Offering tips as well as gel polish

[blossom]

I read posts every week from techs offering gel-polish (for which the only pre- requisite is a mani certificate for CND Shellac, not even that for some brands) and who are wishing to start using tips and doing nail extensions

As far as I'm aware you'd need a separate course for extensions; it's a completely different skill, you can't just buy a box of tips and add them before carrying on as usual with your gel-polish. I see techs asking about adding in a stronger gel etc for use with tips as if all that is required is another layer.

Or is this not the case?

I invested time & money in my extension training before gel polish was invented so it's easy to add that afterwards (I did a shellac course) but I didn't think it worked the other way around. Nail extensions is a separate qualification - isn't it?

If I were new to the industry I would be confused and be thinking, nail extension courses are expensive, if I can just do gel polish and then buy tips and a stronger gel to start offering extensions, why bother doing an extension course?

Does it concern anyone else and do you think the fact that extensions must sometimes be being offered without an extension course having been done poses any insurance concerns or service breakdown issues?

 

[blossom]

Edited as my other post did not invite discussion!

 

[Titterbug]

I had to do a course for gel polish separate course for hard gel extensions and acrylic extensions another course for nail art another course also for pedicures and manicures so all in all and invested a lot of money and it's all separate courses x

 

[Struckbyastar]

My plan after my L+P course is to do a course in a gel polish brand, (as yet undecided!) as I've spent enough money on trial kits etc over the years trying things out on my own nails to know that it really is the best way. However I know that, with the basic mani/pedi course certificate I already own, there is nothing stopping me from walking into a shop or logging on to a site to order gel polish.
You would hope that even if someone's original idea was, as you say, ".. buy tips and a stronger gel to start offering extensions" that once they'd undertaken a professional gel polish course or maybe even attempted extensions would see that their training had not equipped them with this knowledge!
With the rise of things like youtube and online courses, as mentioned on the thread about underselling ourselves as nail techs, getting enough basic knowledge for confidence and getting the tools needed are easily accesible.
x

 

[blossom]

Struckbyastar you would hope so and I'm sure some do. But definitely ftom reading posts on here it's not always the case x

 

[es22x]

When I did my gel polish course, I got the choice of adding extensions to the course, chose not to as I couldn't afford it at the time. While I do tips on myself I wouldn't dare try it on anyone else, God knows what damage I would do. Definitely plan to do it soon though! I don't know how some people could risk harming paying clients without the proper training!! [emoji33][emoji16]

 

[Helward87]

I read this all the time and it makes my mind boggle.... I wonder are they using some unknown miracle solution that I dont know about, do they actually mean sticking a tip to a nail and that being the answer or have I missed something?!

I think the confusion may come from people's misconceptions about 'gel polish' and 'gel nails', then there are brands that you CAN extend with like bio and calgel and I think people who haven't trained specifically in extensions get misled into thinking anyone can do it.

Like many others I invested a hell of a lot learning l&p through CND and this had equipped with me with a lot of knowledge that many newbies don't have.... I think it comes down to miseducation, if EVERYONE Was trained to the same standard , would we have these questions being asked??? Probably not xx

 

[Baggybear]

I know of a service locally called 'weekender' nails and these are tips glued to the nail with a few coats of gel polish on top (no apex). They know they will not last long and do advise the clients of this.
The same place offers gel extensions so it is the clients choice which they have but there does seem to be a demand for simple tips with gel polish.

 

[Helward87]

I know of a service locally called 'weekender' nails and these are tips glued to the nail with a few coats of gel polish on top (no apex). They know they will not last long and do advise the clients of this.
The same place offers gel extensions so it is the clients choice which they have but there does seem to be a demand for simple tips with gel polish.

I have never heard of this being an actual thing, i thought it was people asking because they genuinely didn't know....

I'm astounded that somewhere actually offers this... Surely they realise the damage that can result in this?
Whether they're advising the client on longevity is irrelevant because they clearly have no regard for the health of their nails. I'm stunned [emoji15]
It of interest Whereabouts are you baggybear?! Xx

 

[noreenoconnor]

Tips with gel polish is a thing here in Ireland too. Clients looks at me like i'm crazy when i refuse to them because they won't' last and will damage their nails.

 

[pure]

'weekend nails' have been around for years, since before the days of gel polish and Shellac even. They were an alternative to having full enhancements if they were only wanted for an evening or two. A tip was fitted and regular polish was applied. You had to be incredibly careful with them lol wouldn't take much to break one!

 

[motherbird]

Agree with Pure, nothing new, also known as party nails, not sure that they were widely offered but yes, long before today's gel polish.

 

[Charlotte Burton]

'weekend nails' have been around for years, since before the days of gel polish and Shellac even. They were an alternative to having full enhancements if they were only wanted for an evening or two. A tip was fitted and regular polish was applied. You had to be incredibly careful with them lol wouldn't take much to break one!

i have clients asking for these too! Of cus prefer to do the real thing on real nails. but removal is a hassle for them

 

[Baggybear]

It of interest Whereabouts are you baggybear?! Xx

I am from Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales (as it says under my name ).

 

[blossom]

I am from Merthyr Tydfil, South Wales (as it says under my name ).

(I'm on my iPhone baggy and it doesn't show location X )

 

[Baggybear]

(I'm on my iPhone baggy and it doesn't show location X )

I didn't know there was a different layout on the iPhone XxX