Nail polish on its way out?

[Mrs hardy]

Hi just wondering I'm starting up small nail bar after a short break in the industry and would like your thoughts if investing in non gel polish is a waste of money. From previous experience majority of clients want gel polish
Therefore should I just stick with the gel polish would this look unprofessional.

 

[Grace_Hair]

I think most people like choice.

Some people can't wear nail polish due to work, but they might want it for a special occasion. If you only did gel they'd probably have to come back to you to remove it where as regular polish most can remove themselves at home.

I don't know anyone who likes the idea of paying for removal, especially if they didn't have a choice.

 

[Emm87]

I agree with Tori, it's good to have a choice. I stock a much larger selection of gel polish than regular polish as 90% of the time that's what clients ask for, however, sometime clients only want, or can only have regular polish. Therefore stocking regular polish is essential to keep some clients happy [emoji4]

 

[beauty bits]

I only stock gel polish, in the last year I've only has 3 requests for regular polish. Two of them ended up having gel polish and became regulars the other I lost as a client. For me it isn't worth stocking x

 

[jhgiorgi]

I'm not a nail tech, I'm a hairdresser but I love everything nails (I have well over 550 regular lacquers). I have thought of having gel nails but what puts me off is the fact I like to change colours maybe twice a week. If I had gel nails done I would want to wear it for as long as possible to get my money's worth but I would get fed up with that colour by the end of the first week. So there must be people like me who want to change it up more frequently.

 

[izzidoll]

The problem is @jhgiorgi that changing your polish that often is not very good for your nails. Removing polish more than once a week can dry out your nails leading to delamination. Of course if you are using a non acetone remover and using a good cuticle oil daily will help but only changing polish once a week is what's advised.
If getting a gel polish, maybe after a week when you are getting bored of the colour you could stamp a design on your nails and topcoat to change the look for the next week!
I do find my clients are happy with the same colour for 2-3 weeks with gel polish, mainly because it is still looking shiny and perfect, way better than a chipped polish look [emoji6]

 

[Stook]

I love giving my customers a choice but in the year I've been running, I've been asked for regular polish 3 times.

I'm all ready to sell my regular polishes as they're just sitting there doing nothing

 

[krum]

I get asked for normal polish fairly regularly. Plus people often want it on toes and on top of extensions. It's worth having even if you just have a small collection of the most popular colours. A red, a burgundy, a hot pink, a pale pink, a nude, White and sheer for French, black, coral, purple and maybe a glitter.

 

[squidgernetball]

Two of us sat there this morning, in the salon, doing two ladies both having regular varnish. We do lots and we sell lots!

Vic x

 

[Mrs hardy]

Thanks ladies both valid points here xx

 

[foxy_princess]

It would be a good idea to have both. Even better is if, for example you have 100 OPI regular polishes, select the 80 most popular colours from those and buy them in gel form (doesn't have to be opi) because a lot of clients do get a gel manicure but a reg polish pedicure in a matching colour to the gel they have on their hands. And sometimes clients have a signature colour palette (for example reds) and they want a break from gel they will have a good selection of reg polishes to choose from

 

[MMB]

I do a lot of pedicures and have over 200 polishes. I mainly use nail polish for toes and to be honest, when someone requests shellac on toes, I steer them to nail lacquer as it stays on toes for a very long time. I know, I know, I'm losing out on money but I hate doing gel polish on toes.

 

[BeckyS]

MMB I thought it was just me! I haven't even got my led lamp yet (it's being delivered Monday - soooo excited!) but gel on toes seems like a waste of time/money for the client when my vinylux peds last so long they grow off.

How much more does everyone charge for gels compared to normal polish?

 

[squidgernetball]

Don't put your clients off. We do tons of gels on toes because they give such a better finish. I'll only have gels on toes because they are smoother and shinier x

 

[squidgernetball]

Oh and I charge £10 for a toe nail paint and £25 for gels x

 

[AnewMe]

Many of my clients like normal polish on their toes. Definitely worth stocking. I charge £7 for normal polish and £17 for gel polish (cheap I know but in line with what everyone else around me are charging).