Shellac vs "Not" Shellac - mini rant

[Idol Eyes]

I know we have all experienced this, but yesterday I had 2 clients slating Shellac and it just made me feel angry that us professional therapists are losing potential clients due to therapists/technicians selling Shellac services when it is either not Shellac or they are not applying/removing correctly.

Perhaps losing clients is the wrong choice of words when they are not Shellac clients in the first place, but due to poor service from other "professionals" they have a poor opinion of "Shellac".

One lady was in for a manicure, when she booked her appointment she said, "I just want normal polish, none of that Shellac stuff". During her appointment I asked her why she didn't want Shellac. She said, "I didn't like having to sit with my hands in acetone and all that scraping to get it off" . I explained that with Shellac that is not necessary and that we only wrap to remove Shellac. She went on to say that her nails were in terrible condition once the "polish" had been removed, splitting and breaking. I asked if the technician had buffed her nail plate prior to the application and surprise, surprise - yes she had!! Again, I explained that Shellac is the only gel polish where this is not necessary. After fully explaining the Shellac service to her she said she might give it a try again in the future.

My second lady was a threading client, but her son is getting married in a couple of months time. She said she would like a manicure for the wedding but was worried the polish wouldn't last. I said that Shellac would be perfect for this and she said, "oh no way, last time I had that done my nails were breaking and splitting for months afterwards" - again I asked the question about buffing prior to application and yes, yet another client who had experienced this. After going through what the application really entailed she seemed a little more positive about Shellac, but isn't it annoying that so many clients have such a poor opinion about this fantastic product due to "professionals" selling a service that they aren't really giving

Sorry - rant over :biggrin:

 

[geeg]

I think it is a good opportunity to re-sell Shellac as it should be done. If clients have this opinion of Shellac, then think how many must have the same opinion about gel colour coats because buffing is a recommended part of that service by the manufacturers and they are harder to remove than Shellac.

Get your name onto the Shellac Salon Locater Shellac because it is only at these salons that a genuine Shellac service is recommended. You can apply at Welcome - Sweet Squared and it is something you have to do yourself ... If you qualify, then your on!

 

[Nat-Nat]

Yes it is annoying, but you have done the right thing by re-educating them!

I recently got a new client who had moved over from Kent and booked me for a Shellac. When I got there she still had her Shellac on from her previous client. This was definately not Shellac, I didnt recognise the colour and after 25 minutes of wrapping and checking and even heating they were barely budging! She said to me, her bottles dont look like yours, yours have the colour on them hers just have a dot on the top!!! God knows what it was!:smack:

 

[Idol Eyes]

I think it is a good opportunity to re-sell Shellac as it should be done. If clients have this opinion of Shellac, then think how many must have the same opinion about gel colour coats because buffing is a recommended part of that service by the manufacturers and they are harder to remove than Shellac.

Get your name onto the Shellac Salon Locater Shellac because it is only at these salons that a genuine Shellac service is recommended. You can apply at Welcome - Sweet Squared and it is something you have to do yourself ... If you qualify, then your on!

Definitely agree, I certainly did everything to re-educate them about Shellac and as they're regualr clients for other treatments I hope in time they will book in for Shellac and I'll have the chance to prove what a great product it is

As for the Salon Locater, I've done my bit (some time ago) but I'm still not showing up - it's on my "To Do List" this week to speak to S2 about this when I place an order this week x

 

[Idol Eyes]

Yes it is annoying, but you have done the right thing by re-educating them!

I recently got a new client who had moved over from Kent and booked me for a Shellac. When I got there she still had her Shellac on from her previous client. This was definately not Shellac, I didnt recognise the colour and after 25 minutes of wrapping and checking and even heating they were barely budging! She said to me, her bottles dont look like yours, yours have the colour on them hers just have a dot on the top!!! God knows what it was!:smack:

I had a similar "nightmare" with a client last week - took a booking for a new Shellac client who advised that she was wearing "Shellac" and would require it removing during her appointment - it took me nearly an hour to get the "Shellac" off .....whilst wrapping her she asked what I was doing and said she'd always sat and soaked off in acetone before.......alarm bells were ringing then lol, like you say, god only knows what it was, but for sure it was the work of the Devil :evil::evil:. She's back in with me on Saturday for removal and re-application, can't wait to show her how easily "real" Shellac comes off :Love:

 

[sukic]

Just a side note, you don't buff nails with OPI Gelcolor either. It is annoying when people give a shoddy service. It reflects badly on the industry.

 

[geeg]

Just a side note, you don't buff nails with OPI Gelcolor either. It is annoying when people give a shoddy service. It reflects badly on the industry.

I don't agree, for if that were the case there would BE no nail industry there are so many people giving a shoddy service.

It reflects badly on the cowboy who gave the service not the industry.

Shoddy builders don't reflect badly on good builders !!

 

[Evaperk]

I get it all the time, ladies come in for a removal and re 'shellac', most of the time I can tell it's not shellac because of the colour! Although one lady came in with a beautifully applied Tutti Fruiti and 2 weeks growth, she came to me because she had seen some of my designs on facebook and wanted something more adventurous, when I wrapped in Shellac remover wraps she said 'oh this is new I usually have to sit with my hands in a bowl of acetone'! Grrr!

 

['chelle]

I agree it can be frustrating when clients blame a product rather than the person applying the product, but like geeg has said, I just take the opportunity to re educate the client, actually its a good conversation opening to allow you to talk about the benefits of the product and do a bit of a sales spiel that you wouldnt otherwise have had the opportunity to do.

My biggest problem with this subject at the moment is l&p. Since the arrival of gel manicures some techs, for some godforsaken reason, have decided to start comparing their gel manicure with l&p, and are painting l&p in a very bad light. Regularly now I get people wanting shellac instead of l&p because "it does less damage" and I'm going to have to build myself a little wall next to my desk to bang my head against if this continues much longer!!

 

[geeg]

I agree it can be frustrating when clients blame a product rather than the person applying the product, but like geeg has said, I just take the opportunity to re educate the client, actually its a good conversation opening to allow you to talk about the benefits of the product and do a bit of a sales spiel that you wouldnt otherwise have had the opportunity to do.

My biggest problem with this subject at the moment is l&p. Since the arrival of gel manicures some techs, for some godforsaken reason, have decided to start comparing their gel manicure with l&p, and are painting l&p in a very bad light. Regularly now I get people wanting shellac instead of l&p because "it does less damage" and I'm going to have to build myself a little wall next to my desk to bang my head against if this continues much longer!!

Gel users have been saying this for years ... It's nothing new. They fear clients going to others as they don't offer L&P so they bad mouth. No different to the, 'Acrylic ruins your nails' myth.

For over 30 years, the nail industry has survived all the myths, lies, sensationalism, fear mongering, and cowboys. And it has survived because women want their nails done. When have women ever listened when told something they don't want to hear eh?

We as professionals have been saying the same things in defence of our work, products and the industry for 30+ years as well! You younger professionals are not experiencing anything new at all when you hear these things ... Only the names and dates have changed. :lol: keep up the good work girls.

 

[Dream Nails]

I had one lady last week and (for those of you in the UK) what she said was told reminded me so much of the Volkswagen advert.

(Its like a Volkswagen but not a Volkswagen). It's like shellac but not shellac

Nope sorry if its not got CND Shellac on it then guess what????? Didn't say it like that of course

Vicki x

 

[jojo309]

Hi

I'm finding clients are referring to nails being "Shellac'ed" as a tern to describe gel colour in general now same as I hoover up with my dyson lol

 

[geeg]

We are a VERB!!!

If you have to say its 'like Shellac' then why not buy Shellac. You know why?? I know why. Because CND only sell to professionals not just any old bod who wants it. Because CND make people train. Because its not easy to buy CND. Because at CND we don't accept mediocrity.

If someone came into our salon asking for anything other than Shellac for UV colour what I would say is ... We offer something far better than that! And then I'd tell them why!

 

[Idol Eyes]

Hi

I'm finding clients are referring to nails being "Shellac'ed" as a tern to describe gel colour in general now same as I hoover up with my dyson lol

That's exactly the scenario I used with another client, I said that Shellac has almost become a generic term like when people say they're Hoovering up when they are using a Dyson - it was like seeing a light bulb switch on in her head lol.

 

[laurakate]

In my opinion, CND Shellac is the best and I won't use anything else on myself or others.

However, there are so many brands of gel polish, I think that a salon should just proudly say "we use x brand of gel polish" (I know shellac isn't a gel polish)....like why be so reluctant to say "we don't do shellac but the advantages of the brand that we do use are.....". This would save a lot of confusion.

If I was using a brand other than shellac, I would be far happier to tell the truth than call it shellac when it isn't because what's the point in destroying the trust when they later find out that it isn't shellac?

Happens with facials too though. I went for a job where they did dermalogica facials but the therapists weren't dermalogica trained and they were using a skin truth face mask (nowt wrong with skin truth but still.....). I was offered the job but turned it down.

 

[MissConfused]

Its an absolute joke. Some clients think you are lying when you talk about how great shellac is due to other people cutting corners or out right lying. Some 'professionals' are destroying a delicious product/brand.

Some non shellac shellac ha off the top of my head... I had a client have a salons 'own brand shellac' which had 'young nails' on the bottle. I had a client with 'shellac' on from 'a xxxx place' which i had to buff off. Ive had clients get 'shellac' that was actually god knows what as the bottles had nothing written on them(?!) But Its not just your cheapo 'backstreet' salons either though that arent doing things the cnd way. i had a client who had been going to an official cnd training salon tell me shed been having her nails soaked in a bowl of acetone and then scraped off with a metal tool! I had a client tell me her mum had jessica geleration and was told it was shellac! Why stock a well known brand like jessica and then lie?? Its crazy! If it lasts longer than 3days its shellac, it looks like cement but nup its def shellac

We all know these 'salon finders' dont really prove how good a salon/therapist is (i say as im about to name drop it on my fb page! Ha. talk about being a hypocrit!)They are just places to find people who have done training/are using a certain brands products, just because therapists have done training/use a certain brand it doesnt mean they carry on with what they learned when back at work/use the correct products for the treatment, but i guess if it helps clients find good therapists out of the salons listed its the start of a good thing!X

 

[geeg]

Its an absolute joke. Some clients think you are lying when you talk about how great shellac is due to other people cutting corners or out right lying. Some 'professionals' are destroying a delicious product/brand.

Some non shellac shellac ha off the top of my head... I had a client have a salons 'own brand shellac' which had 'young nails' on the bottle. I had a client with 'shellac' on from 'a xxxx place' which i had to buff off. Ive had clients get 'shellac' that was actually god knows what as the bottles had nothing written on them(?!) But Its not just your cheapo 'backstreet' salons either though that arent doing things the cnd way. i had a client who had been going to an official cnd training salon tell me shed been having her nails soaked in a bowl of acetone and then scraped off with a metal tool! I had a client tell me her mum had jessica geleration and was told it was shellac! Why stock a well known brand like jessica and then lie?? Its crazy! If it lasts longer than 3days its shellac, it looks like cement but nup its def shellac

We all know these 'salon finders' dont really prove how good a salon/therapist is (i say as im about to name drop it on my fb page! Ha. talk about being a hypocrit!)They are just places to find people who have done training/are using a certain brands products, just because therapists have done training/use a certain brand it doesnt mean they carry on with what they learned when back at work/use the correct products for the treatment, but i guess if it helps clients find good therapists out of the salons listed its the start of a good thing!X

Well missconfused you are definitely confused about the Shellac salon locater... it is much more clever than you can possible know. Nothng is perfect, but the loveshelac.com salon finder is as perfect as it gets.

People/salons don't just get on the locator because they are using Shellac.

1. The salon/technician has to have taken a Shellac class and have a valid Manicure/pedicure certificate (our systems tell us if they have or not)
2 . They have to have bought into the whole Shellac system including the CND UV Lamp (and our systems at S2 tell us if they have or not).
3. They have to be buying regular supplies of Shellac products within a time frame of every 60 days or they get knocked off the locator.

So we have gone as far as we can to ensure that clients get a true Shellac service with a trained Shellac technician using the right products and using the whole system.

The S2 Shellac Salon Locator is not a data base of users; it only has the dedicated users on it. People do not put in that kind of commitment to then go and mess around.

Now, if you can design something better or a better controlled locator .. do let Sweet Squared know and in the meantime don't tar everyone with the same brush. After all the GMG created and coded the system so of course it is way ahead of the rest.

 

[MissConfused]

I was talking about salon locators in general, they dont seem to be a good indicator of skill to be honest but wowee at what you said about the love shellac locator!! Now THAT sounds like something totally worth name dropping! Im assuming you wouldnt have said it without it being ok to be passed on to clients... But just to check are we ok to pass on the 3 points you made re purchasing all the products and having to regularly purchase products etc to clients?

Its refreshing to know that a company you have invested in recognise that if youre doing well they do well, of course more clients for you mean the more purchasing from suppliers you do! its also lovely to know you get treated the same regardless of salon size and the amount of staff you have.x

Well missconfused you are definitely confused about the Shellac salon locater... it is much more clever than you can possible know. Nothng is perfect, but the loveshelac.com salon finder is as perfect as it gets.

People/salons don't just get on the locator because they are using Shellac.

1. They salon/technician has to have taken a Shellac class and have a valid Manicure/pedicure certificate (our systems tell us if they have or not)
2 . They have to have bought tin to he whole system including the CND UV Lamp (and our systems at S2 tell us if they have or not).
3. They have to be buying regular supplies of Shellac products within a time frame of every 60 days or they get knocked off the locator.

So we have gone as far as we can to ensure that clients get a true Shellac service with a trained Shellac technician using the right products and using the whole system. The S2 Shellac Salon Locator is not a data base of users it only has the dedicated users on it. People do not put in that kind of commitment to then go and mess around.

Now, if you can design something better or a better controlled locator .. do let Sweet Squared know and in the meantime don't tar everyone with the same brush. After all the GMG created and coded the system so of course it is way ahead of the rest.

 

[geeg]

You can use any of the information you want if you wish to share it. <3

We know our system is unique and are very proud of it.

 

[jojo309]

I'm very proud to be on the locator and will shout about it to anyone who will listen

Even after 28 years of being in this biz (after a recent break doing palliative care) Shellac has got me really fired up again , loves it I do and I am enjoying educating clients that have had mixed experiences being "Shellac'ed"