what equip do you take with you?

[emily22]

Hi, just a quick question re: mobile equipment..

I am currently trying to get myself a manicure table (currently watching one on ebay!:green I have seen some lovely stools etc but i can imagine it being a nightmare carrying it round everywhere.. What do you all do re: seating?
When i was doing my case studies at home we'd use my kitchen table or ironing board (I only did good friends who didnt mind) but obviously now im setting up i dont want to do this, but do you explain to clients that you simply need 2 chairs if they have them, and if they dont then take some with u? I had seen some foldablle chairs in be-wise (i think thats what it was called) and i have got a foldable stool but its very unconfortable).


I also have a footspa for pedicures - I have bought a remington one that heats, vibrates etc, at college we were told to use a washing up bowl (one that is soley for pedicures!) but i like the idea of the footspa - only prob is can you put ur foot soak in there? Will it not bubble up and overflow!?..
Also, with pedicures, what do you do seating wise? At college we'd have clients seated on a chair at the same level as ourselves but i would always worry the client wasnt comfortable and it would be easier if i was lower that them. I cant bear the thought of sitting on the floor as it too uncomfortable and i get pins and needles very easily - followed by numb legs and bottom!:o

Sorry to ask yet more questions, but i want to try and get it right as much as poss when i start off, I have sorted my prices etc, have all the necessary other equip (for the whole man & peds + treatments) but need to get these other issues sorted too..
Thank you so much to all of you have answered my many questions before!
As some of you may remember my tutor was very difficult and although we passed our exams, she wasn't helpful with any questions we had! (after 3 more courses taught by her she has now 'moved on')..

 

[Ophala]

hi - i can't really help you that much as i don't consider myself mobile. i work self employed in a salon 2 days a week and although i take all my own products etc i obv use their chairs, manicure tables etc.

i did want to be mobile originally but i'm happy at the salon now and the amount of equipment i'd have to carry round with me puts me off!!!

i did however buy (for doing mums pedis/few friends and family) a plastic stool from a pound shop! (like the kind kids use to go to the loo!!!) it's not terribly comfortable as it's so hard but is the best height - i don't know how people perform pedicures sat the same height as the client - i'd find it far too uncomfortable and have neck/shoulder/back problems anyway!!!

also with regards to your foot spa - the one i use at the salon bubbles and i can manage with a very small amount of foot soak without it bubbling over!! it's just a pain to clean, spesh if you're mobile. although the keep water warm feauture is always useful as depending on your treatment it can get pretty cold at the end!!!

anyway,. sorry for waffling on and i'm sure it hasn't helped at all!!! i'm sure someone more mobile than me can help more xxx

 

[emily22]

Thank you for your quick reply! You have been very helpful! I had thought about one of those little footstools for pedicures. I can imagine they'd be a little uncomfortable but maybe i could velcro a cushion on it!:green:

I was just reading a post about pedicure bowls with warm pebbles in it! Sounds lovely! Thats another thing i might look into.. You're right about the footspa being a nightmare to clean, i tried it for myself and i took ages to wash out grains etc from the exfoliating cream!:cry: I got there in the end but its more time to add to appointments beacuse of cleaning and sanitising it before the next client..

 

[pure]

To be honest the less you have to carry to the clients the better!

Personally I think you have to have a manicure table to look professional, however, when I get a new client I always ask them if they have chairs available so thats one less thing I have to worry about.

Also make sure you get a good daylight lamp otherwise you can guarantee that you'll be put in the darkest room in their house and won't be able to see what you're doing!

I bought my mani table from ebay and have recently bought a carry bag for it on there too - an excellent investment and I definitely recommend one.

The other thing you want to take with you is a small lidded container to put all your rubbish in to take home. I never leave my client to dispose of it for me. I just bought a metal tea caddy which works well.

hth

 

[AGENT1]

Hi a am mobile and it can be a real pain carrying everything about,

as already said i always ask if the client has chairs available, 9 times out of ten they do, if not ikea do some folding chairs that are really light weight that i use, also regarding equipment i have a three stack box on wheels that i have it fits everything it from powders to lamps, i always take everything with me my acrylic, gels etc, u can guarentee that when u get there they will say "oh can u do this as well" and if u not got the equipment u loose out,

as already said make sure u have a good daylight lamp as sometimes clients rooms dont have the best light and always always take an extension lead, they come in very handy, HTH

 

[Sals]

I have a really sturdy but light weight picnic table but I can't for the life of me remember where I got it from! Sorry, that's a bit useless. I always make sure it's the last thing I take out of the car because most of the time the client has a suitable table that they're happy to use. To this end, I've got a plastic table cloth in the same colour as my logo, business cards, etc.

Also a small metal bin with a lid and small bin bags that can be tied up. Daylight lamp is a must as is an extension lead, especially if you are using gel. I don't have any chairs at present, but will probably get some in the near future.

 

[emily22]

hi, thanks for your replies. I got myself a table today from sallys, I paid £49.99 +VAT. The one i was watching on ebay went for £77! Didnt want to pay that so i rang sallys and lucky for me they only had one in stock and it was on display. The lady said it was £59.99 +VAT but i asked for discount as it was on display. She rang her manager and I got a tenner knocked off! :green::green::green:
Am very happy with it, its not too heavy and has a tray underneath (handy!). Im looking to get a carry bag for it now from ebay!

I have the 3-tier case too, i bought that when i was training, was fed up with lugging it all to college in a suitcase so my hubby bought me the case, cant remember what he paid for it now but it was a bargain too, it was on offer at sallys at the time.

Im gonna have a look at some foldable chairs, im sat on my sofa in front of my table now (trying it out:green and it quite high (then, i am a bit of a shortie!) so i definatly need some chairs that will bring me up a little higher to make working at it easier...

 

[user 17140]

Hi i got my chairs from ebay they were £7.00 each and fold up silver with white padded set, really light were a bargain , it was a while ago , i will have a look and see if i can still see the seller, by the way i always take everything! i have an estate car so i might as well have it all just in case!

 

[oey]

Have a look at the fold up chairs in argos and see if they are high enough - i got one from there and it was ideal to put out of the way when it was not needed.

will s ee if I can find a link for you

 

[Missy G]

Hi ,
Thanx for bringing this thread up i am too starting up mobile soon ,i wasnt gonna bother buying buying a moile table ,im just hoping all my clients will have dining room tables,and im gonna take along a waterproof sheet and some towels to work on ,do you think this will be ok ?
I have also thought ahead that i may need an extension lead as not everyone has a lecky point near their table.I do have some where where i can rent the nail bar if the client doesnt have a dining room table ,but obviously im hopying all my clients will have a dining room table,so i dont have to pay any rent.Any other advice on going mobile would be fully appreciated from anyone thankyouxxx

 

[blossom]

I bought a manicure table for around £100 from Nail Order, over four years ago and it is still as strong as ever and has a small rim round the edge so if there is a spillage it doesn't go on their carpet . . .

I bought a B&Q aluminium toolbox (about £16), I preferred it to all the beauty boxes I saw, it has little pockets for screwdrivers etc that fit files and buffers perfectly.

My stool has been wonderful, it was about £45 from Ellisons and is a mobile lightweight stool in white, it has a gas-lift mechanism so whatever your height you can be comfortable, it was a great investment.

I would advice getting a light that doesn't give out any heat as well (Daylight do a good one for about £30, mine is nearly 3 years old and I haven't had to replace the bulb yet!) Sometimes people put you in dimly lit corners and you can't see what you're doing!

I work from home now but still use all of the above. Good luck x

 

[user 17140]

I agree about getting a lamp, i found lighting was quite poor most appointments , i have just got mine from the RNIB online was the cheapest price! even with a little donation it was cheaper.

 

[Miss Bliss]

Hi all!

Whilst we are on the subject of setting up mobile businesses (as I am just about to do when I qualify in two weeks) I have a question about beauty cases, do the majority of you mobile peops use the aluminium/hard cases that go on a trolley that usually have three sections or do you use separate boxes for each thing i.e. one for mani pedi one for facial stuff etc? How heavy are the hard cases?

Hope someone can help me with this as I need to get as soon as poss!

Oh and good idea about the poundshop stool, will be getting one of them, hate sitting the same height as client for pedis!

Thanks v much :lol:

 

[bunnymad]

Hi

About the pedicure seating thing - i use a bean bag to sit on! It's low enough for me to be at a good height for the client, supports my back, and stops me getting a numb bum! Only trouble I have is getting up again at the end of service!!

The only thing i can see with this though is fitting it in the car with the rest of your stuff if space is a problem. Oh, I've also sat on my metal carry case with a towel on top, which again is the right height, but not all that comfortable.

 

[emily22]

Hi ,
Thanx for bringing this thread up i am too starting up mobile soon ,i wasnt gonna bother buying buying a moile table ,im just hoping all my clients will have dining room tables,and im gonna take along a waterproof sheet and some towels to work on ,do you think this will be ok ?
I have also thought ahead that i may need an extension lead as not everyone has a lecky point near their table.I do have some where where i can rent the nail bar if the client doesnt have a dining room table ,but obviously im hopying all my clients will have a dining room table,so i dont have to pay any rent.Any other advice on going mobile would be fully appreciated from anyone thankyouxxx

Hi, I just wanted to say that it might be a good idea to try and get yourself a table if you can, I know they can be costly but someone else said to me about getting a camping table - like the ones that are for camper vans, I did look around on ebay and some of them looked quite similar to a manicure table! They are a lot cheaper and as far as i know they fold away too. I got mine from sallys because they reduced it. otherwise i may have looked more into getting a camping table.
I say this because when i was training i went to practice on someone who was a friend of my neighbour, I got there and she didnt have a table! It was a complete nightmare!
I know another friend of mine who has just bought a very expensve dining table and i wouldnt dream of using it just in case! And not only all that, you can have the problem of the height / width of the table, it can be very uncomfortable to work at a table that is not the right height & width and if you're not comfortable i personally think it can affect the quality of your work.

 

[Missy G]

Hi, I just wanted to say that it might be a good idea to try and get yourself a table if you can, I know they can be costly but someone else said to me about getting a camping table - like the ones that are for camper vans, I did look around on ebay and some of them looked quite similar to a manicure table! They are a lot cheaper and as far as i know they fold away too. I got mine from sallys because they reduced it. otherwise i may have looked more into getting a camping table.
I say this because when i was training i went to practice on someone who was a friend of my neighbour, I got there and she didnt have a table! It was a complete nightmare!
I know another friend of mine who has just bought a very expensve dining table and i wouldnt dream of using it just in case! And not only all that, you can have the problem of the height / width of the table, it can be very uncomfortable to work at a table that is not the right height & width and if you're not comfortable i personally think it can affect the quality of your work.

Ok thanks for the reply ,i ll see how it goes to begin with ,if i do find it being a prob i ll have to get a fold up table,in the mean time i will look for a camp table thats a great idea,thankyou.