what other services can a nail tech offer?

[mercedes69]

I am probably running before I can walk here...but I would like to know opinions about what other treatments or services can or should be offered to a nail technicians business. Now I have done a search on here but there is so much to go through, plus fashions and trends change all the time I thought I would post this and maybe even help someone else in the process.
Anyway..I am going to be doing a foundation course in L&P in September all being well. Now once I am able to...I would love to turn it into a business. But offering just L&P enhancements is not going to make a business, well a profitable one anyway. I will obviously follow this on with a Gel course so I can cover at least two options but what I want to know is...

Nail Art - Is it worth training or investing in the products? I have seen it a lot on toes this summer, especially on Spanish ladies.

Toe overlays - Is this popular? ( I hate feet..I am obsessed with checking them out!!! do clients just whip out their tootsies and you have to work on them?) Is this getting more popular and is it worth advertising you do it?

Manicure/Pedicure - Is this an essential part of a nail tech's business? ( I am thinking the manicure side of it is ? )

Spray Tanning - this seems popular...is it worth training and investment?

What else?
I am thinking of all these things purely because with a hubby who has to pay for all this I like to make sure I have researched as much as I can so that I can sensibly expect him to part with his cash! It has taken me a few years of research to get to this point..:lol:

I will be doing my L&P course using Creative.
I am not sure in which direction I would like to take this...home based/mobile/renting space etc... I am going to get more advice on that decision as I go along and do some more market research.
Another thing to bear in mind is the European ( Spain ) market different to UK/USA/Australasia etc...?

( my daughter is doing an ITEC beauty therapy/holistic massage course... I don't want to do anything along those lines...I will leave that to her!! )

Thank you

 

[cherryblossom]

Im a home based nail tech, but plan to go mobile, i offer :
nail enhancements
maicure/pedicure
toe nail overlays called hollywood feet
nail piercing/ art/gems
tooth gems
im also a qualified ear piercer so do a few of those as well. i advertise all these offers at which are all very popular at the moment. hth

 

[Sassy Hassy]

OMG pedicures are a must here, we do loads of full on spapedicures and clients love them. Manicures are more popular with the Spanish ladies. Spray tanning was very popular when I first started in June, but haven't done any in the last month - hoping it will pick up again after the summer season. I do very little in the way of nail art, and techs never tend to charge enough for it anyway, however rhinestones are a must (I've currently got black polish on my toes with a line of rhinestones along each free edge and I get some many comments on them!).

 

[janeawallace]

I do acrylic and gel
manicures shape and polish and luxury
same with peds
waxing


might do facials and massage later

 

[lotus blossom]

toenail reconstruction?
i do a lot of this
hth x

 

[janeawallace]

what is toe nail reconstruction does the name state the obvious???:lol:

 

[1999judy]

I offer all the above but also offer ear piercing. Tbh after you've pierced a few clients it has payed for itself and then you only have to buy sterile wipes, aftercare solution and earrings. And it's not really much work..apart from when you pierce young children and feel a bit mean!
Tooth gems I tried and did make my money back but stopped offering the service and sold it on. It was popular but I just hated to do it.

 

[clara doon]

you need to get over the fear of feet ! lol
I did this year and has been very helpful !! I've done loads of pedis and the brisa toes have down a storm, it was worth doing the brisa course to be able to offer the toes tbh xx

I do also do quite a bit of nail art, its not for everyone but good to be able to at least offer a bit x

 

[Chameleon]

OMG pedicures are a must here, we do loads of full on spapedicures and clients love them. Manicures are more popular with the Spanish ladies. Spray tanning was very popular when I first started in June, but haven't done any in the last month - hoping it will pick up again after the summer season. I do very little in the way of nail art, and techs never tend to charge enough for it anyway, however rhinestones are a must (I've currently got black polish on my toes with a line of rhinestones along each free edge and I get some many comments on them!).

Have to agree with Sassy here.Ive known therapists in France who just do pedicures and nothing else... Alot of beauty therapists in France dont do pedicures,and reccommend clients to these"pedicurists"

The other essential is a manicure.There are alot of women who dont want enhancements,and a manicure is essential,i think.Nail art could also be a possibility aswell.This has never been in my comfort zone,but ultimately its you Jo who must decide:hug:

 

[hayls]

Even though I just do nails, my brochure is huge, I offer:
-L&P
-Brisa
-Fabric#
-Express Mani
-Classic Mani
-Spa Mani
-Express Pedi
-Classic Pedi
-Spa Pedi
-Male Mani
-Male Pedi
-Raw Earth Pedi
-Fantasy enhancements
-NNO's
-Brisa and L&P Toes
-Natural Nail repairs
-Nail biters programme
-Packages
etc etc etc there is more but I havent got it infront of me
I offer nail art but havent been on a course or anything, tbh, its nothing elaborate, flowers, butterflies,flicks etc.

I think to be able to carry out a manicure and a pedicure is essential for a nail technician, 50% of my clients are natural nail clients.

 

[lotus blossom]

what is toe nail reconstruction does the name state the obvious???:lol:

lol!!
ppl with no toenails due to removal or damage, i reconstruct them !!!

 

[gemmamarie]

Hiya

I think that you can offer what ever you like hun
but I do think that manicures and pedicures would be fantastic as they all go together. Once you have got all this under your belt and up and running the world is your oyster mate:hug:
good luck hun xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[Vetty]

But offering just L&P enhancements is not going to make a business, well a profitable one anyway. I will obviously follow this on with a Gel course so I can cover at least two options but what I want to know is...

My business is nails only, and I'm busy and profitable! When I started out I only ofered L+P and manicures and I still gained clients.

There's a lot to be said for being good at one thing IMO.

Nail Art - Is it worth training or investing in the products? I have seen it a lot on toes this summer, especially on Spanish ladies.

I wouldn't spend a lot on this unless you ahve a natural talent for it. I offer rhinestones for a bit of bling, but people don't want nail art where I am!

Toe overlays - Is this popular? Is this getting more popular and is it worth advertising you do it?

Yep! Without wishing to sound condescending, toe overlays are easy money.....

Manicure/Pedicure - Is this an essential part of a nail tech's business? ( I am thinking the manicure side of it is ? )

There are alway natural nail clients, manicure is essential

What else?
I am thinking of all these things purely because with a hubby who has to pay for all this I like to make sure I have researched as much as I can so that I can sensibly expect him to part with his cash! It has taken me a few years of research to get to this point..:lol:

I don't think you have to invest in anything else, it depends on whether you want to. I only do nails, L+P, Gel and Manicure - there are plenty of variations in there but at this point I'm busy enough doing just nails and that's all I want to do...... I want to be the best Nail Tech I can be so I stick to what I'm good at. If you're good the work is out there......

hth's!

 

[mercedes69]

you are all so fantastic!!! :hug:

Lots of help and advice and food for thought :lol:

I am definitely going to have to get over my aversion to feet

I realise that you can have a very successful business offering L&P enhancements, natural nail care, manicures and pedicures. Obviously I need to qualify and be more than capable of doing the above before I go any further anyway.
The problem is mainly due to my location...as lovely as it is...I think I would need to offer maybe just a little more.
There was a lady who trained and started a business offering eyelash extensions. She used my daughter as a 'model'. She spent quite a bit of money and time getting her business off the ground so to speak...but there wasn't anyone interested and she has upped sticks and returned to the UK. I was thinking maybe if she had perhaps had a bigger portfolio of 'services' ...for instance someone mentioned ear piercing, tooth gems, make-up maybe...nail care etc.. then would she have had a better chance of succeeding? Maybe, maybe not...but a client booking one thing might lead to that same client booking another... am I making sense??? It makes sense in my head lol :lol:

I think I have had some terrific advice from all of you. Now I just need some hypnosis... 'must.learn.to.love.feet'

 

[Sassy Hassy]

I had such an aversion to feet too. I've only been doing pedicures for the past 2 years of my nailing career. It wasn't the smell or anything like that as you soak the feet before you touch them - I just had a fear of feet, I hated the way they look. I just thought I really can't call myself a real nail tech if I don't offer pedicures and thanks to the geeks I conquered my fear. I did 4 pedis in one day this week! 140 euros and Kerrching!

 

[mercedes69]

I had such an aversion to feet too. I've only been doing pedicures for the past 2 years of my nailing career. It wasn't the smell or anything like that as you soak the feet before you touch them - I just had a fear of feet, I hated the way they look. I just thought I really can't call myself a real nail tech if I don't offer pedicures and thanks to the geeks I conquered my fear. I did 4 pedis in one day this week! 140 euros and Kerrching!

funny...but I just got over my aversion to feet...wonder why??? lol

One thing though...if a client booked a gel overlay just for her toes say...do you soak their feet first or anything like that? Or do you have to touch the feet straight from their shoes???? :Scared:
I think I could handle pedicures...just...because the feet go into soak straight away...its the ones that want overlays..or just a polish that sort of thing.
Oh my I can see my career going down the pan before I even start lol

<thinking> 4 pedis = 140€ in one day <must keep thinking> :lol:

 

[Sassy Hassy]

When doing gel overlays I don't soak, just use coolblue sanitiser. But you could soak quickly if you wanted to!

 

[Vanneb]

I really don't like feet either, horrible mucky things they can be!! I have a spray bottle with water and a scensations wash mix in it and spray the feet before I touch them, or those anti-bacterial handwipes you can get....if they are really bad both!!!!

 

[mercedes69]

lmao...:lol::lol::lol:

Do they do industrial sizes on sanitizers, wipes etc???? lol

Nice to see I am not the only one with this problem...the trouble is although I hate them so much...I am obsessed with looking at them...whats that all about?