Is there any point in offering both Shellac and Geleration?

[Zooks]

Hey Guys

I am in the midst of opening my business in the form of a rented room in a salon. Its all brand new which is exciting but nerve racking having to build a client base from scratch.

Anyway...my question is: I have been looking at Shellac and Geleration. I now (think) I understand the differences between them but its seems some salons offer both. It seems they both of a similar result so why would anyone offer both? Forgive my ignorance, its a genuine question as I'm stuck between learning either system at the moment.

I need help!!!

Any advice very Id be grateful for!

 

[tracie130178]

Hi

I use Shellac only. I think the main reason people use both is because Geleration had loads more colour's out at first. Shellac is starting to catch up and keep adding to there collection. Personally I will just stick to offering one which is shellac. xxx

 

[Zooks]

Thanks for the response.

Have you ever worked with Jessica/Geleration? If so what did you think?
Do they both give equally good results? And last as long? Also do you happen to know if a "rockstar" look is available with Geleration?
Id be interested to hear from any Geeks with experience of both. Seems Shellac is the more popular but man are they hard to get hold of!

 

[NancySyd]

Hey Guys

I am in the midst of opening my business in the form of a rented room in a salon. Its all brand new which is exciting but nerve racking having to build a client base from scratch.

Anyway...my question is: I have been looking at Shellac and Geleration. I now (think) I understand the differences between them but its seems some salons offer both. It seems they both of a similar result so why would anyone offer both? Forgive my ignorance, its a genuine question as I'm stuck between learning either system at the moment.

I need help!!!

Any advice very Id be grateful for!

I think they are distinctly different products and they each have different properties. Shellac is a "power polish" and has more of the attributes of polish. Geleration is a gel and functions more like a gel. I find Gelaration much more durable than Shellac, with little difference in removal. Application is quite similar and among the gel polishes, I find Geleration thinner than Gelish, RCM and others. It's more like ACG in formulation. As products, I find Geleration the superior product to Shellac, although for the allergy prone, Shellac is hypo-allergenic.

I think Geleration has three important points that give it an edge over Shellac:
1) Colours - Geleration has many more colours -50 (I hate layering but you can layer Gelaration colours, too), and the colours are much more far ranging than Shellac - from neutrals to primaries. And yes, you can do rockstar with Geleration - Right now, I'm wearing Geleration Chic with silver holographic glitter and it ROCKS!

2) Colours - (no, I'm not repeating myself) Geleration's colours match regular polish shades in the Jessica line, so clients can get polish that matches their SOGP either to do touch-ups, or to have manis with the SOGP and pedis with the standard polish.

3) LED cure. Shellac does not cure under LED light, Geleration does (and Geleration will cure under the CND lamp per manufacturer's instructions).

CND Shellac is a powerful brand and it really brings women into the salon. I love Shellac, but it definitely has its shortcomings. Jessica is a less known, but very well respected brand as well. I think they offer great customer service. Offering both is ideal if you can swing it. If not, I think you have to yield to the superior market power and penetration of CND and go with Shellac.

 

[Zooks]

Thanks so much for the advice. It seems from all the posts that Shellac is the more popular/in demand option. I can definitely only do the one unfortunately, I was actually being pulled towards Jessica more in the beginning but now Im super confused as to which one to go with! I have hard with the Uv lamps you have to replace them every 6 months, how long do the LED ones last? Any ideas?x

 

[NancySyd]

Thanks so much for the advice. It seems from all the posts that Shellac is the more popular/in demand option. I can definitely only do the one unfortunately, I was actually being pulled towards Jessica more in the beginning but now Im super confused as to which one to go with! I have hard with the Uv lamps you have to replace them every 6 months, how long do the LED ones last? Any ideas?x

The times to change CFL UV bulbs depends on your usage, but 6-8 months seems about right for a salon. LED bulbs are never changed, my new 18g light should last 50,000 hours.

Although I do consider Geleration superior, Shellac is the name everyone knows. You could start with Shellac, see how it goes and then introduce Geleration slowly, and not invest in the most expensive single item, the LED UV light, until you are sure you have the demand for Gelaration.

 

[Martin Duffy]

I think they are distinctly different products and they each have different properties. Shellac is a "power polish" and has more of the attributes of polish. Geleration is a gel and functions more like a gel. I find Gelaration much more durable than Shellac, with little difference in removal. Application is quite similar and among the gel polishes, I find Geleration thinner than Gelish, RCM and others. It's more like ACG in formulation. As products, I find Geleration the superior product to Shellac, although for the allergy prone, Shellac is hypo-allergenic.

I think Geleration has three important points that give it an edge over Shellac:
1) Colours - Geleration has many more colours -50 (I hate layering but you can layer Gelaration colours, too), and the colours are much more far ranging than Shellac - from neutrals to primaries. And yes, you can do rockstar with Geleration - Right now, I'm wearing Geleration Chic with silver holographic glitter now and it ROCKS!

2) Colours - (no, I'm not repeating myself) Geleration's colours match regular polish shades in the Jessica line, so clients can get polish that matches their SOGP either to do touch-ups, or to have manis with the SOGP and pedis with the standard polish.

3) LED cure. Shellac does not cure under LED light, Geleration does (and Geleration will cure under the CND lamp per manufacturer's instructions).

CND Shellac is a powerful brand and it really brings women into the salon. I love Shellac, but it definitely has its shortcomings. Jessica is a less known, but very well respected brand as well. I think they offer great customer service. Offering both is ideal if you can swing it. If not, I think you have to yield to the superior market power and penetration of CND and go with Shellac.

I agree with everything you've said, but you missed advantage number four! With Geleration you also have Build, which allows you not only to add extra strength to very thin and weak nails, but also allows you to sculpt and offer extensions.

 

[geeg]

I agree with everything you've said, but you missed advantage number four! With Geleration you also have Build, which allows you not only to add extra strength to very thin and weak nails, but also allows you to sculpt and offer extensions.

I do not believe that is any advantage as Shellac has never perported to be an enhancment product, it is a polish ... a great polish that is UV cured and perfect for natural nails and which causes no dammage (as there is no buffing) which is the market to whom we offer this service.

If techs want enhancement products CND have the best in the world for adding length, strength, shape and longevity. Shellac is not an enhancement product. It is what it is and the only product in this category that is professional ONLY.

 

[Martin Duffy]

It is an advantage in terms of the either/or decision being considered by the original poster. If they are looking for one product, Geleration will provide a long-lasting colour and the ability to sculpt, why have two products when you can have one?!

 

[sophiegees]

I was wondering, does buffing the nail to remove shine (as you do with gel polishes such as gelish) actually damage nails? I understood this is used in other treatments such as manicures and did not do any damage.

Help and advice would be appreciated.

xx

 

[Martin Duffy]

No, buffing doesn't damage the nails, Although I note some people like to use the word 'damage' in tandem with buffing when talking about ranges other than the one they personally prefer

 

[geeg]

It is an advantage in terms of the either/or decision being considered by the original poster. If they are looking for one product, Geleration will provide a long-lasting colour and the ability to sculpt, why have two products when you can have one?!

Well .. it isn't just one product is it .. it is another product that is added to the system to make it into an enhancemnt product. One could do that just as easily with another product from the same company added to Shellac, with the added advantage of not removing it every few weeks and starting all over again.

I was wondering, does buffing the nail to remove shine (as you do with gel polishes such as gelish) actually damage nails? I understood this is used in other treatments such as manicures and did not do any damage.

When buffing is done every 2-3 weeks on a continual basis then I'm sure you can figure out yourself that this is more damaging then not doing any buffing at all? PLUS ladies with beautiful natuaral nails do not want them to be buffed. End of. I have had countless clients state this to me and countless technicians who of course know that no buffing is better than any kind of buffing at all, particularly when it is done on a regular basis.

 

[sophiegees]

Thanks for confirming that. I could not get on with Shellac and have changed to Gelish and am having great success at last (ie does not fall off nails - not that there is anything wrong with shellac of course - just me I guess!). But I was a little concerned with the buffing being damaging and had read contradicting information about whether it damaged or not. So am very pleased it does not.

I am also thinking that the breaking of the top coat when removing Gelish is not damaging as you are only breaking the top coat and not doing anything to the nail itself.

Thanks for your help.

xx

 

[JuicyLucy]

Personally, I find pep enough for the two gel polish products I use (Gelish and Gelicure).

I doubt anyone who uses a gel polish actually buffs the whole nail plate every two weeks anyway. If you do remove shine before the first application, at the first and subsequent removals there will only be regrowth shine to remove anyway.

 

[Martin Duffy]

Personally, I find pep enough for the two gel polish products I use (Gelish and Gelicure).

I doubt anyone who uses a gel polish actually buffs the whole nail plate every two weeks anyway. If you do remove shine before the first application, at the first and subsequent removals there will only be regrowth shine to remove anyway.

Agree entirely, it's the same with GELeration - most people who use gels have found pep enough, and only a fool would be buffing the whole nail plate every two weeks.

 

[geeg]

There are allot of fools about in that case.

 

[Martin Duffy]

There are allot of fools about in that case.

That I can agree with!

 

[Zooks]

Thanks for all the info guys, I guess in the long run its personal preference, one day I might make my mind up. At the minute its making my head hurt!