Shellac and a gel polish - what do you say to clients?

[jojosnails]

Hi all,

I use and love CND Shellac, have done ever since it was released. I have done my Master Painter so always do my best to educate my clients and explain why Shellac is so different to all the gel polishes, and the advantages to those differences.

However, I am now in the process of possibly stocking a gel polish as there are colours that me and my clients want that CND do not do in Shellac, and will not be doing over the next year if the picture I've seen is anything to go by. For instance, bright almost neon colours, a proper nude. These are colours I am getting asked for more and more so I feel I want to offer them so I'm looking at gel polishes.

My question is, if you stock Shellac and a gel polish, how do you explain the difference and sell them to your customers? How do you display each on your price list?

Any pointers would be great as I don't want to confuse my customers

 

[geeg]

Hi all,

I use and love CND Shellac, have done ever since it was released. I have done my Master Painter so always do my best to educate my clients and explain why Shellac is so different to all the gel polishes, and the advantages to those differences.

However, I am now in the process of possibly stocking a gel polish as there are colours that me and my clients want that CND do not do in Shellac, and will not be doing over the next year if the picture I've seen is anything to go by. For instance, bright almost neon colours, a proper nude. These are colours I am getting asked for more and more so I feel I want to offer them so I'm looking at gel polishes.

My question is, if you stock Shellac and a gel polish, how do you explain the difference and sell them to your customers? How do you display each on your price list?

Any pointers would be great as I don't want to confuse my customers

Well .. lol .. if you have been dissing gel then you have an uphill struggle :lol:, otherwise, I don't really see why you have to explain anything really. If they want a certain colour, they want a certain colour and that alone will sell it to the clients who are interested ... and I'm sure that if the product lasts for them then they wont care a damn for a chemistry or a science lesson.

Shellac has many nude colours in fact I just got a message from Marian Newman saying the designers she has been working for at fashion week LOVED the CND nude collection she had brought with her and she thanked us for it ... go figure???

As for the neons ... they come they go ... CND colours are usually beautiful shades that don't go in and out of fashion every 5 minutes. Neon is not really fashionable it is a fad. Depends on your client base.

 

[jojosnails]

Thanks for your reply Geeg

I wouldn't say I've been dissing gel polish, just trying my best to promote the advantages of Shellac. I've never said anything bad about a gel polish, Gelish has quite a bad reputation in my area and I do try to educate those who have had bad experiences (even though I don't use Gelsh), that it is not a bad product at all but that it's probably not been applied or removed properly if they were not happy with the results they got elsewhere.

I always just tell my customers that Shellac is different as it's a Power Polish whereas gel polishes are mostly thinned down gels (please correct me if I'm wrong!), and that Shellac is often quicker to remove. Then if they want to know more I explain about the tiny tunnels etc.

I have all of the Shellac colours currently available, but I was hoping for a nude somewhere between Cocoa and Romantique. Not as sheer or pink as Romantique and not as warm as Cocoa.

I know the neons won't be popular forever, but my clients wanted brighter colours last spring, decided against it but a year later they are still wanting brighter so I want to give them want they are asking for. I guess it just depends on the clientele

 

[Dani04]

I have also used shellac since it was released. I have recently started using gellux and all that matters to majority of my clients is the colour .

Sent from my GT-I9300 using SalonGeek

 

[Up To Scratch]

As an aside point, there are several collections coming out in CND Shellac this year and - although you won't see neons - brights & nudes? Let's just say I don't think you'll be disappointed. If I were you I'd hold fire JoJo. And in the meantime, I have layered to make some truly beautiful nudes - right now I have Cocoa with Beau over the top - it's a stunner.

 

[jojosnails]

As an aside point, there are several collections coming out in CND Shellac this year and - although you won't see neons - brights & nudes? Let's just say I don't think you'll be disappointed. If I were you I'd hold fire JoJo. And in the meantime, I have layered to make some truly beautiful nudes - right now I have Cocoa with Beau over the top - it's a stunner.

Ahhh, you tease! Will have to try that combination of Cocoa and Beau, thank you for the tip!

 

[wendywoo]

Hi this was Cocoa and Beau I tried yesterday. Hope the upload works. X

 

[jojosnails]

Hi this was Cocoa and Beau I tried yesterday. Hope the upload works. X

Thanks for the pic x

 

[xxx]

Could you not use additives foil or glitter to create even MORE options with Shellac also this way you can charge more? Clients may think they are getting customised nails and feel a bit more special? I think clients that would go for neon would like some funky nail art or glitter ect. Would you not get bored if you had neon yellow or neon ponk on your nails for 2+ weeks?!

 

[Jocie]

Are all posts on here about the same thing now?

 

[Up To Scratch]

Could you not use additives foil or glitter to create even MORE options with Shellac also this way you can charge more? Clients may think they are getting customised nails and feel a bit more special? I think clients that would go for neon would like some funky nail art or glitter ect. Would you not get bored if you had neon yellow or neon ponk on your nails for 2+ weeks?!

Very valid point there - CND Additives make it remarkably easily to create brights (not neons, but brights). We all have our favourite of CND Shellac in Tropix+Yellow CND Additive for a bright orange (and try yellow additive over all the pinks and reds for lots of beautiful orange shades), but we can use the CND Additives over CND Shellac in Cream Puff to make many more brights - pink, yellow, blue, green from our existing CND Additive colours, and don't forget you can blend new additive colours by mixing them! Just the other day I created a fab vibrant purple in my mini pestle and mortar and my client was thrilled to have her own custom-blended CND Shellac colour. Enjoy the creativity!

 

[geeg]

Are all posts on here about the same thing now?

To what "same thing" are you refering? You don't have to read threads in which you have no interest.

 

[laurakate]

I would use the following selling points for each...

Shellac....power polish that doesn't have to be buffed off, hypoallergenic, colours can be combined to create something unique

Gel polish...a uv cured gel, can add strength to the nail (I think?! maybe depends on the brand?), needs to be buffed off, a wide range of neons and glitters exist within most brands.

 

[geeg]

I would use the following selling points for each...

Shellac....power polish that doesn't have to be buffed off, hypoallergenic, colours can be combined to create something unique

Gel polish...a uv cured gel, can add strength to the nail (I think?! maybe depends on the brand?), needs to be buffed off, a wide range of neons and glitters exist within most brands.

I don't think your selling points are accurate.
Re Shellac my USP's for clients would be:
Added strength
Has the look of polish
Fashionable colours
Brilliant High Shine
Long term wear
No nail damage
Super quick removal

For adding a different gel product
Different colour choice

You can't lie. Gel will take longer to apply, longer to remove ( by the way, you do not have to buff off all UV colour coats; don't know where you got that from?), nails need to be buffed prior to application, top coat shine is not as durable. But you do not have to tell clients the negatives if all you are trying to do is to sell them on a different colour choice.

 

[Conny]

Why don't you try Shellac Cityscape or Studio White with a neon mica dusted on it? Topcoat and done, bright neon Shellac colored nails.

 

[jojosnails]

I don't think your selling points are accurate.
Re Shellac my USP's for clients would be:
Added strength
Has the look of polish
Fashionable colours
Brilliant High Shine
Long term wear
No nail damage
Super quick removal

For adding a different gel product
Different colour choice

You can't lie. Gel will take longer to apply, longer to remove ( by the way, you do not have to buff off all UV colour coats; don't know where you got that from?), nails need to be buffed prior to application, top coat shine is not as durable. But you do not have to tell clients the negatives if all you are trying to do is to sell them on a different colour choice.

That explanation is really helpful Geeg, thank you! You always seem to find ways of explaining things that mean they just 'click' in my mind

 

[jojosnails]

Why don't you try Shellac Cityscape or Studio White with a neon mica dusted on it? Topcoat and done, bright neon Shellac colored nails.

Oooh I hadn't thought of that, I've only used additives when it comes to pigments. Do you have any brand recommendations? Or suggestions for neons?

 

[geeg]

I think what Conny is trying to tell you is that everything is possible while sticking to the Shellac range. The rest of us do it without investing in a whole new range of products and all that entails. I have never had a client ask me for something that I couldn't provide but I do keep my education current and do know how to provide it. I try things, I experiment so I know what to do if asked for something like neon or different nudes. I can do it all with what I already have.

 

[Rosy cheeks]

Oooh I hadn't thought of that, I've only used additives when it comes to pigments. Do you have any brand recommendations? Or suggestions for neons?

Jojo what you really need to do is play around with the colours and additives. I used to think the same about Shellacs stock of colours until I sat down one day and started layering, mixing up additives, using foils, etc.. Now the possibilities are endless! I very rarely use my Gelish anymore as I much prefer playing around with Shellac. And if you hold out until the new colours and additives are out very soon, even more choice!

Sent from my GT-I9300 using SalonGeek

 

[Conny]

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Here is were i bought my neon powders.
Together with the additives, glitters and foils, i have endless possibilities, really, give it a try.
Everybody is always talking about Shellac, but think of a Brisa Gel flashy French with neon tips, acrylic french with glitter tips... all done with CND Brisa Gel, Brisa Lite, Retention + & Liquid.
Maybe it's because i'm was working for more than 15 years in IT Security, but i really think loyalty to a brand saves you money in the end. Mixing firewall brands isn't smart
That is, if you choose the right brand for you and your clientele.
How much i like creating new colors, most of my clients still prefere a classic French. Only my daredevils chose glitter tips, of neon tips.

Maybe when summer comes to Belgium, they will dare to chose the bright & bold colors for a pedicure, well hidden in their shoes ;-)