Monomer vapours...???

[cerries]

Hi guys!

Hope you're all ok on this lovely Friday afternoon!

As some of you may know I am a newbie to the industry, and am lucky enough to be offered a room to rent in a new place that has opened up in town. I use CND Retention+ L&P.

The room I am renting is on the first floor of a building - the ground floor is a coffee shop. So, of course, I have thought long and hard about keeping vapours and fumes down to a minimum, so as not to disturb the delicate palates of the coffee drinkers downstairs! On my CND training Julia gave me some fab ideas about what I can do to keep the fumes down - open window, any tissue with product on straight in metal bin, only use monomer when I need to and keep a lid on it whilst applying the product.

Do you think (in your experience) that using these techniques will be sufficient to keep the vapours to an absolute minimum? I am looking into buying an extractor unit from NSI, but I don't want to spend money unnecessarily when an open window and good housekeeping will do the trick!

If you think I need some sort of extraction unit does anyone have any recommendations? Does vapour/fumes pose a big problem for anyone else who is renting a room that isn't in a salon?

Thanks all!

Cerries x :hug:

 

[geeg]

You know, it is so easy to minimise the odour to practically nothing that I can never understand what all the fuss is about! If you are getting allot of odour or complaints about odour ..... do the following.

1. Quit wiping the monomer out of your brush on the paper! Wipe your brush on a pad that has been dampened with Scrub Fresh instead and there will be virtually no odour. Wiping your brush on dry paper is the biggest factor that causes odour in the salon.

2. Always cover your dappen dish immediately after use.

3. Put all used paper and wipes in a lined metal container and empty frequently.

4. Transfer all monomer to the dappen dish with a pipette to avoid any spillage.

5. Follow manufacturers' guidelines and install an extraction ventilation system.

Just doing these simple things will virtually eliminate odour in your working area

FUMES you do not need to worry about as we do not make any fumes working with nail products.

VAPOURS are what we need to eliminate as much as possible as the smell monomer can be detected by the human nose with as little as 5 parts per million in the air.

 

[Poshfloss]

Hi Hun,
I totally agree with Geeg, she is the Lady who knows.
I work with both NSI and Creative, gradually moving over completely to Creative, but still had so much NSI Monomer............I was shocked when one day my hubby put his head around the salon door, to ask why and what was the different Monomer I was using.........He could tell I was using a different one........I was gob smacked, I was using Retention+ and he could tell.
Watch out he could end up a Geek on here too - if he could use the PC :lol:.
I open my window a little and light a scented candle, if it is a very cold day, window is shut, but let a blast of air through when clients have left, but tend to leave my door open a little too, when doing nails, close it shut when waxing or pedi, just to make my client more relaxed that no one is about to come into the room.
Mine is a home salon........no kids here either, so I am lucky it is quiet and peaceful for the clients.
Best wishes.
Lotsa luv x x x :hug: x x x

 

[Unique Nails09]

Hello there! I've had a similar problem when renting a desk within a hair salon, I was using NSI Attraction and after four years of using it i no longer noticed the smell but I had a lot of comments about it when I moved into the hair salon. I tried all the tips given to eliminate smell, and while i think they reduced the odour somewhat - it was still a problem, the odour even could be detected in the flat above the hair studio! I use NSI Spa Aroma free now, i hated it at first as it takes longer to set than other systems but its great, no-one has commented about the smell, it has hardly any odour at all.

Maybe its worth trying some of the odourless systems if it really is an issue with the smell. I do think its wise to have an extractor fan and follow 'good housekeeping' but i think its impossible to eliminate the smell of regular monomers - and there are always those folk who complain about the smell. We get used to it over the years but some people get really offended by it!!!!

xxx

 

[champagne]

Just a quickie.....why arnt they all odourless????

Hope thats not a stupid question x

 

[Unique Nails09]

good point, wouldn't our lives be easier if they were all low odour and we could use whichever system we like!

xx

 

[uniq12u]

Since I have an odorless (that is how we spell it in the U.S.) environment in my salon, even someone just dipping their brush once in the monomer fills up the shop within seconds of the odor/smell. I would recommend investing in an extraction system so there won't be any problem with complaints from the coffee shop. Another option is to use other products that don't have a lingering odor, such as odorless l/p, gel and resin acrylic dip system.

Hope you enjoy the smell from the coffee shop, just wish it tasted as good as it smells for me.......:lol:!!!

 

[femmefan]

I think I'm right in saying that the part of the monomer which 'smells' is the part which prevents the acrylic from discolouring over time. It probably does other stuff too, but I'm sure that was the main benefit mentioned when this was discussed in previous threads. Odourless systems can yellow over time so if you have a client with long nails and slow growth you may notice a difference after several infills.

 

[Unique Nails09]

I agree with what you said partially, Ive been using odourless for 6 months now and did notice at first that they whites did not stay as white as with normal liquids, but saying this the difference was only very slight and none of my customers (some very particular as well!) have noticed any change, most say they much prefer coming to the salon now and not breathing in the fumes and smell like they used to when i used normal products.

I don't notice any yellowing after 2-3 weeks when they come for infills, but its mostly the customers who only come in at 4-5 weeks and most of the time the discolouration is contained in the perma gloss - which can become slightly stained by some cleaning/food products (curry is a killer!)

I'm a big fan of SPA aroma free, I used to suffer terrible headaches and feel spaced out after a busy day using Attraction in my old salon - even though we had a good extractor fan and excellent ventilation system within the salon. It takes longer to set but there is more time to create a perfect smile line

xx

 

[spn01]

I am with Geeg also on this one, and the scrubfresh trick really does work:green:.
Extraction Ventilation is one of the core essentials in a nail salon, whether it be a home base or commerical salon. It is as essential as a quality chair and good lighting, and definately higher on the list than pretty salon accessories.

 

[geeg]

Isn't it strange that no one at all complains about odour when I work??? Sorry, but using one brushfull of monomer does not fill up an entire salon with odour .... unless you are wiping your brush every time you use it on dry paper. The ScrubFresh trick does work and makes a huge difference.

I do not like odourless products myself ... each to their own ... the other problems that are common when using odourless products far outweigh the advantage of the product being odourless .. especially when I can work with traditional monomer with virtually no odour apart fom a minute or two during service ... it certainly does not linger.

I wonder if people go on so much about the odour of perm solutions or straightening solutions in a hair salon ... much more noxious to my way of thinking.

 

[champagne]

I dont have any problems with odour in the salon, if I need to wipe I use the scrubfresh soaked little square nail wipe.

I just wondered what the difference in odour free monomer was, Ive only ever used CND Retention+ long term...

Are most of the problems with odourless colour related??

 

[geeg]

I dont have any problems with odour in the salon, if I need to wipe I use the scrubfresh soaked little square nail wipe.

I just wondered what the difference in odour free monomer was, Ive only ever used CND Retention+ long term...

Are most of the problems with odourless colour related??

There are various things about odour free liquids that I really don't like and I once use a system extensively in my salon for years so I know thoroughly how they work.

I don't like the feel of the product when I use it.

I don't like the lack of color stability .. and this is very noticeable to me and I would not put up with the deterioration when I have none with the L&P I use.

Apart for the lack of colour stability the enhancments are not so clear and sharp and beautiful as the L&P I use.

I do not like the risk of allergy associated with odourless products. My hands used to tingle and burn from holding the files filled with the dust of odourfree products. There is a very high risk for allergy with all OF products.

I do not like the sticky roll off layer of odour free monomers.

Those are enough.

 

[champagne]

Ah.....thanks for that Gigi.....I didnt know any of that.....

 

[uniq12u]

Yes, Gigi, it is a matter of opinion for sure. And a girl did dip her brush in the monomer at my shop, for whatever reason, and within seconds the salon reaked of it. When you aren't use to the odor it is a lot more noticeable, just as because you work with it you don't notice it. There are other things to use that are odorless beside l/p that work just as good and produce quality nails.......gel and resin acrylic dip systems. So there are other options.

 

[Unique Nails09]

I agree with what you just said, in my opinion it is impossible to totally eradicate any smells or fumes if you are using acrylic liquids, even using all the 'good housekeeping' and scrubfresh tricks the smell will still be noticable to those not used to the smell like us nail technicians.

As an example the other day my partner took me to the wholesalers in the car and i purchased some Attraction (non-odourfree) liqiud to use at home and i took the lid off to check the safety film was on (take no chances with leaky bottles in ones carrier bag!) and he immediately complained of the smell along the lines of 'oh my god that reeks!'. And that was only with the lid off for a few seconds

I dont fully agree either with the comments on odourless systems being less effective than normal systems. As with all things it takes time to get used to a product which is different, the odourless sytems set slower for one, but after lots of attempts I now find that its great to work with, i need to use less monomer as you need to work drier than that of the faster setting products. I CAN produce crisp smilelines and beautiful looking enhancements its just the way you work with it to your advantage. I have had one customer who has had a reaction to the odourless system and so i have to use regular monomer, people coming into the salon while she is having her nails done immediately comment on the smell and the same is true for the customers who come in at the end of the day and YES I do still keep to good housekeeping rountines - scrubfresh, empty bins after every customer etc.

Its good to come on here and air your opinions and views of products, we all have a preferred system but thats not to say its always the best product, but aslong as we have many satisfied and paying customers that is the main objective.

We dont all have to share the same views geeg, but appreciate your comments.

 

[NoLimitNails]

I find that I can't keep my salon odour-free, not because of my product, but simply because I'm not nowhere fast enough when I sculpt the nails. This means my dappendish is open for a pretty long time. Thats why I try to cut my timings down.
The other thing is I don't wipe, as in I'm taught not to wipe, but as I still consider myself a beginner, sometimes my ratio is a bit off leaving me the option eihter to leave the bead on my pad or withdraw some monomer on my pad, thats why I try to get an even mixratio all the time.
Last I investet in a new bin, I had a metal-one with a lid, and didn't think (blonde moment) about the bin not being solid all around, there was a hole in the bottom under it!

I cannot comment about the odourless products, but I know you can keep it down on a minimum with practice (perfect practice), and actually my friend (who owns shop next dor) almost complain more about the smell of enamel or my sanitizing fluid...

I invested in a fume-extractor, it does the trick for the monomer, but just the smell, and I still try every time to perfect my application, because The filters are a bit expensive and need to be changed quite frequently...

Oh by the way I work in my own salon which is located within a childrens clothes store, and nobody else has complained yet and we almost always have the door open to the shop....

So I wouldn't risk the higher possibility for allergic reaction, as I have met quite a few that had to give up nails because of it.

just my oppinion:hug:

 

[geeg]

Someone asked me my opinion and I gave it. i WOULD NEVER USE AN ODOUR FREE MONOMER AGAIN .... I hate it, the look of it, the short lifeof it, and the risk of using it. That is my opinion. I'd use an odour free gel long before an odour free monomer.

I don't like the smell in the Dry cleaners but it is part of WHAT THEY DO.

I don't mind the smell of monomer myself, and I use a low odour monomer and take all the precautions plus have extraction ventillation and always have ... but it is part of what we do. Get over it. Take the right actions to Minimise it.

Perm and hair solutions stink in the hair salon and we all accept it as part OF WHAT THEY DO.

Plenty of businesses have odour associated with them ... ever been in a textile mill where they are scouring wool etc? Talk about smell .... but it's part of what they do.

I don't think it needs all this justification.

 

[cerries]

Hi guys

Thanks for all your thoughts and comments!

To be honest I don't mind the smell at all (oddly, I quite like it...strange eh?). It was only when the owner of the building asked me if it would cause a problem with there being food and drink downstairs that I got to wondering whether it would or not! I did a full set on Saturday in the room, and Geeg is right - it is only the short time that the monomer is open that the room smelled of 'nails'. I bought a dappen dish unit that has flip lids, so when I had the monomer on my brush I just flipped the lid down.

I guess the owner of the building must be expecting some form of smell coming from the two beauty rooms if she has rented them out to use as beauty rooms! I think she just wanted to check that the smell wouldn't be so strong that it put off potential eaters and drinkers downstairs. Understandable as it is a new coffee shop in town, but I have assured her that it won't be a problem.

Interesting to hear everyone's thoughts on odourless monomer. I have to say I love working with CND so won't be switching to odourless, but interesting to know that there are such products available x