Michelle, you really need to start telling us how you really feel,
think you hard holding back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! LOLOLOL
Awe, I understand what you are saying, and professional is the way to
go. And yes I get upset when techs pull out their WalGreen lotion to
use on their clients, or the Cutex polish remover.
I soo understand. But my products are in my drawer beside me, my
powder and liquid are in containers that are clear, not product
labeled. The customer has no idea. I tell them what line I use, and
I consider it the best line that I think works.
For example, I use Protein Bond, love this stuff, and it works
fantastic with all product lines. Is a customer going to stop coming
to me, or not come to me because of this 1/4 oz bottle.
I have 5 gels, do I really need 5 different gel lights for each company?
Base Coat and Top Coat, do I really need different base coats and top
coats for each polish line?
This is an interesting subject, and Michelle I know exactly what you
are saying. I agree. But also know that I have to use common sense
when it comes to my bottom line.
I have seen the hodge Podge of drug store products, and it is
disgusting. But have to say, because use another companies primer or
another companies gel light is not going to affect my biz.
And you and Holly are loyal to your product lines, awesome. I am
loyal to companies, but have learned thru the years, that I am loyal
to certain products from these companies.
It all boils down to marketing, how you market yourself and your
services. Thanks Michelle, I loved your two posts.........loved
them. diana from indiana
At 02:51 AM 5/26/2010, you wrote:
Here is my (unsolicited) opinion... I use entire lines. I use Tammy
Taylor Acrylic... the whole thing. On my acrylic clients, I use TT
Scrub and Lotion even. I use OPI Axxium Gel... the whole thing.
(They get TT scrub too, now that I think about it. I may change
that.) I use CND Spa Manicure Pedicure.... the whole thing. I do use
my CND Brisa UV lamp for my OPI only because I do not like the style
of the OPI light.... and with the new CND light coming out, I am
buying TWO new lamps... one for each side of my table so they match.
I do all this for several reasons...
1) It just flat out LOOKS better... everything matches.
2) Better mfr support and technical advice.
3) Eliminates client suspicion... we are supposed to be the pros,
what does it say if we are effing with the "professional" products?
4) Easier to answer client questions... "What product do you use?"
answer- "Tammy Taylor Acrylic, including the color powders! Did you
have something specific in mind?"
5) Can make advertising and marketing more targeted.
I feel that is just looks more professional..... No offense to
anyone, but one of the reasons that we don't get treated like
professionals is, in my opinion, because we don't act like one
sometimes. Many people have disagreed with me over the years... but
after 14 years, I am still here. I am still busy. I charge $70 for a
full set of acrylics, and $85 for a full set of gels. I am $40 for a
backfill, and $45-55 for a gel fill. Manicures, $30. Pedicures $50.
And not in a huge corporate spa... just with little 'ol me. And I
had clients who lost their jobs in the economy... they stretched
their appts out, but I did not lose ONE client... NOT ONE to
anything other than them moving away. The product thing isn't all of
that, but it does help promote an image.
My clients are doctors and doctor's wives. Do you think their
offices look like a hodgepodge of crap? Would you trust them if it
did?! My clients are pharmacists, lawyers, real estate agents and
mortgage lenders... how about them? Would you go to them if they
just used a bunch of random crap that looked like it had been thrown
together? Would you pay top dollar for it? I also have stay at home
moms, welders, mechanics, casino workers... if they wanted to look
at mismatched stuff they would hang out in their own bathrooms.
Sorry, as you can see this is a hot button for me! A lot of stuff is
client perception too... one time I ran out of TT liquid and had to
buy EZ Flow to get me through one day. I poured it in my old TT
crystal liquid bottle because I did not want to hear one frickin
WORD about "hey, that's different." or "Oh, my nails just didn't
hold up because you used that other stuff" or "Oh, my nails did way
better because you used that other thing, I want you to get that for
JUST ME.".... I don't have the time or energy for all that. :) And
guess what? Nobody noticed a difference... LOL....
Whew. Anyhoo, I'm just sayin....
Michelle Cordes, Owner/Licensed Nail Technician
The Nail Spa in Silverdale, Washington
"The spa for your hands and feet since 1997"
<http://www.myspace.com/thenailspa>www.myspace.com/thenailspa
From: Holly L. Schippers <[email protected]>
To: BeautyTech E-List <[email protected]>
Sent: Tue, May 25, 2010 8:10:36 PM
Subject: RE: NailTech:: mixing products/Lamps n stuff
lol Diana, I did it backwards!! I started out trying this that and
the other mixing whatever struck my fancy at the moment or happened
to be on sale. As I continued to have constant problems I finally
listened and started to transition into all one line. Here is where
it comes in that I am a bit old school principled, as an EA I only
use CND. If we make it I don't use anyone else's anything, not even
polish, you have no idea how hard that was for me before Colour and
Effects. I fully realize that salons are happy using walmart hand
sanitizer to save a buck and that consumers prefer polishes that
were marketed to them instead of their nail professional and I am ok
with that! But at the end of the day I really believe that using a
system says something about loyalty and belief in the product as
well as my personal professionalism. Do I break rules, sure I'm
wearing Rockstar Toes as we "speak", but I used everything CND to
get them on ;o) I hope that no one ever comes away from my class
feeling "duped" because I give them information I have been given
and that I fully believe in and use for myself. So when I ask about
the lamp as a troubleshooting question, it is what I am trained to
do, it is also what I believe in whole heartedly. I rarely have
advice on other brands because I do not use them. Maybe in another
10 years I will view things differently, but with my measely 11
years as a nail tech, that's where I stand!
Holly L. Schippers
CND Education Ambassador
<mailto:[email protected]>[email protected]
641-660-4058 c
Visit <http://www.cnd.com/>cnd.com for the latest in products,
education and nail fashion!
> Date: Tue, 25 May 2010 22:50:25 -0400
> To: [email protected]
> From: [email protected]
> Subject: Re: NailTech:: mixing products/Lamps n stuff
>
> We old techs, oops, I mean more experienced techs learned long ago a
> couple of things.
> When you are starting out you follow the product line, to a T!!!!!!
> Then as you realize, Oh Wow, I have this down, then you start
> thinking, well, what about this, what about that, and you start
> playing around. Start experimenting.
>
> We start slow, because we know that the only way a company will back
> us up is that we cannot mix products!!!!! We knew that, but as a
> group of individuals who are creative, we just couldn't resist.
>
> And also, we realized that educators that work for companies CANNOT
> help you unless you follow their product guidelines. They work for a
> certain company and this company has spent thousands of dollars to
> invent, test and market a product. They cannot give us advice on why
> their product is having problems unless you have used all of their
> products by their standards.
>
> We have also learned that educators in the past have not been totally
> honest and we saw right thru them. "you have lifting problems, it is
> because you are using Brand X hand sanitizer, not our hand
> sanitizer".Yea right.
>
> Also, you have to realize that educators may not be allowed to tell
> you that yes, as a nail tech, I know you can use this companies blah
> blah, but that may put their job at risk.
>
> I have 5 different gels that I have used, and I use a 4-9watt bulb
> light. Does it work? Yes. I think where the issues are is the
> timing. I have learned that I use brand X, it takes a minute longer,
> Brand Y will dull if I keep it in too long, Brand Z timing is perfect.
>
> I appreciate the companies educators on this list that help us
> out. Also I appreciate the educators that can give us extra info on
> other brands that is not their own. I understand both
> positions. Been there Done That.
>
> The issue is the lamps. We do not know. This is all new to us, and
> sooner or later we will figure it out like we did when ac started,
> and gels started. It will come. We need to weed it out. Just like
> us old timers, we have seen it all, and have learned. JMHO...diana
> from indiana
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> At 08:24 PM 5/25/2010, you wrote:
> >I know that we've been told to use the manufacturer's lights with
> >their product, and I understand their reasoning. I just don't buy it.
> >
> >We were told for years not to mix product or something horrible like
> >service break down or worse would happen.
> >
> >Well, some of us rebels (Me, Lynette, Maggie, Dianna et al) did it
> >anyway and guess what happened? Nothing! Imagine that!
> >
> >What we discovered is service break down has a lot more to do with a
> >tech's SKILL than the products used.
> >
> >I use Something Wonderful with all my enhancement products, I use
> >Naillite universal liquid with all my powders, I use acetone to soak
> >off and alcohol to cleanse. I use acetone to prep too.
> >
> >I have 2 brisa lamps that are collecting dust because the 4 bulb
> >tunnel lights that I got from star nail for $40 years ago work
> >better! I use those lamps with axxium, IBD, NSI, Akzents and brisa.
> >No problems!
> >
> >I'm not willing to spend $200 on another lamp when the one I have
> >works just fine. And after looking for LED lights and seeing what
> >they sell for from the chinese distributors (anywhere from $20 to
> >$65) plus shipping there is no way I'm willing to pay 4, 5 or 6
> >times markup. No way.
> >
> >Now, if I sell gel, traditional or soak off, I'm going to want to
> >sell my lights, but I'd rather sell my GEL! Make the lights more
> >reasonable and I'll buy one, but I'm not going to be taken advantage
> >of or duped into buying something because "they" say I have to!
> >
> >JMTC
> >
> >Sherri
> >Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile
> >
> >--
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>
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