TPTW - Should We Be a Shellac Certified Salon

SalonGeek

Help Support SalonGeek:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

gr8nailz

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 10, 2011
Messages
4,300
Reaction score
-7
Location
Tampa, Florida
Our salon is Shellac Certified. I'm proud of this and yet, I'm not. In order to be a Shellac Certified salon, our team leader simply had to log on to the CND website with our salon log-on and tick all the boxes listing the requirements to be a certified Shellac salon. Problem is, out of the 5 requirements, we only strictly adhere to 3. Here is where we fall short:

*For Shellac pedicures, an off-brand UV lamp is utilized.
*3 of 4 nail techs buff the natural nail plate as part of the Shellac pep, with me being the exception. They are also buffing the nail plate as part of the removal!

Not to mention the issue that our very own team leader, who has been to TWO Shellac trainings, still tells clients that Shellac is a GEL polish!

My fellow nail techs' clients are beginning to feel that Shellac is weakening their nails. Of course they are! Their nails are being buffed to death!

I personally refuse to use any lamp other than a CND lamp for my Shellac services. I've talked to my team leader as well as my fellow nail techs about the importance of not buffing the nail plate. Nothing has changed.

Should we be a Shellac Certified Salon?
 
Whoa ... no, the Shellac certification status of your salon should be revoked.

It must be tough for you in the salon sometimes!

xxx
 
I may be missing something here but I thought a salon was only certified after an CND educator came by to check out the Shellac procedures done by the nail tech in said salon.

I know there are a lot of Shellac salons listed in the salon locator that are NOT doing Shellac, 100%.
 
You are supposed to have a personal visit from a local ambassador and then when everything is verified by them the establishment is then given official status and a window cling to say you are an official Shellac salon/spa.

It certainly does makes a mockery of the whole system if salons have it and aren't abiding by the guide lines.
 
It's such a shame that they cannot follow your professional and passionate approach to this. I admire you for being so honest I think a lot of people would sit back and ignore this. I can see how much your clients and your industry mean to you. I wouldn't know what to suggest, to take back the certification seems fair from a clients point of view but not for you, I think when it comes to the uk, we will be assessed by someone to be able to obtain this.
 
What a shame sweetie :( you know in your heart that you provide a quality treatment. As for your fellow therapists i cannot say the same. What is the point in using such an amazing system yet cutting corners? it just takes away from the treatment, eventually it wont be worth anything. People will be too worried that it will damage there nails or just an average treatment that they will not want to pay for the real decent Shellac application. I hope everything comes right in the end. Personally i was so excited when i heard about the certified programme but if anyone that doesnt follow the proper steps can do it then its no longer special unfortunately :(
 
I thought it would take more than just ticking some boxes to gain Shellac Salon certification. But that's all that had to be done since our salon has had Shellac training.

I'm just waiting for a CND ambassador to show up as a secret shopper and see that only one of us is following protocol to the letter and we lose our Shellac Salon Certification. It's disappointing. It's embarrassing. It's frustrating. It's giving Shellac a bad reputation. We could lose our certification over this. All because I work with children!

When I spoke to two of my fellow nail techs on Saturday about not buffing the nail plate for Shellac pep or removal, one of them told me, "You're a better nail tech than we are." I'm telling YOU how to be a better nail tech!

I wonder if our salon loses salon certification status,can retain my status as a Shellac certified tech?
 
Last edited:
I thought it would take more than just ticking some boxes to gain Shellac Salon certification. But that's all that had to be done since our salon has had Shellac training.

I'm just waiting for a CND ambassador to show up as a secret shopper and see that only one of us is following protocol to the letter and we lose our Shellac Salon Certification. It's disappointing. It's embarrassing. It's frustrating. It's giving Shellac a bad reputation. We could lose our certification over this. All because I work with children!

When I spoke to two of my fellow nail techs on Saturday about not buffing the nail plate for Shellac pep or removal, one of them told me, "You're a better nail tech than we are." I'm telling YOU how to be a better nail tech!

I wonder if our salon loses salon certification status,can retain my status as a Shellac certified tech?

I don't think YOU deserve to lose anything...

I am hoping to become certified Shellac Salon.

H x
 
Sorry to hear about another problem in your salon Tammie. It's horrible that you don't share your working environment with sensible, professional, like minded people.

Would it be worth discussing your concerns with CND and seeing if it's possible to be a Certified Individual, rather then a salon?

Not maliciously, of course, but ultimately you deserve to be acknowledged for correct practice, and your colleagues don't- especially if they have no intention of re-educating themselves and using good sense.

What does your salon owner have to say about it? I think I remember you mentioning once that he couldn't see the errors of your Team Leader- is that still the case?

Much hugs to you x
 
I would be so tempted to get an ambassador In without anyone knowing and being a secret shopper and see what happens then lol.I know you can't but it would be funny xx hope it all gets sorted and they start listening to you before it's to late x
 
I'd like to be Shellac Certified BUT can't because
A) My mainstay is Ez Flow, so I use Ez Flow prep products, instead of Scrubfresh
B) My cuticle oil is not Solar oil, it is my own blend that I retail along with my own balm.
C) I use aluminum foil wraps
D) I highly doubt that we have a Shellac Ambassador in Montreal (I haven't found one so far, anyway.....)

So as they say, I'm "SOOL" (S**t Out Of Luck).:rolleyes:

I'd grab at it, if I were you and get yourself certified as an individual OR become an Ambassador if you can? Rise above the rest :)
 
I thought it would take more than just ticking some boxes to gain Shellac Salon certification. But that's all that had to be done since our salon has had Shellac training.

I'm just waiting for a CND ambassador to show up as a secret shopper and see that only one of us is following protocol to the letter and we lose our Shellac Salon Certification. It's disappointing. It's embarrassing. It's frustrating. It's giving Shellac a bad reputation. We could lose our certification over this. All because I work with children!

When I spoke to two of my fellow nail techs on Saturday about not buffing the nail plate for Shellac pep or removal, one of them told me, "You're a better nail tech than we are." I'm telling YOU how to be a better nail tech!

I wonder if our salon loses salon certification status,can retain my status as a Shellac certified tech?

I certainly understand your frustration, but I think you also have to look at this from the perspective of protecting yourself. Have you considered putting your concerns in writing to the salon owner and team leader? A thoughtful, reasoned letter might make a difference, but on another level, by putting it in writing, you document your concerns and your efforts to correct the situation. It will cover your a$$ in case this situation explodes into something more serious.
 
Everyday I hear my team leader tell clients "Shellac is a gel polish." Everyday I see her buff her clients' nails for prep and after removal. Since she trained the other nail techs, they buff their clients' nails the same way, after removal and before application.

I'm personally Shellac certified and follow protocol. I've since found out that if the salon loses their certification, I won't necessarily lose my since I follow all protocols. However, if the salon were to lose their Shellac certification distinction and someone were looking for a Shellac certified technician, it might prove difficult. I'd have to list myself as an individual service provider working out of a salon and my salon could disallow this.

It might be time for me to go if the don't get their sh*t together.
 
In my opinion, the SALON does not merit the certification if ALL technicians are not folloeing Shellac protocol.
 
You're absolutely right, Gigi.

I was shocked when I found out that all that was needed was to log onto the site with the Salon's log on and password, tick a few boxes stating the salon was following the protocols and Ta-dah...Shellac Certified.

I would consider it a monumental embarrassment to lose our Shellac Salon certification.
 
You're absolutely right, Gigi.

I was shocked when I found out that all that was needed was to log onto the site with the Salon's log on and password, tick a few boxes stating the salon was following the protocols and Ta-dah...Shellac Certified.

I would consider it a monumental embarrassment to lose our Shellac Salon certification.

We are going to do things quite differently in the UK! It will not be a matter of taking people's word for it.
 
Will this apply to mobile techs do you know? I would happily pay and prove my status as certified to use shellac and also that I use the whole system.

Sent from my HTC Sensation using SalonGeek
 
I'm in Spain and follow Shellac by the book.....I applied online for this program and am waiting for someone to come in and assess me so to speak!! This was something I kept meaning to ring sweet squared about and ask but I keep forgetting!! But has anyone else had their salon certified or am I just waiting a bit as I'm in Spain - not complaining AT ALL, just generally wondering! :)
 
We are going to do things quite differently in the UK! It will not be a matter of taking people's word for it.


I thought initially that a CND representative would visit our salon to ensure that we were following protocol prior to our receiving certification status. I would imagine that isn't practical in the least.

One would think that by going through Shellac training, one would follow protocol; however, the technician who has incorrectly trained the other technicians in our salon has attended TWO Shellac certification training sessions. TWO!!!
 
I thought initially that a CND representative would visit our salon to ensure that we were following protocol prior to our receiving certification status. I would imagine that isn't practical in the least.

One would think that by going through Shellac training, one would follow protocol; however, the technician who has incorrectly trained the other technicians in our salon has attended TWO Shellac certification training sessions. TWO!!!

Is she thick .. or what?

The USA is a bloody big place ... I suppose practcally impossible to do everything by a personal visit. I am grateful we are smaller in size for this exercise lol. We still have thousands of salons to visit though IF they all ask for salon certification.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top