Training but terrified of doing L&P on a real live person still!

[MrsR]

Next week I have Day 4 of my CND L&P course and have been practising but on my nail trainer hand and know I need to practis eon real live people so I offered free L&P nails to a friend if I could practise on her for Saturday - she has said yes but I am so scared and ready to chicken out and cancel!

I am scared of mucking her nails up, mucking the nails up on her, doing pants smile lies, everything and anything. Its one thing doing it on a nail trainer and 5 fingers is takign me 2 hours but I'm terrified I will take 6 hours to do her nails!

I am so scared and my confidence has disappeared!

I cannot practise tomorrow as like today I have just finished a 14 hour shift at work and so dea don my feet now and going to faill into bed soon, only to wake at 6am for another shifts starting at 7:15am finishing at 9pm - there is no way I will find time or have energy to practise in reality!

 

[Deena]

I can really understand this and was exactly the same myself. I was amazed at others on my course diving in with 'Real' hands straight away and it took me several months to gradually wean myself off my trainer hand.

I think you will know when you're ready and more confident to tackle the real thing. I knew I was ready when I started to feel bored with the same old nails on 'HandyAndy' and wanted the diversity and experience of dealing with human nails from the preparation through to the final buffing.

I would say don't fret about it and go at your own pace. You will get there in the end and you won't be so scared anymore. You will welcome the challenge of real mitts to play with!

 

[BodyAngels]

You have to force yourself to do it. The first few sets never look brilliant (unless you are one of those lucky 1 in 1 million people who seem to be able to do it first time). But you have to make mistakes to progress and the more you do the more your confidence will grow. Besides, she knows you are new and you can offer to remove them - they aren't permanent.
My first set were awful and my friend had no problem in telling me so, but you learn something new, every time and I'd prefer the truth to be honest. I'm one of those people who want to be perfect the first time and almost talk myself out of doing it just in case it goes wrong but I'm so glad that I perservered because I LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT!!!!!
Claire x

 

[jaynesavage]

hi - just completed my second full set ever, these were just french tips with acrylic and it took my over 2 hours, and some of them looked great, but some didn't! but thats the whole point, as long as your friends know that you are using them for practice, it really won't matter.
If you prep their nails correctly and don't over file you can't do too much damage. just make sure they come to you to have them removed, (or filled if they are a good set!) thats when the main damage can be done.
Good Luck!!!:hug: (hug for luck)

 

[sknight]

It is so scary but you will not progress if you don't try. Your friend will know you are new so go for it. I bet you wil be surprised how you get on. Do not stress over time or you will take short cuts, just concentrate on your work

 

[champagne]

You know you may find it easier to work on real hands ... and if you have the opportunity then do it, your confidence will come when you get one set of real hands out of the way.

Champagne xx

 

[Sassy Hassy]

Gosh how funny I was the other way around. When i first started in nails I worked in a nail bar starting as a trainee. I hated working on the nail trainer, it was nothing like working on a real person - far more difficult. Plus one of the main parts of the job I love is the interaction with the client, and those trainer hands really have very limited conversation . Just ask your friend to let you know if anything feels at all uncomfortable, get her to give you feedback. Most importantly just enjoy it. Stop thinking negatively! My initial sets used to take 3-4 hours, as long as your friend knows this you can relax, take your time and just enjoy a sociable afternoon with a mate.

... and if the nails are really awful you can always soak them off, giving you practice of removal, and then you can have another go the next weekend!

be brave, have fun and just do it. After all you want to be a nail technician don't you ... and honey to do that you have to do nails on people :lol:!

 

[dee]

also as we were told on my course , ..if you can do nails on a nail trainer then a person is a lot easier :green: xxxxx

 

[Christel]

Gosh how funny I was the other way around. When i first started in nails I worked in a nail bar starting as a trainee. I hated working on the nail trainer, it was nothing like working on a real person - far more difficult. Plus one of the main parts of the job I love is the interaction with the client, and those trainer hands really have very limited conversation . Just ask your friend to let you know if anything feels at all uncomfortable, get her to give you feedback. Most importantly just enjoy it. Stop thinking negatively! My initial sets used to take 3-4 hours, as long as your friend knows this you can relax, take your time and just enjoy a sociable afternoon with a mate.

... and if the nails are really awful you can always soak them off, giving you practice of removal, and then you can have another go the next weekend!

be brave, have fun and just do it. After all you want to be a nail technician don't you ... and honey to do that you have to do nails on people :lol:!

Sassy Hassy is completely right hun!!!! 'Truus' never talks back to me either-what a bore!!!! I have to do all the waffling (good thing I talk a lot anyway!:lol

You are only going to wind yourself up! I was a tech for around 8 yrs before Truus and I met up.....the most annoying nailbeds, those fake cuticles, the tips that will not stick because Truus is really reptilian and at least on a human the nailbeds are warm and glue will actually set!!!
At the same time, for pure technique practise, Truus and I get on the best, don't think my mates would appreciate me ripping of another failed artistic expression on my part! LOL!!!

So sweety, my first true set took over 4 hours, nervous like mad, didn't really have very constructive training behind me at that point-and you know what? I still managed!
If you can do a decent set on your Truus/Handy Andy you will be astonished at how well your real set will go! Plus she is your mate, not a paying client with (of course, because she is handing over cash) the expectations of a proper salon set.

My biggest fear was that I would hurt someone when blending in tips (I was given one box fits all tips, and didn't have a clue there even were different shapes out there to suit the different shapes of client's nails...duh!)
So I was overly careful and basically was scared out of my wits...not good!

I love the fact now, that I have been shown different "pre-tailoring the tip" options; thinning down the tips so that you do that 'off' the client and not 'on' the client (the thought of friction burns made me shudder, and still do when I see someone's obviously overfiled nails!!), removing so much well that you basically only end up with the smile line, different techniques to magically adjust a tip for an 'in between sizes nail bed' etc etc

That got me over the fear that I had for quite a few years!!!! And now I am at a place that IF I would just stick a tip on that i haven't touched at all-I blend perfectly without even the slightest shred of 'oh my God!'

But that came with just 'doing them!'


You will be amazed at how perfectly fine you will be with your friend!!!! I wouldn't recommend a glass of wine to help that (I am out of it after 3, and would NEVER touch anyone after having a drink!!!!) but make sure that the atmosphere is one of fun!!!
So if you do make a silly mistake (I have had girls sticking on tips the wrong way around!!! lol!) at least you will snort and laugh! (make sure you take it off before the glue sets though!!!)

You will be fine hun!!!!!
Don't fret, have a good time with your mate and let us know what happened!!!! Even get us a picture?????

:hug:
Christel

 

[karentriff]

Next week I have Day 4 of my CND L&P course and have been practising but on my nail trainer hand and know I need to practis eon real live people so I offered free L&P nails to a friend if I could practise on her for Saturday - she has said yes but I am so scared and ready to chicken out and cancel!

I am scared of mucking her nails up, mucking the nails up on her, doing pants smile lies, everything and anything. Its one thing doing it on a nail trainer and 5 fingers is takign me 2 hours but I'm terrified I will take 6 hours to do her nails!

I am so scared and my confidence has disappeared!

I cannot practise tomorrow as like today I have just finished a 14 hour shift at work and so dea don my feet now and going to faill into bed soon, only to wake at 6am for another shifts starting at 7:15am finishing at 9pm - there is no way I will find time or have energy to practise in reality!

Hi I know exactly how you are feelilng. I am in training I did my first set of L & P on a friend of a friend last week. I had been at work all day and was extermely tired. I was so nervous I could hardly hold the brush steady. Luckily the lady had never had her nails done before so she wasn't able to compare me to other techs. After a little while I relaxed. It took me three hours to do the set and even then I wasn't happy with them. well, Maybe a couple of them but she was thrilled. The worst part was that she was going to a salon for a hairdo the next day and there is a nail tech works there. I cringe thinking of what she would think of her nails. Haven't heard anything yet.
I guess the main thing is that we choose carefully who we practice on so that we feel relaxed and our confidence doesnt take too much of a knock.
One piece of advice though. Write down each step in the application process and put it somewhere you can see it. I was so nervous I almost forgot what I was supposed to be doing.
Cheers
Karen

 

[Christel]

Hi I know exactly how you are feelilng. I am in training I did my first set of L & P on a friend of a friend last week. I had been at work all day and was extermely tired. I was so nervous I could hardly hold the brush steady. Luckily the lady had never had her nails done before so she wasn't able to compare me to other techs. After a little while I relaxed. It took me three hours to do the set and even then I wasn't happy with them. well, Maybe a couple of them but she was thrilled. The worst part was that she was going to a salon for a hairdo the next day and there is a nail tech works there. I cringe thinking of what she would think of her nails. Haven't heard anything yet.
I guess the main thing is that we choose carefully who we practice on so that we feel relaxed and our confidence doesnt take too much of a knock.
One piece of advice though. Write down each step in the application process and put it somewhere you can see it. I was so nervous I almost forgot what I was supposed to be doing.
Cheers
Karen

Yes, that reminded me of something!!! What I still do is line the goodies up in the order that I need them!!!!

So first thing is a hand cleanser that goes 1st in line on lhs etc

Sounds very silly, but when i first started i would literally blanc out and completely forget to do a particular thing!!! But if your cuticle pusher is there 'ready and waiting' (and not in the bottom of your kit) it's a bit more difficult to ignore...

Might have been an obvious thing to do for loads of you out there, but I was so chuffed when I came up with that revelation!!

:hug:

 

[shellpink]

Dont worry at all!! you've had fab training & you do know what your doing, it's just nerves taking over. Have your notes near by, take your time and your working on a friend, so it shouldn't be too bad, It is really great working on people!!!
I've got my day 5 soon and I'm loving it! just enjoy yourself, you will improve really quickly, honest! Give it a go!!

 

[champagne]

My day 5 is on the 25th April...scarrrryyy..

I have probably completed approx 4-5 sets a week, all on real hands, Mrs R it really is easier on real hands.

I can always pop up the motorway next week and be a victim for you.

Come on Mrs, you didnt pay all that money out for nothing!

You will look back and laugh at this one day lol

Champagne xx

 

[sknight]

I find it easier working on real people too. I am sure you will be surprised by just how much you can do on real hands. Keep note close to hand as said above and you will be fine.

 

[mercedes69]

Some great advice Mrs R....

As long as you tell your friend A) you are practising B) it might take all day C) she isn't having to pay.... then the ground rules are there.

Working on 'live' people is so much easier than a nail trainer...although I agree initially it is very scary....but with a 'live' person their nails and fingers don't ping off every five minutes!!!!

Take deep breaths...take your time....and have someone who can just keep feeding you both chocolates while you work.....( okay maybe that just works for me :lol: )

You will be fine and like Sassy said...you are going to have to work on real people in the future so just take the plunge.

Let us know how you get on xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[MrsR]

Thanks everyone for your wonderful advice, I have been reading it at work when I can duck in quickly and have a nose on the pc - I have to decided by 3pm as thats what time my mate is leaving work and needs to know by for tomorrow so the clock is ticking on my nerves! Will let you know what I decided when I do - so sick to my stomach really am!

 

[champagne]

Hey Mrs R ..... What are you waiting for ...... You are soon to be a nail techncian !!!!!

Im coming up that motorway to kick your a** lol

Get on with it !!!

Keep telling yourself 'I CAN DO THIS' & I want a full report after the weekend.

Champagne xx

 

[MrsR]

Don't shoot me but I've chickened up! I am pathetic!

 

[champagne]

Right im in the car.

What is it exactly that is really making you nervous???

You have received the training, you know what you are doing, the nails might not be the best but you should be safe in the knowledge that you wont cause harm to anyones nails.

You have got to get over this and get your first live set out of the way. You have paid so much money, you have to push yourself over this hurdle...

Champagne xx

 

[justaskin?]

Youre really lucky that you had a trainer hand i had to learn on a real person now that is nerve racking but may be not a bad thing as being put in at the deep end i had no choice but to JUST DO IT!!!!!!! still learning and on the phone to CND al the time they are so helpful i really wanted to do their course but it was too far away for me i use CMD products though as they are the best even though i'm struggling at times.