Problems with quality of work.

[Alpenrose]

Well, let me start.

I did ExFlow manicure and pedicure course in 2006, was working mobile doing manicures and pedicures only and then got qualified as a Nail Tech in June 2007 at the college, but wasn't working, as fell pregnant.

I started to do nails just in February this year, as decided get back to work, do something I like etc. Before that (when babysitting) I was doing nails occasionnally - just if someone of my old manicure customers was asking.

I was working mobile until recent. I have got a few loyal customers, but the majority never got back. I thought it's normal until I decided to apply for a job in a number of salons.
I have received two offers - both would employ me for 10 hours a day and one day off (a week) and give some training ("We can see you know what you are doing, but not exactly the way we want.") As it would be a problem for me to do this many hours, I turned down both.

I have found other place: the salon owner got her sister to apply a full set of pink and white gels. I did but she said she doesn't like it (well, have to admit I didn't blend it properly for the sake of timing). She still wanted to employ me and promised me to get customers and practice. I spent a month there serving her family for free using my products (... practice) and served some occasional customers (I was getting 50/50 comminssion from those paying:irked. The only thing she liked was luxury manicure and pedicure - all the other things were "wrong" but she never showed or advised me how to do it "right".

Every day I was leaving home I was so sad and about to cry. I decided to look for another place, where I could cover at least the cost of products. I found. The owner says I'm brilliant just... need some training (which she doesn't provide as she is too busy). I do get customers there but they are not happy with my services.

The problem with customers is that they never tell what exactly they don't like - I know it only if I suspect something and see them talking to my colleagues, then I ask colleagues to tell me what they were speaking about. Now I know why the rest of my mobile customers never got back - they just prefer not to give feedback.:cry:

I am totatlly frustrated and asking for an emergency help from you. I understand that the key is practice but when practising I know an advise of someone who is "good". I am doing everything exactly the way I was taught at the college and my supplier company. This fact makes me even more dissapoimted. Please share your experience.
P.S. Sorry for being to long.

 

[sc in canada]

I'm not to sure how much I can help you but lets see if we can solve some of your issues. First I need you to answer a couple of questions and maybe we can pin point where you are having the most problems.

What do you feel is wrong with the nails that you are producing?
Are the smile lines an issue?
is it your tip blending?
is it your form placement?
is your application to thick or thin?
Or do you feel that it's your finishing of the nail that is bothering you?

Lets figure out the issues and than we can go from there.

 

[jojosnails]

It doesn't sound like you've had a very good time of it! the fact that none of these employer's gave you training when they thought you needed it is really bad! try not to let it dishearten you, it just sounds like you've not had very much luck and have had bad experiences. You will get there in the end!

have you got any pics you could put up? we might be able to give you some tips if there's something not quite right with them?
what don't you like about the nails that you do?

 

[Doorie]

go for a 1-2-1 tomorrow!

you may think you do what you were taught, but you certainly don't because you either forgot some details, etc etc etc!

when we give training, after the 4 months you have to come back 6 months later and we'll update you on what you're doing wrong. often during training the teacher cannot be behind your back all the time and you can keep bad habits or develop them.

other than that, what do YOU think of the nails you're doing?
do you like them?
do you practice at home your weakest spots? ie smile, apex, blending, tips, forms?
did you ask why you had to do what you were taught while training? if you know why you do something, then you're less likely to do it wrong without noticing.

 

[geeg]

I don't really think we can solve your problems here on the forum.

What you need is some inspiration and some skill building classes that will let an educator see and help you to do the kind of nails you want to do.

Most likely it is a matter of aesthetics and you need a real live educator (such as Ketan Patel in London) who is an expert to guide you.

I feel for you very much as you have been so honest and poured your heart out about it.

Remember, practise alone will not help you (no matter what anyone says, and they say it all the time on here) unless it is PERFECT practise. If you keep practising the same thing wrong over and over it will not make you improve.

Go see Ketan and let him show you what is wrong and ... THEN practise. :hug:

 

[beautynails]

Definatly get yourself straight in a class. It's amazing the way a good teacher can look at a nail you've done and tell you where you are going wrong. Sometimes it's the tiniest little things that make the biggest difference.

 

[Alpenrose]

What do you feel is wrong with the nails that you are producing?
Are the smile lines an issue?
is it your tip blending?
is it your form placement?
is your application to thick or thin?
Or do you feel that it's your finishing of the nail that is bothering you?

Lets figure out the issues and than we can go from there.

Ok, let me clarify.
1. I have the problem with blending no matter what - tips or preparing for an infill (both - acrilic and gel). Sometimes I overblend tips and they come off and I have to place a new one and there is a problems with edges too as I don't want to touch customer's skin with the file. When doing an infill, I can remove the line (to make invisible) but if there is any lifting at sides which can be filed, well, it starts to lift more after I do filing and sometimes it's easier to remover rather than "fix".
2. The smile lines are an issue with gels only. I do only one nail at a time otherwise the gel will leak. Sometimes it leaks on the way to the lamp, thus messing up the shape. I've tried to put less but it gets uneven then and I need to apply a second coat of white.
3. see 1
4. I find it too complicated to sculpt with gel at the moment (lack of practice), so I don't do it. However, I enjoy it when doing acrilic. Yes, I do have a problem with form placement - I can't place it properly at the first attempt. Thus I try until I get it the way it's uspposed to be.
5. I am not sure whether it's too thin, but it's definitely not thick. Some customers say that I put it too thin and as a result the nail will definately be broken. They do break about two nails a week (max). When they get back to me with this problem I can still see a piece of product on the natural nail but the whole tip is gone. My educators never told me that my application is too thin it was always "nice" for them. That's confusing. I had a customer for gel removal - I couldn't place her nails in tip cutter (they were extremely long as well). I wouldn't like to produce someting like that.
6. I don't think the finishing is an issue - I get rid off any roughness and buff it to a shine.

 

[Alpenrose]

Please see a sample on: .:: FOTKI.LV ::. double click to enlarge.
This is clear gel infill (2 weeks) with glitter gel at the tip. What I don't like about them:
- the nails are of different shape
- they are getting wider to free edge
- I didn't manage to seal large glitters with a clear gel properly, as they were moving while I was doing that. As a result, there are ridges which cannot be filed off without damage to the design.
- the fill line is visible at the first nail.

 

[sarahpoppy24]

These sound like problems I was getting when I was learning!! Have you got a nail trainer? What about going on a course?? xx:hug: I promise it will be OK its just that you need a course and lots of practise!!!!!

 

[Superkaz]

I would definitely go back to a trainer. It will restore your self confidence too which will make a big difference.

As per the customers not letting you know what is wrong....
If you did those nails on me, I would not be pleased with the things that you already pointed out as not being pleased with.
-Shape
-Visible lines

So you can identify what is wrong, which is a start.

 

[sc in canada]

Ok, let me clarify.
1. I have the problem with blending no matter what - tips or preparing for an infill (both - acrilic and gel). Sometimes I overblend tips and they come off and I have to place a new one and there is a problems with edges too as I don't want to touch customer's skin with the file. When doing an infill, I can remove the line (to make invisible) but if there is any lifting at sides which can be filed, well, it starts to lift more after I do filing and sometimes it's easier to remover rather than "fix".
2. The smile lines are an issue with gels only. I do only one nail at a time otherwise the gel will leak. Sometimes it leaks on the way to the lamp, thus messing up the shape. I've tried to put less but it gets uneven then and I need to apply a second coat of white.
3. see 1
4. I find it too complicated to sculpt with gel at the moment (lack of practice), so I don't do it. However, I enjoy it when doing acrilic. Yes, I do have a problem with form placement - I can't place it properly at the first attempt. Thus I try until I get it the way it's uspposed to be.
5. I am not sure whether it's too thin, but it's definitely not thick. Some customers say that I put it too thin and as a result the nail will definately be broken. They do break about two nails a week (max). When they get back to me with this problem I can still see a piece of product on the natural nail but the whole tip is gone. My educators never told me that my application is too thin it was always "nice" for them. That's confusing. I had a customer for gel removal - I couldn't place her nails in tip cutter (they were extremely long as well). I wouldn't like to produce someting like that.
6. I don't think the finishing is an issue - I get rid off any roughness and buff it to a shine.

Okay #1 the tip blending. Have you tried to preblend the tip before you glue it to the nail? This will help you a little with under blending. As far as over blending you need to start on either the right or left side of the nail, take three swipes with your file in the same area, and than move your file over do another 3 swipes and move again until you are all the way across the nail. Hopefully this will help you with your over filing.

#2 Have you checked to see if there is a white gel within your line that is a little thicker than what you are using right now? I find that a thicker white keeps the smile line crisp until I get it into the light.

#4 Keep practicing the forms it will come.

#5 a good way to judge your thickness is using a credit card. they should not be thinner than 1 credit card and no thicker than 2 credit cards.

#6 Keep an eye on your filing you might be over filing your sidewalls and thinning the nail down too much in the stress area.

Hope this helps you out a bit.

 

[loubylou]

Take Gigi`s advise and have some training with Keaton,
he is a fab tutor and will have you in fits of laughter all day, but more importantly he will help you to improve your nail skills and you will leave with lots of inspiration :hug:

 

[Alpenrose]

Thank you all for your ideas and support. I understand that the only way to learn is pracice. Probably I should take a training in order to practice the right way...

 

[angel fingers]

i think youve recieved some great advice, but i just wanted to add a few words of encouragement.

i looked at your picture and was surprised to see some fairly reasonable looking nails. the way you described them i thought they would look really bad.
i can see that you have great potential and that you can certainly see that your work is not perfect.

knowing your faults and striving for improvement is so important and i think that ultimately you could have great success as a nail technician.

 

[Alpenrose]

Thank you. Well, I knew they are far from perfect but I neve thought they are thins bad... (I mean the opinion of other people). I also have doubts when somebody is calling me to say "it came off" and when I asked how come, she says: "I wanted to get something out of my bag and I was washing my hair". However, they never come off my nails...