Reliable UV polish brands - advice/opinions wanted

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Joined
Jun 19, 2012
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Location
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
Hi guys and gals

I'm new to the world of both Salon Geek and also the UV curable nail polishes.

I am currently using CND (at home) and am really happy with it but want to know what other products are out there and how reliable they are/ how they compare to CND.. I'm currently using a 36w UV lamp which I bought of eBay and it works perfectly with CND.

Somewhere along the track I want to start doing nails from home but I want to experiment and work out my comfort zones first and perfect my technique!

Also, slightly off topic.. If someone knows of any good nail art forums or sites that offer step by step instructions/ directions I'd really appreciate a heads up!

Thanks! Any advice or opinions are welcome!:D
 
Are you for real or just bored and trolling?
 
Are you for real or just bored and trolling?

I am for real, not sure why you would think otherwise.

I am genuinely looking for other alternative reliable brands of Shellac or Gel polishes that can be cured under a 36w UV lamp.
 
This is a site for professionals and those having education to become professionals and this forum is for NAIL professionals, Not for DIYers doing their own nails from home and using the wrong lamp with the system bought from eBay. Backyard Barbies come to mind.

Your user name does not help anyone here to take you seriously.

You are using the wrong lamp and you WILL have curing issues. Neither you nor anyone else can 'see' a complete cure. Only the CND UV lamp will ensure safe and compete curing.

Plenty of reading here on the site for those who want to look for the information regarding other brands ... Just do some reading and use the search button. Start at the top of the page and read the sticky post re UV lamps.
 
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This is a site for professionals and those having education to become professionals .. Not for DIYers doing their own nails from home and using the wrong lamp with the system bought from eBay.

Have a nice day.


Don't let my name fool you.

I am a fully qualified beauty therapist, I completed my Diploma in 2005. However I have not been 'formally' trained in the new UV Polish Technology such as Shellac or the like.

As I mentioned in my original post, I am wanting to find out more about the products and learn to use them at home both on myself and family BEFORE I start my own nail business from home.

I was under the impression these forums were here to HELP and offer advise to fellow nail professionals. And that is all I am after, help and advice..
 
Don't let my name fool you.

I am a fully qualified beauty therapist, I completed my Diploma in 2005. However I have not been 'formally' trained in the new UV Polish Technology such as Shellac or the like.

As I mentioned in my original post, I am wanting to find out more about the products and learn to use them at home both on myself and family BEFORE I start my own nail business from home.

I was under the impression these forums were here to HELP and offer advise to fellow nail professionals. And that is all I am after, help and advice..

As I said, your user name will not help you to be taken seriously ... Not everyone will go to your profile page to read your history.

If you are a pro, why would you ignore manufacturers' in structions regarding the system and why on earth would you purchase products from eBay? We pretty much have zero tolerance regarding ebay here on Salon Geek as we prefer to give our support to our own suppliers who do so much to support we professionals.

I have offered you help. It's all here. Use the fantastic search facility and get stuck into reading the forums. There are thousands of threads covering all brands of gel polishes; no need to re-invent the wheel an spend hours covering old ground. I use only Shellac. It is what customers come in and ask for and I love it because it is not a gel and I have no need to buff the natural nail.
 
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You are using the wrong lamp and you WILL have curing issues. Neither you nor anyone else can 'see' a complete cure. Only the CND UV lamp will ensure safe and compete curing.

Plenty of reading here on the site for those who want to look for the information regarding other brands ... Just do some reading and use the search button. Start at the top of the page and read the sticky post re UV lamps.

I have initially purchased a lamp off eBay yes, however once I have gained confidence and started to get paying customers I will upgrade the lamp to a CND lamp. I am a single mother looking to start my own business so I don't have the biggest cashflow, so I'm trying to do whatever I can to get up and running. Once I am up and running then I can focus on upgrading my tools.

To date I have not had any curing issues with the lamp I'm using with the CND products.

I have been having a look over the forums and will continue to do so. However, my aim for this thread was to gain further knowledge and also the opinions and experiences of other nail professionals with more of a knowledge than myself.
 
If you are a pro, why would you ignore manufacturers' in structions regardingvthe system and why on earth would you purchase products from eBay. We pretty much have zero tolerance regarding ebay here on Salon Geek as we prefer to give our support to our own suppliers who do so much to support we professionals.

I have offered you help. It's all here. Use the fantastic search facility and get stuck into reading the forums. There are thousands of threads covering all brands of gel polishes; no need to reinvent the wheel an spend hours covering old ground. I use only Shellac. It is what customers come in and ask for and I love it because it is not a gel and I have no need to buff the natural nail.

As I mentioned while yes I am a pro I am also a single mother.. Therefore I don't have hundreds of dollars at my disposal to purchase all manufacturers branded products. I have every intention of purchasing a CND lamp once I have been able to make some money upon opening my nail business. But until then I can't just go out and buy top of the range stuff. My budget simply doesn't allow it.

I apologise if you do not agree with my approach, but I am just trying to do whatever I can to earn some extra money so I can provide for myself and my son.

I will continue to read through the forums, and threads.
 
I have initially purchased a lamp off eBay yes, however once I have gained confidence and started to get paying customers I will upgrade the lamp to a CND lamp. I am a single mother looking to start my own business so I don't have the biggest cashflow, so I'm trying to do whatever I can to get up and running. Once I am up and running then I can focus on upgrading my tools.

To date I have not had any curing issues with the lamp I'm using with the CND products.

I have been having a look over the forums and will continue to do so. However, my aim for this thread was to gain further knowledge and also the opinions and experiences of other nail professionals with more of a knowledge than myself.

I'm cool with all of that apart from the lamp ... You say in another thread your mums Shellac did not last. .... That sounds like a curing issue to me. Shellac on normal nails does not peel off without help or under curing (unless your prep is not thorough or you are painting much too thick). That is a fact. The fact that you are a single mum wanting to make a living out of this business makes it even more important that you use the system correctly and in its entirety so that you gain a good reputation for your work lasting.

The opinions and experiences you seek are all there waiting to be read. Enjoy your time here.

Believe me, we are a friendly and welcoming bunch, but we are also a community ... It has a personality and standards and nothing gets the hackles here rising more quickly than DIYers (OK I accept that you are not ... But again, that user name!) and people who refuse for whatever reason to follow manufacturers instructions and use the right equipment for the job. Lastly, eBay! Another word that brings instant venom from other professionals when it comes to buying pro products.

So you have kind of bummed out (I do mean this in a funny friendly way) in your first post on probably the 3 things we hate most here on salon geek lol. Seriously! But now we understand you, just respect that the reaction from other professionals is not going to be positive towards those who are messing around with pro systems.

Some words to search re gels are geleration, gellux, GelFX, Artistic Colour Gloss, gelish, gelouse, pronto, (there are hundreds of them literally). These gels are all pretty similar and main complaints seem to be how long they take to remove (some are quicker than others) but none as quick as the genuine Shellac.

Coming full circle, Seriously, welcome to the site. You will learn allot here. Start with that sticky thread. PS love Tassy and spent a grand time there a couple of years ago. Just read a great book on the whole history of the early women settlers ... Very interesting. :hug:
 
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Well said Geeg, just to add a little, DIY.. do some searches as well on the word e-bay, you will find plenty of threads especially ones that explain what you might actually be buying (not the real thing at all) and where your money is going (what it is actually funding) e-bay is a hugely helpful resource at times but to be honest, if you are starting out and need to build a reliable loyal client base you really have to use quality products. You have a 36w lamp ? Use alternative gel products that can be cured under a Generic lamp. Do not mix systems that is just a problem waiting to happen. Undercuring can cause allergy problems to you or your family and friends. I dont know how the insurance or licensing requirements work in Tas, but be aware that you could get sued by an unhappy client or even friend if they end up with a lifelong issue due to the incorrect use of a product.

Good luck with your new venture though and I hope you find a product that you can safely use and enjoy. Sorry you had a bumpy start but we can be quite friendly (at times, LOL) so welcome
 
Welcome to SG. Sorry but I'm really curious as to why you would choose the username of DIYExperimenter if your a qualified beauty therapist? Most professionals would hate to be associated with the word DIY in their chosen field.

One word of advice I can give on Shellac is please make purchasing the CND lamp top of your list of products to buy when able 😊
 
Hello, welcome to the site and so sorry you seem to have inadvertently started on the wrong foot, it's easy done on this site!!

If I were you I would stick with Shellac (but get yourself the right lamp and products and do the training). Dont get me wrong, I'm not an unconditionally CND brand loyal person, there is not one company that deserves my unquestioning loyalty, but Shellac speaks for itself. Its a quality product, and when the client comes into the salon its the product they ask for. I am going to do the Shellac training myself soon and start offering it at the salon, and when deciding on a "gel polish" (I know Shellac isnt a gel polish before everyone tells me!!) I considered Shellac and other brands. In the end I decided that when a customer calls into the salon and asks "do you do Shellac?" I want to be able to say "yes I do", not "no, I offer this other similar product"
 

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