Which do you prefer?

[vanitybeauty1]

I go back and forth between Shellac and Gelish I kinda like how Gelish has a lot more product in each bottle but Im still unsure of which Product I prefer, Gelish also seems to have alot more colours to choose from!
Or do you prefer another brand? if so what? and why? X

 

[Marilyn Monroe]

I stock both and have clients some prefer gelish, some prefer shellac.
I prefer shellac. It is because gelish shrinks a lot and I have to do three coats to get satisfied clients.

 

[ZeniaDK]

I only use Igel - that's why i choose 'other' - but i'm fairly certain, i'd use shellac if i had the possibility

 

[Adele81]

I have used both but prefer gelish. It is more time consuming but I find it lasts longer than shellac and you can charge more for the service.

 

[Wonda]

When I was making my "which brand" decision, i looked at loads of posts on here. Some of it helpful, some not, & some very bias "brand name" is the only decent product & everything else is crap comments.

I went with Gelish due to the colour range & a friend who's a local nail tech said she found it very popular & easy to use.

I tend to find clients that have had Shellac prefer Gelish due to the colour variety I stock & they find it slightly harder wearing.

As for the amount of layers you have to use, yeah some of them are weaker than others, but as long as your layers are thin, as per your training, you shouldn't have any issues.

I haven't experienced any shrinkage with my stock, which is over 30 bottles, then with layering & glitters I think I can offer over 50 colour choices.

Each client is different, most of my clients get 3 weeks, my mum tends to get 3 solid weeks out of it but did get 5 weeks with a French polish look, but a client I did a couple of weeks ago had that much natural nail regrowth after a week she asked to take it off as the amount of new nail showing was too much & she couldn't afford weekly manicures !!

 

[Jocie]

I'm a gelish girl all the way. I like the option of the new vitagel stregther. The colors are amazing and it lasts so great. It get asks for by name, I had shellac and wasn't to impressed. I ended up not stocking it anymore because it was so rarely asked for.

 

[geeg]

I think most of the UV colour coats wear about the same and last about the same; I think all the brands have a more than adequate colour range. We all have clients who wear the brand we use for weeks, and others who don't go the full 'mile'. We all have clients who pick and peel and abuse their UV colour coating. How long a manicure lasts is completely dependent on the client and how well she respects her investment in the manicure, her natural nail condition and her commitment to homecare advice. No brand lasts 3 weeks on every client.

I use Shellac for other reasons than just length of wear and colour range, which we are completely happy with.
Ease and speed of application and removal. Quite simply it is a faster service than gel. No nail prep, just cuticle removal and sanitise; fast application and no faffing about wiping sticky inhibition layer; complete coverage in 2 thin coats, and the biggest brightest hardest wearing shine ever. Fast removal. And I love that it is hypoallergenic.

Final reason we use Shellac is the clients want it and ask for it by name every day. While others around us are claiming to use Shellac or 'something like Shellac', we HAVE Shellac and are completely happy in that choice.

 

[adventuregirl]

Am I right in saying that you can buy Gelish in Sallys? Does this mean it's available to the public to buy?

If so, that'd really put me off, as a therapist, as it takes away the exclusivity of the salon treatment, in my opinion.

I picked Shellac, because it's globally recognised and they are bringing out so many new things. It's constantly evolving, which is exciting for us, as therapists, and this is transferred onto our clients

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[adventuregirl]

It is absolutely available and openly sold to the consumer in other countries and it seems the "writing is on the wall" there for the future IMO.

Agree!

Back to the OP's question. Knowing that, I'd definitely favour the company who is for the professional, exclusively.

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[Nails<3]

Am I right in saying that you can buy Gelish in Sallys? Does this mean it's available to the public to buy?

If so, that'd really put me off, as a therapist, as it takes away the exclusivity of the salon treatment, in my opinion.

I picked Shellac, because it's globally recognised and they are bringing out so many new things. It's constantly evolving, which is exciting for us, as therapists, and this is transferred onto our clients

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Gelish is available in Sally's but shouldn't be sold to the public.

You don't have salon exclusivity with shellac either. It's sold on eBay, amazon. You can buy it from websites. It's the same for every product.

 

[lucyboo]

I have a client who's a hair dresser & She Will often come to her appointments with a new colour for me to put on that she's bought in Sallys!!! I know shell never put it on herself & it is the genuine product so I use it on her, but I thought only people with the relevant training could buy it!!

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[Wonda]

Thing is though, you can get ANY product genuine or fake on the net now, usually auction sites. Ok any reputable tech wouldn't buy their main product from these places.
I've seen genuine CND products for sale on Amazon, so exclusivity isn't what it was.

But due to the fact that I can buy Gelish at Sally's (where you usually need certificates & insurance details to open an account), I wasnt/would be put off by it.

I actually find it helpful if I suddenly realise I'm out of a colour cause it spilt on the floor or something I can pop over to my local store & they'll have it in, rather than having to wait for the postman to deliver.

I'm sure there are plenty of hairdressers out there that wouldn't use a certain product just cause Salons Direct have a store/online availability.

When choosing a product you should chose it for how you like to use it & what your customers want, not how easy/hard it is to buy.

My advice is try & ring a few of the salons/mobile techs around your area & see what's selling brand wise.

 

[geeg]

Gelish is available in Sally's but shouldn't be sold to the public.

You don't have salon exclusivity with shellac either. It's sold on eBay, amazon. You can buy it from websites. It's the same for every product.

That is the silliest argument I've heard yet :lol:

Shellac is sold under the table on the 'black market' as it were to unscrupulous people and illegal importers and by illegal exporters NOT BY CND ..... That is one hell of a site different to the main company itself, selling to the public as well as the professionals.

CND is professional only and only sold exclusively to the professional by CND.

In the US many brands are openly sold to the consumer through legit consumer shops as well as Sally's and by the main company because that is their policy ... They are no longer professional only and the one mentioned is one of them.

 

[adventuregirl]

[QUOTE=Nails

From a customer point of view, I'd be a bit put off if a therapist was buying Shellac unofficially from ebay or amazon. Then again, I'd probably be none the wiser, but, in principle, it's a bit low end.

Anyhoo, each to their own :hug:

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[Nails<3]

That is the silliest argument I've heard yet :lol:

Shellac is sold under the table on the 'black market' as it were to unscrupulous people and illegal importers and by illegal exporters NOT BY CND ..... That is one hell of a site different to the main company itself, selling to the public as well as the professionals.

CND is professional only and only sold exclusively to the professional by CND.

In the US many brands are openly sold to the consumer through legit consumer shops as well as Sally's and by the main company because that is their policy ... They are no longer professional only and the one mentioned is one of them.

It wasn't an argument, but I was merely stating that all products can be brought without the need of certificates.
I'd didn't mention in my post CND wasn't a pro product, I stated that it can be brought by the public from sellers trying to make a quick buck. If others can buy it, it's not salon exclusive regardless of whether the company is selling the products to the public or not. So the argument of gelish being sold in Sally's to the public is irrelevant. If a client wants to buy a product then they will find ways and means of it as per Lucy's post. It's how well the product works and whether it will work for that persons business.


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[Nails<3]

I wasn't saying that professionals will be buying shellac from eBay and the like, but not many products are exclusive to the salon if it can be brought elsewhere, whether its from the supplier or not.

 

[adventuregirl]

[QUOTE=Nails

Fair point

I'm just saying I like the fact that, legitimately, Shellac is only sold to the professional.

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[Beautygirl1977]

I didn't do enough research before I choose my product and although I do like it I wish everyday I went with CND. I really really want to change to them and I am desperate to go on their courses. I've even been booked on and had to cancel. I got married last year and I can't change at the moment but I put money away every week and i hope by next year I will get there! I have a few Gelish but I'm not keen but maybe its because I haven't had training in it. Anyway everything Geeg said is true. That's my take on it.

 

[mini4mum]

I think it's horses for courses, both Nail Harmony & CND (S2 here in UK) both profess its a professional only brand.
I love the colours of Gelish but also love Shellac. My clients will chop & change between both, just for the colours!! Both can be cured with a CND lamp - perfect!!
As regarding the "black" market in professional only products, it's no different to any other business, fake bags, DVDs, Make-up, professional only facial products etc etc! I choose to rise above it, I know my standards & my education/training will be far above anything a non professional can offer or understand. But overall, has Auction sites really affected our business. No.

 

[C the Results]

I do use both Shellac and Gelish, I introduced Gelish as I had a few customers that Shellac didn't seem to suit and Gelish lasts better on them. However I am hoping that with Brisa Light smoothing gel I can move them all over to Shellac. Gelish has a huge colour range but I have a lot of colours that are really wishy washy even though they are meant to be opaque and never get used. Sweet Squared customer service is amazing and that is really important to me.
With regard to pro only products, I opened my account at Nail Harmony without showing any proof of qualification at all, maybe i just slipped through the net though!