L&P to Natural Nails.

[NailsByShakira]

Hello Geeks! :green:

I did try to search this, but couldn't find anything..
I was wondering if there's any nail tech's out there who have done L&P enhancements but have then stopped doing them and changed to just doing natural nails?

I've been thinking about it.. Don't get me wrong I love doing L&P - Just want everyones opinions.

 

[naturalnails]

This is what I have done.

I only do natural nails now - this has come about for many reasons - client preferences as well as painful hand LOL.

This is where Shellac has been a godsend for me and came at the perfect time - who knew that the guys at CND could get into my head and knew exactly what I needed at the time I needed it LOL.

 

[SJK]

Me. Never loved doing enhancements, always loved natural nails. Never looked back and don't plan to, although I don't regret my training.

 

[NailsByShakira]

This is what I have done.

I only do natural nails now - this has come about for many reasons - client preferences as well as painful hand LOL.

This is where Shellac has been a godsend for me and came at the perfect time - who knew that the guys at CND could get into my head and knew exactly what I needed at the time I needed it LOL.

Did you lose out any cilents that wanted L&P?
Are there alot of natural nail clients out there anymore? I'm really considering just doing natural nails - I'm buying my MINX kit next month and then hopefilly Shellac the following month or soo and I've just ordered CND Manicure ranges.

 

[NailsByShakira]

Me. Never loved doing enhancements, always loved natural nails. Never looked back and don't plan to, although I don't regret my training.

I'm starting not to like them anymore aswel. I judt don't know what I'll do with all my L&P kit? Maybe I could keep it and if I change my mind about it, it's always there..?

 

[naturalnails]

Did you lose out any cilents that wanted L&P?
Are there alot of natural nail clients out there anymore? I'm really considering just doing natural nails - I'm buying my MINX kit next month and then hopefilly Shellac the following month or soo and I've just ordered CND Manicure ranges.

Where I live there are loads of salons - every hair salon, every beauty salon has someone doing nails and doing them really cheaply.

My client base has changed over the last few years where the perception of nail enhancements has also changed. It used to be the affluent people wore them as an extension to their grooming. Now in general they dont have such a high standing, certainly not where I live anyway.

Also personal circumstances made it more difficult for me to work in the evenings which was when I did most of my clients.

I now have lots of young mums and other ladies who want a manicure rather than enhancements and they are happy to come in the day. In the past they have shied away from manicures because their colour never lasted more than a few days. Now that they can get 2 weeks out of their colour, they are coming back in droves.

 

[NailsByShakira]

Where I live there are loads of salons - every hair salon, every beauty salon has someone doing nails and doing them really cheaply.

My client base has changed over the last few years where the perception of nail enhancements has also changed. It used to be the affluent people wore them as an extension to their grooming. Now in general they dont have such a high standing, certainly not where I live anyway.

Also personal circumstances made it more difficult for me to work in the evenings which was when I did most of my clients.

I now have lots of young mums and other ladies who want a manicure rather than enhancements and they are happy to come in the day. In the past they have shied away from manicures because their colour never lasted more than a few days. Now that they can get 2 weeks out of their colour, they are coming back in droves.

I feel the same way in my area tbh. There are talented home-based/mobile-based people I know that are successful with L&P but for me, alot of my clients just come to me once and end up going to the NSS bars in the centre of town and get them done cheap and don't take care of them - It upsets me. The only loyal L&P clients I have are family members and they don't pay lol.

I'd much prefer to just do natural nails with products that clients haven't come across before, to amaze and excite them with Shellac and Minx. I feel that I'll be more successful in doing natural nails.

 

[JERSEY JOCK]

I'm also veering towards doing natural nails only, my enhancement work has always been adequate but never stunning, I've managed to convert a lot of clients back to their natural nails, with all the new products on the market now that they were unaware of and are all loving having long natural nails again.

 

[Susie H]

I feel the same way in my area tbh. There are talented home-based/mobile-based people I know that are successful with L&P but for me, alot of my clients just come to me once and end up going to the NSS bars in the centre of town and get them done cheap and don't take care of them - It upsets me. The only loyal L&P clients I have are family members and they don't pay lol.

I'd much prefer to just do natural nails with products that clients haven't come across before, to amaze and excite them with Shellac and Minx. I feel that I'll be more successful in doing natural nails.

This is the way I'm thinking too, I've even been thinking of learning silk nails for those who break the odd shelac or minx nail so they can still keep the natural look while the broken nail grows back.
I think my dislike of l&p is growing because of how cheeply they are done around her, I can charge £20 for a set of shelac, the same of minx and the same for l&p, it's a lot more work to produce l&p so should cost more. Also the type of clients who want them, well, lets not go there:Scared:

 

[gemsie1983]

I have also been toying with this idea for a few weeks.

I am soon going to be a natural nail tech only :Scared:

I will offer Shellac in my range of mani's and pedi's though.

My reason is pretty much the same as everyone elses but I also think fashion has changed and nno's are much more popular.

I actually feel very guilty about giving up my L&P probably because of how much I have spent on it but to be honest I hate doing them!

I will still keep hold of my hard gel just in case...

I feel freeeeeeeeeeee

 

[Puffle]

I like the sound of that....but then that's purely because I can't master l&p to save my life!

 

[NailsByShakira]

I have also been toying with this idea for a few weeks.

I am soon going to be a natural nail tech only :Scared:

I will offer Shellac in my range of mani's and pedi's though.

My reason is pretty much the same as everyone elses but I also think fashion has changed and nno's are much more popular.

I actually feel very guilty about giving up my L&P probably because of how much I have spent on it but to be honest I hate doing them!

I will still keep hold of my hard gel just in case...

I feel freeeeeeeeeeee

I didn't realise there are quite a few people who feel this way.. lol.
Same here. All that money I've been spent on L&P products I could of used for all the nautral nail products lol.

 

[JuicyLucy]

I have offered fibreglass NNOs for years now and I have hardly any clients who have extensions. I am currently deciding which Soak Off Gel to use, the only real benefit to my clients is dry time and service speed, as polish lasts at least two weeks on NNOs anyway.

As others have said, fashion changes and traditional extensions and nail art are becoming associated with certain lifestyles. I hope no one takes that the wrong way.

I do wonder however how long it will be before all the NSSs start to see this gap in the market and start using cheaper soak off gels and wraps and therefore undercut us all. If they start moving away from L&P and therefore not badly using e-files and potentially MMA, they might pose a real threat.

You will have a hard job convincing new clients that your brand of gel is better because it is "a true hybrid" or "the first of its kind" or "3 free" etc. if the NSS can achieve the same results cheaper with no damage to the natural nail???????

Just thinking out loud really!

 

[Beautiful You]

This post is helping my guilt for recently deciding to stop using L&P (I am undecided about gels). I put a lot of work and money into both and was doing decent looking sets for my experience. But I just don't enjoy it and as I work full time already it was meant to be all about finding an alternative avenue I really enjoy.
I love shellac though, and the colour and effects. I also do reflexology and holistic therapies which I brought back when I got myself insured & are becoming really popular. But I was still concerned I was limiting myself, especially after such hard graft training but I just can't face enhancements and can see myself turning to spa treatments and shellac.
Only problem being I have 118mls of unopened retention plus liquid (bought before I decided), a dog bowl dampen dish etc which will never be used.

 

[Susie H]

This post is helping my guilt for recently deciding to stop using L&P (I am undecided about gels). I put a lot of work and money into both and was doing decent looking sets for my experience. But I just don't enjoy it and as I work full time already it was meant to be all about finding an alternative avenue I really enjoy.
I love shellac though, and the colour and effects. I also do reflexology and holistic therapies which I brought back when I got myself insured & are becoming really popular. But I was still concerned I was limiting myself, especially after such hard graft training but I just can't face enhancements and can see myself turning to spa treatments and shellac.
Only problem being I have 118mls of unopened retention plus liquid (bought before I decided), a dog bowl dampen dish etc which will never be used.

We do have a geek bay style group here and thankfully there are lots of techs who make a good living and enjoy doing l&p so you could sell it there.
I'm going to hang on to mine for now. Just until I can try a fibreglass system and see if that suits my needs.

 

[sarahemma]

Im in the process of loosing my L & P and going for Shellac, clients know what artificial nails look like so i want to promote Shellac instead. Such a fantastic product, i love it .

 

[Deena]

Whilst I'm not surprised at some of the posts on this thread or the reasons for the exodus from l&p, it would be interesting to hear from some of those who feel it's still worth offering and are actually managing to make it profitable!!

 

[Pamela]

I'm a mobile nail tech and since xmas the trend with my clients seems to be natural nails because its cheaper, they can change looks quicker and more practical for most of them. So I have been expanding my nail art to give clients more to choose from. I still offer l+p and gel but don't buy much in. So far it's not affected my business profits and I have recently done my own photo shoot to create a portfolio of manicures and nail art. This has interested others and I'm starting to get more bookings for natural nails.

Good Luck

 

[Karen Minx]

We do have a geek bay style group here and thankfully there are lots of techs who make a good living and enjoy doing l&p so you could sell it there.
I'm going to hang on to mine for now. Just until I can try a fibreglass system and see if that suits my needs.

Is there many Fiberglass courses available?

You never seem to hear much about fiberglass. I have been doing nails for 2 and half years and spend alot of time on here yet i haven't read much about fiberglass. Gels ...yes, i have read so much i reckon i could do a set myself yet im not a gel geek. I have only ever heard of the EN and backscratchers.

I ask this because i too would be intrested in learning Fiberglass but who is there to train with?

I find i do more natural nails now that Shellac has been launched and tbh the idea of becoming a natural nails only tech has crossed my mind too. I still do quite a bit of L&P but i sometimes think is it worth it? Is it profitable? I feel i do loose out when i do a L&P treatments has i could of fitted in 2 Shellac treatments within the same time scale. xx

 

[dingbat]

For me it's natural. I have tried to master l&p but got soooo with it and felt rubbish. I have naturally long nails so promoting Shellac and minx is for me.