Most Important things you have learned from this site

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nailzoo

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I have been a member for quite a few years and consider myself to be an experienced technician.

In the time I have been a "geek" i have learned/learnt quite a few things.

I'd like to share a few of them with you, to cut through the crap and many threads to get down to basics.

No1: Cuticle removal ..... (whether it be chemical or mechanical removal), us old girls used to call it "pterygium", whatever you wanna call it, I don't care, just (get rid of it), it prevents basic lifting due to crap/cuticle/pterygium/whatever left on the nail surface.

No2: Scrubfresh ..... I don't use Scrubfresh per say (as in brand), nor do I use Creative (this may change shortly). But after checking threads in here I decided to add this step/procedure/equivalent to what I already did......... holy dooly, I cannot believe the difference this made, I already had very little lift, due to impeccable application, but after using scrubresh/my fresh, .... there's no lift at all (no greenies either)

No3: Pressure set adhesive..... I no longer use adhesive accelerant, as my glue/adhesive just does it's intentional job quickly & efficiently, allows me to file immediately without fear of clogging files with unset adhesive

No4: This is an odd one (and has nothing to do with nails) , this also proves the chitchat forum is worthy ......... BUT ....... after using my dishcloths, I throw em wet in the microwave for 2 minutes (they no longer stink) and they feel much cleaner.

Thanks guys/geeks for the added touch/advice to make my day easier/more professional/cleaner and thanks to Creative for initiating some fine education & products we can base our basics upon, I know the wording sounds odd, but I can't explain it any other way.
 
For me it has to be the same as your number 2 :eek: . Yup the scrubfreshing for 5 seconds a nail has made such a difference!

The first thing I really learned was that water mould isn't mould, it's a bacterial infection... it was from there that I began to question everything I had been taught, and learned not to take everything as gospel but to experiment and make my own mind up about things when it comes to nails.

On a personal level the site has helped restore my self confidence, and given me faith in human nature that there are still people in this world who really care about other human beings and give freely without wanting anything in return! :hug:
 
That nail extensions do not wreck your nails but bad application or removal does.
That there are ''nail techs'' and NAIL TECHS.
That there are people who love their job as much as i do and im not just sad.
That iv'e so much more still to learn.
 
I have learned that continual training is a must, to survive and succeed.

I have been given the confidence to open my own business and to date have been very successful with it.

I have avoided very very very many costly mistakes, and use superior products that get real results that I may not have known about without this site.

And I have to second Sassy that there are people in this world who genuinely want to share and make this world a better place, and I am so very grateful to have stumbled across them:hug: .

I have also learned who to pay attention to, and also who not to pay attention to:)
 
Well, i will also third what Sassy said, there are so many people who will put themselves out for others and help you.

I have learnt that it is all in the preparation for great nails.
Be positive and confident in what you do.
Updating your training regularly is a must.

Plus, always striving to do better all the time will make us all better techs.

Oh and also, you never know it all.
 
I learnt to always take advice and listen, I have learnt so many things things over the years but yep scrubfresh like you Carl is now a must in my prep :)
I have also learnt that friends can be made on here and friendship can last a lifetime once made :hug:
 
Great thread.

I've leaned so much, but most importantly I've learned the importance of sculpting with the brush and not the file.

Oh and to do a brush case (thanks Zoo) and can't wait to do one, but cannot find those cable clips in Denmark:irked:

And have to say THANK you to all you pros that share, you deserve a medal every last one of you!

:hug:Karen
 
I have been a member for quite a few years and consider myself to be an experienced technician.

In the time I have been a "geek" i have learned/learnt quite a few things.

I'd like to share a few of them with you, to cut through the crap and many threads to get down to basics.

No1: Cuticle removal ..... (whether it be chemical or mechanical removal), us old girls used to call it "pterygium", whatever you wanna call it, I don't care, just (get rid of it), it prevents basic lifting due to crap/cuticle/pterygium/whatever left on the nail surface.

No2: Scrubfresh ..... I don't use Scrubfresh per say (as in brand), nor do I use Creative (this may change shortly). But after checking threads in here I decided to add this step/procedure/equivalent to what I already did......... holy dooly, I cannot believe the difference this made, I already had very little lift, due to impeccable application, but after using scrubresh/my fresh, .... there's no lift at all (no greenies either)

No3: Pressure set adhesive..... I no longer use adhesive accelerant, as my glue/adhesive just does it's intentional job quickly & efficiently, allows me to file immediately without fear of clogging files with unset adhesive

No4: This is an odd one (and has nothing to do with nails) , this also proves the chitchat forum is worthy ......... BUT ....... after using my dishcloths, I throw em wet in the microwave for 2 minutes (they no longer stink) and they feel much cleaner. - Throw a slice of lemon in there with em, it cleans the microwave at the same time!!!!!! It's Freeping Fantastic!

Thanks guys/geeks for the added touch/advice to make my day easier/more professional/cleaner and thanks to Creative for initiating some fine education & products we can base our basics upon, I know the wording sounds odd, but I can't explain it any other way.

Rachel xxx
 
I have learned that continual training is a must, to survive and succeed.

well said - i totally 100% agree with that statement

I was one of the unfortunate (naive) ones who did a second rate training and after joining this site went on to do my creative conversion and OMG only then did i discover how many holes there were (so to speak) in my training.

BTW Good post carl!
 
The most important thing I learned pretty quickly from this site is that this business is life long learning and development, not just learning all you need to know at college.

The fab thing about this site is that it is like working in one great big salon that covers the whole world, as me and many others alike work as the only Beauty Therapist/nail tech and it is like having over 12000 colleagues whose brains we can pick when things dont go to plan.

I would have never imagine that anywhere likes this exists in a million years.

Plus, the many friends I have made too - that is the best bit! :hug:
 
The PREP tutorial on the site here, change everything for me, no more lifting, that was great.
 
Practice and patience = confidence;

Aquisition of further knowledge from reading and understanding tutorials;

The invaluable copy of Nail Class by Geeg, which I couldn't be without and has become my bible; and

My geekys mates are always willing to try and answer any questions I may have.
 
i'd go along with the prep too. it worked for me and now i emphasise it to students that come my way too.
 
Great thread Carl

Mmmm what have i learnt....LOTS !!!

In the beginning I learnt not to be so hard on myself and not think that everything that goes wrong is down to me....i don't break people nails !!!....:lol:.....so confidence was a big one for me.

Then as time went on i learnt some fab tips.....sweeping your smiles...product control....best learnt in a class but still taught me alot on here.

I also learnt how to tip a nail biter...(http://www.salongeek.com/preparatio...ing-bitten-nail.html?highlight=saddling+a+tip .....Thanks Ruth)...and that has helped me many a time.

I learnt from looking at the gallery what a beautiful nail should look like...and some lovely designs to try...even when nail art isn't really my thing...:lol:

I recently learnt a neat trick from Carl after watching one of his fab videos....activating the cuticle remover with a stiff brush....it foams up and really gets that stuff working....(and its kinda nice to do too..:lol:)...so thanks Carl.

I have also learnt other skills....that its ok to disagree about things....that a debate is where lots of opinions are aired and non are right or wrong...its the being open minded enough to at least respect the other persons opinion.

ohhh and also how to resize my pics...(thanks Sandi..xx)

Ohh and that Solar Oil makes for a great moisteriser....(thanks Geeg)

i could go on and on....but basically this site has taught me so much and more.
 
Just remembered some more things lol
NailClass which I was honoured to name and proud to own :)
Learning the correct way to do things to run a sucessful business
Discovering that to get a nail super smooth then brush control is needed not a massive grit file lol
 
Prep and smile line tutorials have helped massively.

And I also second that knowing there are other massively geeky nail techs out there makes me realise I'm not actually obsessive. :eek: :hug:
 
i have learned that ,
there is a heck of a lot more to "nails" that wacking a blob of acrylic on and and taking the money :lol: and im loving every minute of it ..

i have learnt a heck of a lot about professionalism (apart from how to spell it that is :green:

and i have learned that a lot strangers are just friends you havent met yet :hug:

oh and just thought ... i have learned i HAVE A TEMPER !!! god help anyone who gets in my way of me and my geek ...they only have to get "the look" now and they are straight of the pc chair !!!!!
 
I learnt to always take advice and listen, I have learnt so many things things over the years but yep scrubfresh like you Carl is now a must in my prep :)
I have also learnt that friends can be made on here and friendship can last a lifetime once made :hug:
I agree with everything you said Lell :D
Taking advice from more learned technicians has helped me tremendously.

What else have I learnt...
To not be afraid to try something new/different.
To not be afraid to offer advice (even if it's sometimes not right, we soon get corrected lol)
To be brave enough to offer critique on nails when I didn't think I was 'qualified' enough!

There's so much more too... it's a fab and unique community that I'm proud to be a part of :D
 
This site is a constant inspiration to me and my ever increasing need for further education.

The tutorials, sweeping smiles, tipping a nail biter (saddling the tip), product control and real rebalance. The list goes on.. most of the things I have been taught in one of my many classes I have attended, but sometimes I felt a little unsure and the tutorials on here just clarified what I was worried about.

The latest technique I gained from this site was the one Glynis posted a couple of weeks ago when she was sculpting a form on to the free edge of a severe nail biter and geeg suggested using solar oil under so the product would lift from the skin. I read over this tutorial and soaked in the info and tried it out on a new client who now has had her enhancements on for 3 weeks, has only lost one which was replaced and the method worked lovely. For the first time she has had 'natural' looking nails, very short but tidy and pretty and her and her mum are thrilled.

Oh and only this weekend I was 'saved' by Andy's tutorial on mens waxing... phew!.. what a life saver that was!! :hug:

There has been so much more but these are the items that stick out for me personally at the moment. Thanks to all geeks who participate... your input is invaluable.
 
Great Thread...

I've learnt how to rescue a brush
How to hold my brush when doing zone 3
How to prep..
What opalescent is.
My education is not complete and I still have a lot to learn
There is always someone who will try to answer your questions or point you in the right direction for you to find the answer.

Thanks everyone :hug:
 

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