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  • Know Your Nails

    Know Your Nails

    With so many nail treatments to learn, it can be really confusing as to what to offer and why. Our blog breaks down the best nail treatments and the benefits; to help you decide which to learn and to promote them to your clients…

    The Staple Manicureโ€ฆ

    Everyone loves a manicure, fresh and smooth natural nails and skin. All great nail extensions start with proper care of the natural nails so manicures are also great for use following removal of or when on a break from nail extensions. Manicures are great for those trying to grow their natural nails, in the winter months when extreme weather can dry and dull the skin and nails or indeed before a special occasion or holiday. Using basic products and a traditional air-drying polish, you can achieve incredible results although it can take time and repeated treatments to achieve the best results if nails are damaged or particularly dry / brittle. Recommended to be carried out every 3-4 weeks (or more often if traditional polish is applied, which can chip with time and wear).

    Main Benefits

    + Suitable for all clients, both male and female and of all ages

    + Less contra-indications to a manicure versus nail extensions and the benefits of improving nail health and growing own nails can outweigh quick fixes with extensions

    + Less cost and upkeep to maintain results versus nail extensions

    + A wide range of traditional, low cost polishes on the market and offer the option to retail for home use

    + Popular all year round, can be enhanced further in winter with luxury aspects such as warm paraffin or heated mitts and mask

    The Perfect Pedicureโ€ฆ

    A great additional service to provide alongside manicures, caring for the skin and nails of the feet. So many clients have work or hobbies that keeps them on their feet, so it is a popular treatment to offer all year round but especially around holiday season (who doesnโ€™t love fresh polish on toes for the beach) or for weddings and proms. A great treatment to add into your packages, even for those who usually have nail extensions on fingers. Treatments typically take around an hour and are recommended every 3-6 weeks to maintain results.

    Main Benefits

    + Suitable for all clients, both male and female and of all ages

    + A great add on nail service for any nail tech to offer as part of packages or as a standalone treatment

    + A great treatment for holistic therapists to offer alongside massage treatments

    + A great way of retailing home use products to maintain the results

    + Popular all year round, can be enhanced further in winter with luxury aspects such as warm paraffin or heated booties and mask

    Good Olโ€™ Acrylicโ€ฆ

    It has been around for decades and is one of the most popular nail extension systems in use. Using a powder and liquid applied in combination as a small bead applied to the nail surface, to overlay a false tip to give instant additional nail length and an enhanced look. A full set usually takes around an hour to apply with practice and can last 2-3 weeks before requiring maintenance (infilling the regrown natural nail area and rebalancing the nail shape).

    Main Benefits

    + Quick, cheap system to work with. No lamps required to set the nails so great for mobile technicians.

    + Durable, hard-wearing system good for those who want nail extensions but have previous damage to nails such as reformed nail biters, those who do a lot with their hands (horse riders, sports players etc).

    + Lots of acrylic powder colours available allowing the system to be used for creative results or just a classic French look

    Beautiful woman hands with rose, isolated on white

    Trusty UV / LED Gelโ€ฆ

    A newer system than Acrylic, it has become popular as it offers a more natural looking nail extension system that is also easier to work with (doesnโ€™t air dry, but only sets when youโ€™re ready, when you cure under a UV or LED lamp). Also without the vapour of Acrylic due to light curing so better for those who work in less well-ventilated work areas or mobile within clientโ€™s homes. Can be applied over tips to extend natural nails or indeed over natural nails alone to give greater enhanced strength to the nails than say, a gel polish. Typically lasts 2-3 weeks before requiring infill to the regrowth area of the natural nail and rebalancing of the nail shape.

    Main Benefits

    + Low odour unlike acrylic so great for mobile use or where ventilation may not be optimal

    + Flexible, natural-looking system that is great for those wanting extensions for special occasions such as weddings

    + Easy to master as system only sets once light-cured allowing you to tweak nails until you are happy with the finish

    + Product is ready mixed in pots so easy to store and transport, less risk of spilling as with acrylic liquid for example. No need to master product ratios unlike with acrylic.

    Versatile Gel Polishโ€ฆ

    Gel Polish has been around for a while now and is well established, despite being one of the newest nail treatments available. It is quick and easy to learn to apply, with a wide range of brands now available to suit all budgets and in a huge range of colours to suit every client. Gel polish is quick to apply, typically taking only 30-45 minutes to apply to fingers and/or toes and provides a chip-free finish for up to 2-3 weeks. Products go a long way and are dry and ready to go once the topcoat has been cured meaning little wastage making it a profitable treatment. Gel polish should be completely removed around 2-3 weeks after application and either a manicure to refresh the nails or reapplication can be immediate.

    Main Benefits

    + Quick, easy to apply

    + Profitable service suitable for a wide range of clients

    + Great for those who want to grow their natural nails and donโ€™t want the hassle of nail extensions

    + Suitable for those who want a more natural look but still a polished finish

    + Long lasting, chip free polish and high shine finish. Allow you to be creative and offer nail art within the gel easily too.

    + Products available for all budgets and price points

    + UV and LED lamps have come a long way, now much smaller so easily portable for mobile nail techs

    So there you have it, a brief run down of the most popular nail services available. Itโ€™s easy to see how starting with the basics of manicure and pedicure can then lead on to offering either one or both nail extension systems or indeed simply sticking with gel polish. Itโ€™s worth noting that gel polish can also be applied over both UV and acrylic nail extensions allowing for a really top class nail finish and extra revenue for nail techs. You can also see how the maintenance required to upkeep nail treatments easily allows you to build a loyal, regular client base. With 1 day accredited nail training courses starting from only ยฃ199 and online, insurable training courses from only ยฃ99; become a fully qualified nail technician is much easier and more affordable than you may think. Remember most nail technicians typically earn around ยฃ15-ยฃ30 an hour with uncapped earning potential; itโ€™s easy to see why freelance nail technicians are now becoming one of the most popular careers in beauty therapy!

    Call us today on freephone 0800 999 2277 or browse the nail course pages below to find the best training option for you!

  • How to Care for your Nail Products

    How to Care for your Nail Products

    As every good nail technician knows, you can only ever be as good as your tools allow. Once training is completed, the next biggest cost and one which will be ongoing throughout your career is the cost of your nail products and tools. To be successful in business you must reduce costs where possible by correctly using, storing and cleaning your products and tools. Our blog this week focuses on the essential know-how to do just that!

    Your nail brushes whether gel or acrylic are like your magic wands for creating beautiful nails. Finding the right brush for you can take many attempts and so when you find a favourite, it is vital you keep it in tip top condition to get the most from it, for as long as possible.

    Top tip: Never use the same brush for different products / nail systems. Not only will you not get best results but may contaminate your products which could be hazardous or increase the risk of allergic reactions for clients. It will also reduce the shelf life of your products.

    • For acrylic brushes, you will typically be using a natural hair brush and so the best thing to clean it with is your monomer liquid. Allow the brush to soak in a small amount of monomer within a glass dappen dish while finishing off the clients nails to avoid product setting hard into bristles. Brush cleaners typically use acetone as a main ingredient which will dry out natural brushes and may cause them to close their tight shape but are best used only to remove hardened acrylic. Follow this with use of little soap, rinse then soak for 2 hours in monomer to help the brush reset into shape.
    • For gel brushes, these are typically from synthetic, nylon fibres. Wipe excess gel product off using a lint free wipe and store out of direct sunlight to avoid the product setting hard on the brush. Ideally seek out brushes with an incorporated cap to protect the bristles and prevent exposure to sunlight during storage. Wipe any sticky residue from the handle using the gel cleanser product (inhibition layer remover) but never use this on bristles to avoid drying them out.

    Top tip: Always store brushes in a suitable case to avoid contamination with nail dust or other products but donโ€™t put brushes away until they have fully dried. Reshape brush bristles while still damp.

    Storing your products safely and hygienically is hugely important to not only ensure you are working to professional standards and getting the best from your products, without risking infection for your clients but to also avoid wastage and ensure you are considering COSHH at all times. COSHH stands for control of substances hazardous to health. This includes all nail products such as UV Gel, monomer, acetone, nail prep and dehydrator products and any cleaning products such as brush cleaners, surface sanitisers and chemicals like barbicide.

    • It is important that any chemicals that may be hazardous to health if misused or from accidental contact, or otherwise flammable, are stored in labelled packaging in a locked metal cabinet; with access only by those suitably trained to use.
    • You should also consider the risks of incorrect disposal e.g. never putting chemicals like acetone down the drain. Excess acetone for example should be soaked up using couch roll and then disposed immediately in a sealed bin bag placed directly into a metal bin with lid and placed into suitable salon waste disposal (usually general waste) as soon as possible.
    • Ensure you decant only a small amount of products to be used at a time such as monomer liquid and powders, using a dappen dish to avoid cross-contamination. Never work directly from the product tub. Decanting a small amount also reduces the vapours present from the product when working to avoid breathing issues and/or headaches etc.
    • Return the lids to all products immediately once no longer in use to avoid risk of dust contaminating your products and avoid spillage.
    • Keep all UV activated products such as gel polish away from direct sunlight and always away from your UV lamp when working as exposure will begin the curing process, setting the product hard or at least reducing its efficacy and shelf life.

    Top tip: always use a clean lint free wipe dampened with a very small amount of acetone to clean around the top of UV Gel polish or builder gel bottles / tubs before replacing the lids to keep these airtight, prevent these from setting stuck tight and allowing you to work cleanly from these on next use.

    Key Points…

    • Replace product lids/caps once no longer required
    • Decant only a small amount of product at a time as applicable e.g. never work directly from acrylic powder tubs
    • Always clean brushes once finished using
    • Avoid use of brush cleaners, use monomer for acrylic or gel cleanser for UV Gel before product sets hard
    • Use acetone only to remove hardened product but seek to avoid this where possible with prompt cleaning
    • Store brushes away from nail dust in a case or drawer away from exposure to nail dust / daylight
    • Select the right tools – natural hair brush for acrylic, nylon bristles for UV Gel
    • Reshape bristles while damp and don’t put away until they are dry from cleaning

    Upgrade your Nail Tech skills with our Recognised Online Training Courses, Accredited Fast Track Training or even consider an Internationally Approved VTCT Qualification. Learn more by clicking belowโ€ฆ