speeding up

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luckybird21

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2004
Messages
506
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Location
Gillingham - kent
does anyone have any tips on speeding up. i know most of it is down to practice, but i still don't see how in the salon i used to go to before i started nails, she did a full set in 45 mins, and they were lovley, not an e-file in sight, and they stayed on! really wanna know her secret!
 
luckybird21 said:
does anyone have any tips on speeding up. i know most of it is down to practice, but i still don't see how in the salon i used to go to before i started nails, she did a full set in 45 mins, and they were lovley, not an e-file in sight, and they stayed on! really wanna know her secret!
Wow that is fast :suprised: - I'd like to know her secret too! Was that L&P or gel?
 
Time is what will speed you up and the more people you do the faster you will become. There was a thread by Geeg a while back about this so do a search and have a look. When you're newly qualified you are constantly checking as well which slows you down. You also will probably be using higher grit files when you could be using a lower one which will speed you up as well.
 
Hollyballoo said:
Wow that is fast :suprised: - I'd like to know her secret too! Was that L&P or gel?
L&P. they always look good too.
 
luckybird21 said:
L&P. they always look good too.
Well thats amazing - she must be truly sculpting with her brush and not with her file then ;)! It is true that you do speed up with practice though, but I can't see me ever getting to times like that - unless I'm using pre-etched, well-less tips and a dip system! Makes me wonder....just how quick are her infills then...! I could do with her doing my own nails for me...now that does take me forever.....
 
I have to say that when i started it took me five hours todo a set of L&P. Especially on myself it seemed to take ages. Practise, practise, practise is the main key to getting faster.

Also when you get confident you dont keep going over everything like you used to, plus sometimes it depends on the system you use too. I am Star Nails trained and after a while it took me 3 1/2 to 4 hours to do my own. I changed to EZ Flow as got an allergy to Stars monomer, and now do a full set on myself in 2 and 1/2 hours. I do a set on clients in 2 and 1/2 hours too, so well happy with that.

Keep at it, have someone watch how you do things, then they can help with speed tips.
 
since i've been using ons i've been doin a full set in about the same time as you. glad that this seems to be an ok time (had a look at old threads) was just worrid i was taking too long, because kelly the girl who used to do my nails was so fast and good, and also on average the local salons take hour and half for new set and 45mins to re-balance. it's just not fair.

i know im new to all of this so i need to be patient, but its hard! I want everything now!
 
luckybird21 said:
does anyone have any tips on speeding up. i know most of it is down to practice, but i still don't see how in the salon i used to go to before i started nails, she did a full set in 45 mins, and they were lovley, not an e-file in sight, and they stayed on! really wanna know her secret!

I hope you don't learn her secret because I can't do it in that time and I don't know anyone else who can without cutting corners somewhere.

We all have different ideas as to just what looks good too.

I have worked with most of the greatest nail technicians in the industry and never saw or heard anyone claim that they could do a beautiful full set in that time without skimping on something.

I've done plenty of fullsets in an hour when really pushed, but there is no way I could sustain that level of working all day evry day. Blimey, you'd be burnt out in 6 months. Not only that ... there is NO need to work at that speed.

If I could work at that speed I would have to charge about 25 pounds a full set and work twice as hard to make the same money in a day as I could make doing far fewer people. Work smart not hard.
 
hiya sarah
i wouldn't necessarily fret about getting your speeds down to 45 mins.
if these local salons are fully booked every day, working at that speed will give the tech's some serious joint probs later on.
let the salons that offer their services very cheaply work at that speed.
there is a place in every town for the different types of services. i.e conveyerbelt service with no frills but cheap.
or the more leisurely paced service at a slightly higher cost.
would u rather train to acheive the highest quality nails, & do 6-8 clients per day, charging £25 per rebalance, or get as quick as you can, work frantically doing 10-12 clients per day charging £16-18.
do the maths, both techs would earn roughly the same!
i know which one i'd rather do!
also, when you hit the lower end of the price range, it tends to attract clients that mayb couldn't afford to pay the more expensive tech.
the biggest problem with this situation is that these clients tend not to b as regular year in, year out.
i base this information on the 17 yrs i've been running my salon.
clients that r attracted to a cheaper price, are liable to constantly move around to find the cheapest deal, so if you set your prices to attract them, then what happens when someone with less overheads than you undercuts your prices?
do u go even lower to keep the fickle clients?
it can b very frustrating.
my advice would b to get the best education that you can, & keep your prices higher, don't wofk harder than u have to!!
liza x
 
geeg said:
I hope you don't learn her secret because I can't do it in that time and I don't know anyone else who can without cutting corners somewhere.

We all have different ideas as to just what looks good too.

I have worked with most of the greatest nail technicians in the industry and never saw or heard anyone claim that they could do a beautiful full set in that time without skimping on something.

I've done plenty of fullsets in an hour when really pushed, but there is no way I could sustain that level of working all day evry day. Blimey, you'd be burnt out in 6 months. Not only that ... there is NO need to work at that speed.

If I could work at that speed I would have to charge about 25 pounds a full set and work twice as hard to make the same money in a day as I could make doing far fewer people. Work smart not hard.
I so agree, my salon time is 1 1/2 hours for a Full Set and that allows me to have a client consultation,prep, apply and finish...........
If I had to do sets at 45 mins, something would have to give and that would be not my style nor standard...............
It is not a race and I will not just churn out set after set for the sake of it........
I would rather earn a little less but be thorough and uphold a good standard......
Speed comes with expirience and practice and routine, finding a routine and sticking to it.............
As in preping 10 fingers then, size all ten, tip all ten, blend all ten, and overlay and finish...........not faffing around and keeping to a tried and tested routine, one that works for you..............
To many Techs faff a little and stop working when they chat........lol........ try chatting with your hands on the job and eyes on the nails lol......... that cuts at least 20 minutes from your time lol.......... I know from expirience lol !!!!!!
 
geeg
you beat me to it!!!!!!
great minds think alike!
liza xx
 
HI

I would prefer quality anyday, personally. If someone did me a set in 45 mins i would feel it had been rushed! We take 1 1/2 hrs for a full set in the salon and 1 hour for infills. When i first started i took a good 2 hour to 2 1/4 but i am a perfectionist and my client appreciate that and have confidence that they are getting a spot on job. As for price cutters i had a client in for a hair appointment and she goes to a salon in another town to have her nails done as its £4 per set cheaper than we are! By the time she has finish with petrol and the 15 mins drive both ways is it worth it?? And her nails!! oh my god ski slopes and big red bands where they have blended the tip into her nails!!! Well it takes all sorts!
 
I love threads like this as they help me to stop panicking about time! I agree, I'd much rather have quality than speed. I've been thinking about what to say to potential clients when they mention that I'm new but more expensive than some. I decided on the 'cheap or quality - your choice' comment (put more eloquently (sp?) of course). I would rather know I've done everything right, and most importantly protected the health of the natural nails, than think 'hey, I knocked 10 minutes off my previous record'!

I need to be quicker than I am at the moment but that'll come with more exerience (this is me telling myself to calm down)! Like you Luckybird, I want to be brilliant NOW but have to stop and breathe occasionally!:cool:
 
ive been doin nails since dec and it still takes me approx 2hrs as long as u produce a good set of nails speed will come later, i also dont no anyone that can do it in 45mins
 
cheers every1. infact im kinda been silly. on a thread a while back someone said about speeding up and i straight away pipped up,

' don't worry about time, quality matters. you don't go a round saying my tech is so fast but hey, my nails aren't on! you look for quality not speed'


now, why can't i listen to my own advice.

hey come to think of it, i normally had at least 4 nails to be replaced, and i had re-balance every 2 weeks. she said i was heavy handed, every time she sculpted a nail, she never put enough product over stress point, and an hour after appointment it would split at fill line and tip would come off. i was kinda a deluded push over, and believed her, she is actually a lovley girl.

what is strange though i have a couple of clients who i see every 3 weeks (most at 2) and there nails still look fine, and my nails never ping off anymore, and i actually do more heavy handed work now.

oh and i used to get nails done at quite a high profile salon to sittingbourne high street (before the 45 min girl), the girl used to always hurt me, i would have horrid red marks where tip was blended, they were so thick that my nephew could skate board on them, and i had cuts all over finger. my fingers used to feel so painfull afterwards, like they had excess pressure on them. the thing i was disgusted with though was they use creative, and apparently she was creative trained! Yeah right, they wouldn't have let her qualify!

(oh by the way this is not liza smiths salon, i have heard very good comments from friends about bodylines! this is another one, near the church, liza may know who im talking about!)
 
I am actually surprised @ the reactions of people saying that 45min for a full set is VERY FAST. Here in the US anywhere you go you are expected to do an entire set of gels or l&p (with tips) in 1hr 15min. All of your fill-ins are expected to be done in 30-45min. And that IS on a consistent basis.
 
As you say, you have answered your own question! I decided to treat myself a couple of years ago and had my nails done by another salon, I was v shocked when they said it would only take an hour!! When she had finished I knew why - talk about cutting corners! No consultation, tip application was fine, but the gel was appauling -literally painted 2 layers on - no apex, no c-curve, nothing!! She knew I was a nail tech so you'd think she'd make more effort, and kept blabbing on how she had FIVE year's experience - yeah FIVE years of shoddy work. THEY WERE AWFUL. They were all lifting before I got home and I spent the next hour sorting them out. Yeah I should have complained but I really couldn't be bothered - put it down to experience and gave me more confidence that my nails are better than average lol! As I have said in a previous thread, why is ther such an obsession with time? Enjoy what you do - when you can do a good set in 90 mins you have achieved Utopia!
 
I have a long way to go and on a good day take c2hrs for a full set. I don't think I would have joined the nail industry if I had to work like a robot. I probably talk too much, but my (few) clients enjoy a chit-chat. I know that when I have a good client base, I will be able to maintain it because the clients will find it a relaxing, enjoyable experience with fab new nails into the bargain. The clientelle that I am aiming at don't want to be on a conveyor belt - they want a wee bit of luxury, personal attention and lovely nails!!!!!!!!
 
hiya luckybird!
phew!
when i read you're post, i nearly had a heart attach!
then i read the rest, & i do know where you mean (because u mention the location)
i was the 1st salon to open in the high st. that specialised in nails.
even tho we've always offered all beauty & hair treatments, eversince i started competing on the nail comp circuit, we have been more nails based.
continual education & investment in new products, have kept my salon at the forefront of the nail industry.
it hasn't been cheap, it costs money to purchase extensive new products that you "play" with, as opposed to the bread & butter products that will earn you instant income ie white & pink l & p.
people see that you're always busy, & jump to the conclusion that all u have to do is put in a few nail stations, employ a few nail techs & away u go!!
if only it was that easy.
i'm not saying that in the past, we haven't had a few clients slip thro the net. ie a junior tech not doing what they should.
however, that is definately a real rarity, as i personally oversee all the training, & even tho all the staff r now self employed, they are all masters or working towards it. all 6 of them.
i'm there as their mentor, this is what a lot of beauty salons lack.
it is never easy to run a salon with staff performing services that you know little about.
even tho i trained as a beauty therapist nearly 20 yrs ago, i would rather leave the beauty treatmants to someone who has upto date info on products & services.
this industry moves very fast, & it's very hard to keep up with everything.
accept that it's better to specialise in what you know most about. i'm talking about people who wish to employ or have a large no. of staff in their salon.
when there was just me & 1 or 2 others, i easily kept up my expertise in hairdressing, beauty therapy & nails.
sorry, this went off topic!
liza x
 

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