Newly qualified

[Anna Jayne]

hi all, I was wondering what you would recommend I charge as newly qualified nail tech for the following:
File and polish
Tips with polish
Tips with gel polish
Gel polish on natural nail
Infill
I really don't know what to charge as I am just starting out mobile and still very nervous and my work is not perfect. Also would anyone recommend using bluesky gel polish from bluesky world uk as I have lots of these from before I started the nail course as I always did my own nails. Thanks for any advice x

 

[oni]

Hi I use Orly fx for a long time and just brought some blue sky polish and to be honest I prefer the blue sky . My clients love it too. I just offer both polish's for clients to choose from . Alongs you are buying directly from blue sky website. Then in my opinion blue sky is brilliant .

 

[Serene Vicky]

Hi, am in EXACTLY the same position! I have bluesky at the moment, and keep thinking that I need to upgrade them, but need to be able to fund this, as to get a good range of colours would take quite a lot of money! One course that I went on said Bluesky are a good value option, then another course I went on, same school, different tutor said avoid Bluesky, so I am sooo very confused! Very interested in this post!

 

[beauty bits]

For prices you need to have a rough idea of which products you will be using so you can work out cost per service, then add on other costs and what you want to earn per treatment. As for blue sky I personally would avoid. I understand that they are now better than what they was but it's too widly available to everyone. So no matter how much they say it is it is not a professional only product. As a client I would not expect a facial from someone using cheep superdrug products, or a hairdressers to use asda own shampoo on my hair so why would a client want a product that they both buy and apply themselves. If you want to charge a reasonable price for your treatments I feel you need to use products that reflect it x

 

[Serene Vicky]

Sorry to hijack the post, but that is really helpful Beauty bits, thank you! Would you recommend really ditching the blue sky and replacing, or is blue sky ok to hang on to for nail art rather than just throwing it away?

 

[*Carly*]

In regards to prices, you say your work isn't perfect. Is it good enough to be charging? Personally I think you should be practising on friends, family and models for minimal charge to cover product costs, until you are at a good enough standard. I haven't been doing it that long and I don't enhance and I still take a very long time to do anything. BUT my end result is of a high standard, so I charge full price and I charge what most would consider to be quite high. I live in a high cost area and do not see the cheapo places on the high street as competition. Do not start out cheap, you will never be able to raise your prices and people won't value your work if you don't.

As for Blue Sky, personally I would never ever touch it. I keep seeing the odd posts on various groups and forums from techs saying they can't wear gel anymore due to allergies. In every single instance it turns out they've been using Blue Sky! I am very cautious and do a lot of research before I'll take on a brand. I treat my clients like gold, they are my income and I charge high and give them a top quality service. In my area, this is what sets me apart. Everyone comments on the different service they get from me. No matter how tempting a colour is, I won't risk it.

If you are looking for a brand which carries lots of glitters, thermals and exciting colours, check out Le Chat Perfect Match from ASU. This is a professional range and ASU have excellent support.

If you are looking for a more low cost option, check out Ink London. Excellent quality, great customer service and professional only.

In my opinion I would sell off all the blue sky (there are lots of fb groups where you can do this) and put the money towards a professional brand. Good luck xx

 

[blossom]

DITCH THE BLUE SKY

 

[Hattie]

This is an interesting article about setting your prices, that another member posted a couple of weeks ago. I can't remember their name, but thank you for sharing it! https://feewallace.com/tag/nail-blog/

 

[CocoAllure]

DITCH THE BLUE SKY

Lol blossom

 

[Cindy2021]

In regards to prices, you say your work isn't perfect. Is it good enough to be charging? Personally I think you should be practising on friends, family and models for minimal charge to cover product costs, until you are at a good enough standard. I haven't been doing it that long and I don't enhance and I still take a very long time to do anything. BUT my end result is of a high standard, so I charge full price and I charge what most would consider to be quite high. I live in a high cost area and do not see the cheapo places on the high street as competition. Do not start out cheap, you will never be able to raise your prices and people won't value your work if you don't.

As for Blue Sky, personally I would never ever touch it. I keep seeing the odd posts on various groups and forums from techs saying they can't wear gel anymore due to allergies. In every single instance it turns out they've been using Blue Sky! I am very cautious and do a lot of research before I'll take on a brand. I treat my clients like gold, they are my income and I charge high and give them a top quality service. In my area, this is what sets me apart. Everyone comments on the different service they get from me. No matter how tempting a colour is, I won't risk it.

If you are looking for a brand which carries lots of glitters, thermals and exciting colours, check out Le Chat Perfect Match from ASU. This is a professional range and ASU have excellent support.

If you are looking for a more low cost option, check out Ink London. Excellent quality, great customer service and professional only.

In my opinion I would sell off all the blue sky (there are lots of fb groups where you can do this) and put the money towards a professional brand. Good luck xx

I'm sure it's not every instance that the tech has been using bluesky that's caused an allergy.

 

[*Carly*]

I'm sure it's not every instance that the tech has been using bluesky that's caused an allergy.

Not every allergy instance ever, no.
Shockingly, the 3 individuals I recently saw discussing allergies to gel a week or so ago on various Facebook threads, when I read the whole thing all 3 said they were using blue sky. It was different people in 2 different groups, but I'm sure someone said it in the magpie group.

I'd have said the same as you if I hadn't seen people say it with my own eyes. I always thought people were just scare mongering tbh. I didn't respond on those threads, but it did stick with me. X

 

[Cindy2021]

Not every allergy instance ever, no.
Shockingly, the 3 individuals I recently saw discussing allergies to gel a week or so ago on various Facebook threads, when I read the whole thing all 3 said they were using blue sky. It was different people in 2 different groups, but I'm sure someone said it in the magpie group.

I'd have said the same as you if I hadn't seen people say it with my own eyes. I always thought people were just scare mongering tbh. I didn't respond on those threads, but it did stick with me. X

I've been discussing allergies in the group but I use Cuccio veneer and Nsi L&P

 

[*Carly*]

I've been discussing allergies in the group but I use Cuccio veneer and Nsi L&P

Wasn't you Hun! And it was in 2 different fb groups. I'm not saying everyone who uses it has a problem, loads of people clearly use it and are fine, but there does seem to be higher instances of reactions with it. Personally I just wouldn't risk it and the fact that people can buy it for stupid money on places like eBay and Amazon is also incredibly off putting. X

 

[oni]

I know someone who had a allergic reaction to cnd shellac . Also you can buy anything off eBay or Amazon even cnd . I trained in Orly fx and you can get that off eBay now . It's brand snobbery. Yes blue sky copied shellac when first come out but that's the past . Blue sky are lovely polishes and haven't damaged my nails or clients .

 

[beauty bits]

It's not brand snobbery, it's providing a profesional service with pro products and I don't use cnd :o There's loads of pro products that are very inexpensive. And of course anyone can buy anything from eBay I dare say I could get slimming tablets from there too. Would I? No because you have no idea what's in there. I just don't get the eBay argument. If your happy with your product choice then lovely. In the eyes of most people, clients included a pro service in any industry requires pro products.

 

[CocoAllure]

I know someone who had a allergic reaction to cnd shellac . Also you can buy anything off eBay or Amazon even cnd . I trained in Orly fx and you can get that off eBay now . It's brand snobbery. Yes blue sky copied shellac when first come out but that's the past . Blue sky are lovely polishes and haven't damaged my nails or clients .

If it came from eBay or Amazon it was most probably fake hence why your friend had the reaction in the first place.
Bluesky have always copied the bigger brands. If they were so good why can't they just be themselves? Why do they need to imitate the genuine bigger brands if they were so good? Obv they've been sued. They still copy cnd's shellac names such as cake pop Etc. Why would you want to provide a service for someone using products they can buy cheaply themselves?
You don't go to the hairdressers expecting them to use a Clairol nice and easy on you do you?

 

[*Carly*]

To add to this from a clients perspective- my nan's beauty therapist started using superdrug strip wax for her upper lip waxes and free samples for her facials. Now my nan is really sweet and not a snob at all. I was really surprised when she told me, just by the fact that she noticed it tbh. It really bothered her and put her off, she was paying good money for what she felt had now become a cheapo budget job, especially as the therapist had previously used quality products in the past. My nan started to feel she was being jipped! Safe to say, she no longer uses her services.

None of us want our clients feeling like that. Professional products for a professional service. There are lots of brands I really would love to try but won't if they don't require a certificate to purchase.

If your business is thriving using Blue Sky or Elite 99 or whatever then good for you. That's great if it works for you and you have no issues and your clients love it! Personally I won't go down that route and would advise new techs to decide for themselves what sort of business and clientele they are hoping for and to do a lot of research and make the decision for themselves.

On the topic of allergies, you can become allergic or hypersensitive to pretty much anything. Certain things are more likely than others though, nut allergies are more common than citrus for example. Products that use a higher concentration of photo initiators are more susceptible to causing reactions.

 

[oni]

Hi I mainly have Orly fx gel polish and have brought a couple of blue sky polish . I tell my clients about the history about each polish I use . I don't charge at a professional rate for blue sky as I would my ORLY gel polish. And I DEFIANTLY DON'T Pass it off as shellac . So I let them choose .