What makes a product 'professional'
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velevetcu
Well-Known Member
That it is only available for purchase by qualified professionals
NancySyd
Well-Known Member
I think the line between professional and consumer products has gotten very thin, especially here in the US where anyone can get anything. CND Solar Oil, OPI and Essie regular nail polish can be bought at any store, even Bed, Bath and Beyond! I define a professional product as one that, regardless of how it can be bought, is geared towards professionals - they are sold pretty exclusively in pro beauty supply houses, the company provides the full range of products and provides MSDS for them, they advertise in professional publications, provide education and training for nail professionals, and provide customer support for nail professionals. And of course, they are of professional quality.
I am just trying to understand why some eBay products are slated here yet some products ordered from Facebook are being recommended and classed as professional. To me they both fall into the same category as neither are asking for proof of qualifications.
squidgernetball
Ubergeek
I think you have two levels of 'professional'.
I have spent a lot if money on my skin and make up ranges. Large opening orders mean their use is limited to professionals willing to spend on an opening order for the benefits of using those products. Many of the retail ranges from these products may be available on the internet but that has certainly never affected my retail! The advantage to me as a salon is the mark up for retail, the exclusivity and the training.
You then have professional products that you can get from sallys. I think they all have a price for Joe public to buy them and that is where the lines get blurred. If a member of the public can buy them, are they professional? They should be but they're not!
As reported on here, lidl now sell gel kits. All well and good until something goes wrong. Argos sold home electrolysis kits years ago. They didn't take off. People think it's easy until they find it isn't lol.
Vic x
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I have spent a lot if money on my skin and make up ranges. Large opening orders mean their use is limited to professionals willing to spend on an opening order for the benefits of using those products. Many of the retail ranges from these products may be available on the internet but that has certainly never affected my retail! The advantage to me as a salon is the mark up for retail, the exclusivity and the training.
You then have professional products that you can get from sallys. I think they all have a price for Joe public to buy them and that is where the lines get blurred. If a member of the public can buy them, are they professional? They should be but they're not!
As reported on here, lidl now sell gel kits. All well and good until something goes wrong. Argos sold home electrolysis kits years ago. They didn't take off. People think it's easy until they find it isn't lol.
Vic x
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squidgernetball
Ubergeek
I think it depends on what you are buying!
I may buy nail decals from eBay but would never but shellac. One really isn't going to be harmful and one might be!
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princessamie
Well-Known Member
To me, professional means anything you can't buy on the high street.
The best advice I ever received - "Work smarter, not harder". Thank you, geeks!!
The best advice I ever received - "Work smarter, not harder". Thank you, geeks!!
So as a newbie how am I meant to know the difference?? I have seen a gel polish being recommended here as a professional product but I can just go on line and buy it without any proof of qualifications so to me this is the same as buying shellac off eBay. What makes one acceptable and the other not? Am I missing something?
princessamie
Well-Known Member
Products on eBay and Amazon should be taken with a pinch of salt. Most are imitations/fakes, and as a professional you should be buying from reputable suppliers.
Your insurance will dictate where to buy from and pretty much all won't insure a product bought from Amazon or eBay because there's no way to tell if they're genuine. If you buy from anywhere that isn't authorised to sell that product, you won't be insured.
You need to research that product and find out who the authorised distributor is. That distributor will ask you to prove your qualifications before being able to buy.
The best advice I ever received - "Work smarter, not harder". Thank you, geeks!!
For me professional items can not be brought by anyone who isn't qualified.
You wouldn't want to pay for someone to do your nails with products that anyone and everyone can buy, and by that I mean products that require training I.e acrylics, gels, tip application etc
But I personally don't see the issues with nail art being purchased from you've mentioned. In reality your not really paying for the gems, decals, stamping etc but for the service. Yes you are able to apply these yourself but most the time it'll be on standard polish from the high street and they won't last like they would will gel/acrylics.
Personally I would happily pay for someone to use nail art from places a non qualified person can buy them but as long as it's the nail art only because you're getting something that should last . I wouldn't be happy to pay someone to do my nails with a system anyone could buy.
I think there is a huge difference between professional services and the extras such as stapling, gems etc that some nail techs offer.
You wouldn't want to pay for someone to do your nails with products that anyone and everyone can buy, and by that I mean products that require training I.e acrylics, gels, tip application etc
But I personally don't see the issues with nail art being purchased from you've mentioned. In reality your not really paying for the gems, decals, stamping etc but for the service. Yes you are able to apply these yourself but most the time it'll be on standard polish from the high street and they won't last like they would will gel/acrylics.
Personally I would happily pay for someone to use nail art from places a non qualified person can buy them but as long as it's the nail art only because you're getting something that should last . I wouldn't be happy to pay someone to do my nails with a system anyone could buy.
I think there is a huge difference between professional services and the extras such as stapling, gems etc that some nail techs offer.
princessamie
Well-Known Member
My insurance certainly doesn't... Nail art stuff is OK, but professional stuff ie gel polish, l&p, hard gel etc needs to be purchased through authorised distributors to be insured for use on clients.
The best advice I ever received - "Work smarter, not harder". Thank you, geeks!!
Depends on which company your taking about. A brand I use for gel polish it looks as though you can buy without providing certificates, but once your order goes through you have to send the company them before they ship or they refund.
sarahpoppy24
Well-Known Member
Judge a brand on the quality of its education. Not just the product it's self. Tools are only as good as the person using them. I judge a "product" as a whole, what they can offer me, as their customer, as much as what I can give my customer. For example the support you get from your supplier and educator. I know With the products I use I can ring my educator any time and also the supplier if I need to. You get the support and on going education which is to me part of the brand. If they don't offer this, they can't make me, the technician, a professional in their product. Xx
ColourGirly
Well-Known Member
Simply a professional product is manufactured to be sold directly into salons and wholesalers.
Other is a mass produced consumer product designed to be sold into high street outlets, boots tesco etc
Other is a mass produced consumer product designed to be sold into high street outlets, boots tesco etc
