills that i aspire to...but I just can't see that they would be very popular with clients on a regular basis...Am I totally wrong? or are they mostly seen in competitions?

Thanks.x

I think it may be commercially viable as long as you find the proper niche - it can be not only doing nails but also teaching nails.

But I also think that doing nails on clients takes stamina. You don't always just create...

 

[Bagpuss]

I love some of the nail art i see in mags..on here and other sites....its artistic and challenging...shows real creativity....but i do sometimes think it looks more like something that you'd see on an iced cake.

Its not something i personally would wear...and i have never been asked for it.

When i started out i brought all the nail art i could get my hands on...air brush...the lot...it all sat gathering dust....i even wore it to try and tempt people but even though they said it looked nice they didn't want it.

Most of my clients just want classic, simple...goes with any outfit nails.

 

[champagne]

Yep me too Bagpuss, P&W & Nat for most of mine....I get excited when glitter tips gets booked in lol

 

[Chameleon]

If you love something,have flair for it,it will show,and some clients will want it,others wont.

I don't,never really have i just love classic,french,natural and adore colour,so it is what i promote,it is what i love and it is what comes across to clients...so i give what i enjoy doing.

Maybe i am missing out on something else.....i think not,i am happy with what i do.

So what i am saying is,do not worry about something that potentially is not there.Concentrate on what YOU want to promote.:hug:

 

[Gelly]

At the moment, my clients are 50/50 as far as design nails are concerned.
But I am about to start in a salon... and I imagine that the ratio is going to change in favour of P&W.

Alot of the designs you see in the mags and on websites are not really aimed at the public, they are a showcase of what the tech is able to do... you can always modify your designs to be more commercially viable.

Just think of the designs that you see on the catwalks during the fashion weeks around the world. Few of the outfits are designed for people to actually wear, they are designed to showcase talent and design flair.
Then they are modified to suit the buyer.

 

[brittone05]

I am a nail art type of girl for myself, I know maybe a handful of people who also enjoy intricate nail art on thier own nails ( not done by me as I am not trained )

The most people I know though go for classic pink and white although a salon local to me does offer coloured tips ( not coloured acrylic, just coloured tips with clear acrylic over the whole nail) but people don't want ot pay for it as they charge almost double for them compared to P&W

I agree with BeautyGuru; it all boils down to what your passion is - I have bought lots of nail art stuff because that is my passion and, once trained, that is what I want to promote alongside classic styles of nails

 

[ris]

Alot of the designs you see in the mags and on websites are not really aimed at the public, they are a showcase of what the tech is able to do... you can always modify your designs to be more commercially viable.
Just think of the designs that you see on the catwalks during the fashion weeks around the world. Few of the outfits are designed for people to actually wear, they are designed to showcase talent and design flair.
Then they are modified to suit the buyer.

You are right! The fancy designs can be modified and adapted for everyday wear.
May people who are regular P@W, sometimes want a frill on their ring or pinkie - that's what makes the look more individual. And that's where the ideas can be applied.

 

[The Pink Orange]

Thanks for your veiws...I'm going to have a play and see what people like!

 

[Deena]

Another point to bear in mind is that people aren't going to ask for what they don't know about/can't see examples of. I really admire the skill and creativity that goes into serious nai art, not so much the flicks and dots variety, but the 3D/encapsulated etc, although I can't see too many people being prepared to pay what they're actually worth? Maybe a feature nail or two would be a good compromise and one which some would have?

The only way to get people interested, though, is to practise like hell and to wear it. I don't see it being the real bread and butter of a typical tech's business, however, as there seems to be an invisible glass ceiling on what the majority would be willing to pay, no matter how talented and creative the work you have on offer is, although I stand corrected?

 

[geeg]

Another point to bear in mind is that people aren't going to ask for what they don't know about/can't see examples of. I really admire the skill and creativity that goes into serious nai art, not so much the flicks and dots variety, but the 3D/encapsulated etc, although I can't see too many people being prepared to pay what they're actually worth? Maybe a feature nail or two would be a good compromise and one which some would have?

The only way to get people interested, though, is to practise like hell and to wear it. I don't see it being the real bread and butter of a typical tech's business, however, as there seems to be an invisible glass ceiling on what the majority would be willing to pay, no matter how talented and creative the work you have on offer is, although I stand corrected?

So the answer to your original question is NO it is not commercial ... extreme nail art that you see, a disproportionate amount of, in the nail magazines is not viable in the salon and people will not pay for it and even on one finger, unless the design is very quick and simple .. you will most likely not even get the money for your time.

I can only think the reason that so many give so much time to this extreme stuff is just because they need a creative outlet and/or just want to get their name out there and their images published.

One question I always have is WHY if these nail artists are so accomplished at doing extreme nail art that no one wants ... why can't they seem to do beautiful salon work?? Many can't.

I think there is more artistry in a beautiful set of salon nails that look natural and perfect than than all the stuff thrown on top of them ... MY opinion folks.

 

[mum]

Mine too Geeg!

Obviously not everyone, but so many spend so much time learning how than practising on extreme nail art when not nearly enough time has been spent on the basic and advanced skills that ARE commercial.

Extreme nail art can never be commercial if for no other reason the market for it is tiny!

It's like a hairdresser practising a purple 12" vertical mohican (that some people wear in Camden) and can't do the 7 basic cuts that every cut is based on

 

[ris]

I can only think the reason that so many give so much time to this extreme stuff is just because they need a creative outlet.

This is so true. I needed a creative outlet when I started out in this industry. And I still do. And it also gave me a profession.