Shellac clients wanting more....

[The Beauty Shed]

I have searched and searched on Salon Geek tonight but cannot find the answer to this.

Shellac has been a major boost to my business and (even though I also offer gel, l&p and natural treatments) it is now 80% of my business. I think it helps that I LOVE it!! I layer the colours, use glitter and rhinestones, use konad stamps, have done 3d designs etc etc.

Three of my clients have asked if I can make them stronger as their nails tend to break once they get to a certain length. I suggested Brisa underneath to add strength. Two clients flatly refused a buff off gel and the other tried it but said it 'burned' when soaking off the Shellac (I planned to leave the brisa underneath and continue the shellac on top as it grew out). I tried brisa and shellac on my own nails and it also felt sore so I guess I will need to buff off the shellac if using Brisa underneath it. The client who tried the Brisa has not had it again since.

It would be great if CND brought out a product that offered a Shellac strength coat underneath the colour coats, or even a builder layer to create an apex like soak off gels but I don't think that is in the pipeline.

This leads me onto another option which I am reluctant to add to my treatment menu....soak off gels. Are they worth it when I already offer Brisa and Shellac? I know they are not as strong as buff off gels but are they stronger than Shellac? Do any of you offer all three systems? I don't actually do many Brisa nails and have been wondering for a while about continueing with it.

 

[The Beauty Shed]

Does nobody use both shellac and a soak off gel then?

 

[Jenny-Nails]

I'm gonna watch this space as I have the same issue. Fingers crossed some bright spark can help us

 

[Princess Layla]

Sorry ladies totally different subject but Beauty Shed I'm loving the flower on your profile pic where did you get them from?!!

 

[Kate1982]

I have to admit I have been coming across this same request recently. It isn't often that people who come to my salon don't have shellac on. However on the occasion that they do I find that if it isn't shellac then it's Bio-sculpture because they say it adds more strength.
I have to be honest I'm not entirely sure what this product is. I thought it was anothe Nail ext system but all the clients I have seen it on just have NNO. I am seriosly thinking of looking further into this system as something to offer my clients that have weak nails and don't want to wait for their repair.
Hope this makes sense.
xx

 

[mizzy_dizzy]

Ok if there nails are braking at a cirtian length they need to live just below that length or stop doing what ever it is thats being so hard on there hands or get enhancements,



You could try fiberglass mesh with shellac, it won't be a mirical fix though,

Or you could do brisa but buff the shellac off.

I'm not sure if I would go with soak off gel & shellac as it would mean a whole dubble service every time.
You might as well be using a colored soak off gel!
Unless there willing to pay?

 

[deanosnana]

Ok if there nails are braking at a cirtian length they need to live just below that length or stop doing what ever it is thats being so hard on there hands or get enhancements,

I agree! If the client wants LONGER nails and is not willing to do what's necessary to keep longer, NATURAL nails, then Shellac isn't for them. All my Shellac clients have 'active length' nails and have never had a problem with breakage.

I also keep my own nails at an 'active length' (when I'm not making an eight course meal of them) and I don't have breakage problems, either. And, I've got cr*p nails.

HTH!

 

[MrsP]

I use fibreglass mesh underneath if they need a little extra strength and I love it. It doesn't add any structure but it's perfect for Shellac customers
needing a but more strength. If this isn't enough then Shellac isn't for them - but that is quite rare - they all love Shellac and seem to suit it.

 

[VHunter]

The clients need to make a choice:
Natural Nails OR Enhanced Nails.
There is no in-between.

You can apply Shellac over enhancements, or straight to the Natural Nail.

There is no sense in CND creating a 'base' product to build an apex for Shellac. It already exists in Gel and Acrylic.
Shellac was INTENDED for the NATURAL NAIL and not intended as an Enhancement product.

As I said, it's one or the other, and the client needs to decide.

 

[mrsm]

Opi do a soak off overlay gel. I used this sometimes when using axxium soak off gel lacquers. However since using shellac I've never used it. I know it using 2 different brands but if you are really stuck its always an option.

 

[Rainbow Bright]

I have quite long nails and have been using Bio Sculpture for about 4yrs now, I've recently invested in Shellac as its such a popular product so I've been trying it out on myself for the last 5 wks.
So far I can say that both products last as well as each other (I'm quite hard on my nails e.g. gardening etc and I dont wear gloves), Bio definately does give more strength as you can put the layers on thicker if you want, and of course you can sculpt extensions with Bio if you need to. And Bio do over 130 colours, which you can also mix to make other colours. Personally I also prefer the fact that Bio is applied with a rounded brush rather than the brush from the bottle like a polish. I found that they both soak off easily in about 10-15mins.

Before I get shot down for making a comparison between two different products, I know that one is a gel and the other a hybrid polish, I guess it boils down to preferenace. I like both products but for me I think that Bio is more suitable for my own nails. I will still offer Shellac to my clients, because some clients dont like the idea of having gel (why I dont know), and others will specifically ask for Shellac by name.

Sorry I cant reallycomment on the Brisa gel as I'm not familiar with that product

 

[koolnailz]

I had one client who wanted extra strength as she has awful peeling/splitting nails but really wanted shellac so doubled up on the base coat and topcoat (I charged a little extra) and touchwood it seems to have done the trick. She uses her nails as tools all the time as she is doing up and un-doing jewellery all day long and they seem to be holding strong

 

[The Beauty Shed]

Sorry ladies totally different subject but Beauty Shed I'm loving the flower on your profile pic where did you get them from?!!

The flower is a 3d design using the pastel powders from EzFlow. I love doing them, it can make such a difference can't it. I add them to Shellac sometimes too

 

[The Beauty Shed]

I don't see why a client who doesn't want an enhancement can't ask if there is a product which will provide a little bit more strength than Shellac offers. I would also be interested in wearing it myelf.

I advised that they should keep their nails at a point just below where they usually start to break and they have agreed but have asked me to look out for other products and let them know if I find one, which I am happy to do.

mizzy dizzy, I didn't mean put Shellac on top of a soak off gel, I was asking if they would be a stronger alternative for the few that want/need it. There must be a market for soak off gels or they wouldn't be sold, I would like to know where they fit in strength wise. I might get it done on my own nails to test it. Thanks Elaine for the only reply on this bit of my post.

Koolnailz I will give it a go adding more layers of Shellac too. Does it then take longer to soak off?

 

[MissOwen]

I don't see why a client who doesn't want an enhancement can't ask if there is a product which will provide a little bit more strength than Shellac offers. I would also be interested in wearing it myelf.

I advised that they should keep their nails at a point just below where they usually start to break and they have agreed but have asked me to look out for other products and let them know if I find one, which I am happy to do.

mizzy dizzy, I didn't mean put Shellac on top of a soak off gel, I was asking if they would be a stronger alternative for the few that want/need it. There must be a market for soak off gels or they wouldn't be sold, I would like to know where they fit in strength wise. I might get it done on my own nails to test it. Thanks Elaine for the only reply on this bit of my post.

Koolnailz I will give it a go adding more layers of Shellac too. Does it then take longer to soak off?

Gelish do something called 'structure' gel which is designed to be used for people with weak nails to provide strength, its a clear soak off gel that goes on before the colour coats

 

[BuffyFileSlayer]

I have a client who is a painter and decorator and she has her hands in white spirit every day. Her Shellac lasts 2 weeks but is looking quite sad by then, so, after reading a piece of advice on here, I now do two coats of top coat and she comes back every two weeks and 1 or 2 days and they are looking great. I wouldn't want to try two coats of base though because we keep that thin to make soaking off easier.

 

[The Beauty Shed]

Thanks for the replies, I have now ordered the EzFlow Alternatives soak off builder gel to use under the Shellac colour coats.

When it comes I am going to try that on one hand and put 2 coats of the Shellac Top Coat on the other hand, now let's see if they are stronger and see if there is a difference between the two hands. I will report back for those of you that wanted to know.

 

[The Beauty Shed]

I chose EzFlow because I already use some EzFlow products, I don't really want to go adding yet another brand to my treatment list, 2 is enough

 

[Susie H]

What I've found works for me is to do a fabric wrap nail and then the Shelac service on top. It's not as bulky as a l&p or a gel and I find that clients who opt for the Shelac like that about the service. I'm currently using the Edge products but someone told me that Ezflow do a fabric system.
I would love to try the CND fabric + system but unfortunately they don't stock it any more. Not that I'm HINTING or anything

 

[~Jenny~]

I use fibreglass/silk for a little added strength and its great
Prepare the nail for your shellac treatment, then apply the fabric to the nail, then apply base coat over it...cure and carry on as normal...works a treat!
xx