Purchasing Nail Products In Stores...

[Ms.Matrix]

I've been holding on to this question for quite some time hoping I would come across it somewhere along the site, but eithere the answer was blurry of not there at all.

In the UK can you not buy nail products at all (acrylic L&P, gel, e-files, etc) if you are not licensed/certified or can you not buy certain nail products such as Creative, Brisa, etc? and if you cannot do you think that it should be like that everywhere else? Here in my city you can walk into virtually any beauty supply store and buy Alpha 9, Supernail, Tammy Taylor, etc, etc. In all my years of doing nails I have not yet seen any product that John Q. Public couldn't walk in off the street and purchase...and sorry I didn't even know about Creative til I joined this site.:o

You can also buy cosmotology products like hair dye, home perms, wigs, weave, salon perms, waxing sets so on and so on, now as far as cosmotology products there are a couple you cannot buy unless you have completed school and have license in hand when you go to the store.

Hope I have not taken up to much time...I was just really curious about this, hope someone has some answers. Thanks!

 

[mooredianne]

Hiya. Hopefully I have read your question correctly and it has sunk properly!! Over here you can get home perms, home colouring kits in most chemists and supermarkets, even some corner shops. Some chemists also sell L&P sets (usually by revlon or other cosmetics company) and there are also several mail order places that you can get gel kits, l&p kits from. The products certainly are not of the standard that you would get from creative, nsi, baskscratchers etc and obviously no one askes you for a certificate before you purchase!! hope that helps!!

 

[Ms.Matrix]

Hiya. Hopefully I have read your question correctly and it has sunk properly!! Over here you can get home perms, home colouring kits in most chemists and supermarkets, even some corner shops. Some chemists also sell L&P sets (usually by revlon or other cosmetics company) and there are also several mail order places that you can get gel kits, l&p kits from. The products certainly are not of the standard that you would get from creative, nsi, baskscratchers etc and obviously no one askes you for a certificate before you purchase!! hope that helps!!

Yeah, it does...I had been thinking that you could not purchase anything like that in UK unless you had some kind of license or certification, anyway that's what I was lead to believe, obviously I have been misunderstanding some of the post I've been reading :o Thanks!!

 

[mooredianne]

No problem. Most of the "big boys" over here won't let you buy L&P or gel products without proof of training and in some cases, you doing a conversion course with them. They will however, let you purchase stuff like nail polish, wipes, acetone and manicure items if you set up a secondary account with them. Not sure what type of proof (if any) you have to submit.

 

[Ms.Matrix]

No problem. Most of the "big boys" over here won't let you buy L&P or gel products without proof of training and in some cases, you doing a conversion course with them. They will however, let you purchase stuff like nail polish, wipes, acetone and manicure items if you set up a secondary account with them. Not sure what type of proof (if any) you have to submit.

Right -- see that's what I was trying to get to...so is it any kind of gel or L&P products you can't get or is it all...and who are the "big boys"?

Hope I'm not being a nuisance...:smack:

 

[mooredianne]

Sorry hun, you are not being a nuisance. I am having a rather un-English day (it is my 2nd language) and just can't seem to get my words right!! The likes of Creative Nail Design, NSI, EZflow (i think) and maybe some other major product companies will not sell your their liquid and powder or gel products unless you supply proof that you are qualified as a nail tech and in some cases you have to do a conversion course with them as well. Say for example you trained using xyz products and wanted to by creative l&p .... they would ask you to do a conversion course with them. On most conversion courses you will get a "professional" kit which is usually enough product to do 20 sets of nails. However, i am not sure about the try-me kits. Some of these companies do little sample kits (say enough product to do 2 or 3 sets) for you to try out before buying the larger kits. Not sure what the arrangement is for those. The likes of the chemists/stores sell little kits that are relatively cheap and nasty which anyone can buy. These kits are usually by the likes of revlon, sally hansen etc. hopefully i have expalined things a bit better for you. maybe someone with better knowledge (and english) will be of more use!!

 

[mooredianne]

oh as for what products, i'm talking about the actual liquid/monomer and associated powders, primers, gels.

 

[Bryony]

Hi,

There is a wholesalers near me which is also open to the public where you can buy L&P, Gel, Fabric etc. without any proof of training etc. (Although the company that supplied them has just gone bust and was in the cheaper end of the market). The same wholesalers sells OPI products but I think that's just polish.

Creative and EZflow don't sell via wholesalers, you have to buy direct from them and have proof of training.

I prefer it this way, I'd be put off if the products my hairdresser used were available to buy anywhere - I'm paying them to do a professional job and expect them to use professional prodcuts. I like that the products I use are not available to any Tom, Dick or Harriett.

 

[Tavinailtech]

I just wanted to add my two cents here. I am from Canada, and here to be a nail tech you dont need to have a licence too do nails. But to be able to get the "big name" products you do have to have some proof that you did go to school. There are ways around doing the proper training, if you land a job that they train you, you can get your hands on suppliers. However, it really makes the difference between a "super" nail tech, and one that is just popping on chicklets! I am a licenced hairdresser, so I have had acses to all the nail supplies over the years. It did me no good though because I would have had no idea how to use it till i went to school. It sucks that I paid so much money to get were i am, and some people just try to step in our shoes. Many of the "older" nail techs around here have been trying to get it changed so that nail techs need to be licenced, and not just "certified". Just wanted to add my little beef in here ...it seemed to fit.
~Jackie ~

 

[Ms.Matrix]

I'm still somewhat confused??? I get that for products such as Creative, Brisa, Fabric#, etc, etc. you have to do a course to be able to buy, but products such as Alpha 9, Supernail, Tammy Taylor, OPI, do you have to be specially trained to buy those??

P.S. Where can I find a Creative course in Michigan and do I have to wait to finish school before I can take it?

P.S.S. Can I get a sample kit of Creative without the course or no?

P.S.S.S. Am I being a nuisance yet??

 

[Ms.Matrix]

Hi,

There is a wholesalers near me which is also open to the public where you can buy L&P, Gel, Fabric etc. without any proof of training etc. (Although the company that supplied them has just gone bust and was in the cheaper end of the market). The same wholesalers sells OPI products but I think that's just polish.

Creative and EZflow don't sell via wholesalers, you have to buy direct from them and have proof of training.

I prefer it this way, I'd be put off if the products my hairdresser used were available to buy anywhere - I'm paying them to do a professional job and expect them to use professional prodcuts. I like that the products I use are not available to any Tom, Dick or Harriett.

I see, that's why I've never seen Creative in a Beauty Supply store. As far as the products hairdressers use...we can just walk in and grab off the shelf, that's where they get their products from. Do you know if they piggyback cosmotology with manicuring there, they do it here.

Tavinailtech - Wow! I thought to do nails anywhere professionally you had to be licensed...you learn something new everyday. You do have to have some sort of training right?? What part of Cananda are you from if you don't mind me asking...you can pm me if you want...I've always wanted to visit Cananda...I'm almost right across the street yet have never been.

 

[scattyfox]

I'm still somewhat confused??? I get that for products such as Creative, Brisa, Fabric#, etc, etc. you have to do a course to be able to buy, but products such as Alpha 9, Supernail, Tammy Taylor, OPI, do you have to be specially trained to buy those??

P.S. Where can I find a Creative course in Michigan and do I have to wait to finish school before I can take it?

P.S.S. Can I get a sample kit of Creative without the course or no?

P.S.S.S. Am I being a nuisance yet??

Creative Nail Design deals with Brisa and Liquid & Powder as far as i am aware Fabric is a Designer Nails product (the uk distrubtor of creative but may be wrong on this), you have to be trained in this companies products to be able to purchase it.

You cannot buy OPI nail enhancements products in the warehouses open to anyone or the local chemist although you can get their polishes. Not sure about Supernail or Tammy Taylor i dont think they are used as much over here as in the states. Alpha 9 sorry never heard of that one.

If you go to www.creativenail.com website you can email them in regards to training in our state and also order a try me kit from them.Ez flow also offer try me kits.

no your not a nuisance xx
HTH

 

[Tavinailtech]

Wow is right, you dont really have to have any training if you dont want to. But not going to help you get much of a job. Most of us have lots of training, as much as any of you folks that get a licence. I just never had to do a government test so to say. And i am located in Southwestern Ontario. I am about 4 hours from you. but i think so far your my closest neighbour on here!!!
Nice to meet you neighbour
Jackie~

 

[RedAdmiral]

Most professional products will require a certificate of completion in whatever system or insurance details. Joe soap (public) can only buy rubbish products like sally hansen, kiss or nailene, these products are useless unless you know how to use them.
All other products in UK and Ireland will need to be bought from the distributor or from an appointed supplier - so say for Tammy Taylor which is distributed by a company called Miss Champagne (Uk) When you call them you will either need to do a nail course and get their certificate if you havent qualified or convert over to their products and that will be probably about a day in duration. All the other companies are the same unless they let you buy the product without knowing what certificates you have which is a real no-no!

There isnt a real problem with people wanting to buy goods without having done the courses, we dont have a licence system but we'll have to see what happens in the future

Hope this helps

 

[Bryony]

I thought to do nails anywhere professionally you had to be licensed...you learn something new everyday. You do have to have some sort of training right??

If only this were the case, sadly, it's not. In the UK you don't need a license (some areas of London require one though) - it's not even compulsory to be trained - AT ALL! There is NOTHING to stop someone buying nail stuff off ebay or wherever and starting up a business as a nail tech. We're hoping that this might change one day but for now just a cross we have to bear. Hopefully, as nails become more popular clients will learn that this is the case and know to look out for techs who can prove their qualifications and avoid those that can't!

 

[nicjill]

If only this were the case, sadly, it's not. In the UK you don't need a license (some areas of London require one though) - it's not even compulsory to be trained - AT ALL! There is NOTHING to stop someone buying nail stuff off ebay or wherever and starting up a business as a nail tech. We're hoping that this might change one day but for now just a cross we have to bear. Hopefully, as nails become more popular clients will learn that this is the case and know to look out for techs who can prove their qualifications and avoid those that can't!

This is true, I know several people who have bought stuff from the local Sally's. Generally though, these people only use it for friends. Without certification they can't get insurance to set up a business.

 

[Ms.Matrix]

You know I just wonder why the standards of the cosmetics industry (nails & hair) are so darn low, and it seems the same is true worldwide I guess. When I started off at 14 I didn't have license or training the first but I could walk in and buy L&P products from the local beauty supply store...and I had no clue what I was doing but the more I did nails, the more I wanted to know about nails and I enjoyed doing it so I decided to go to school get my license so I could possibly get a job at a salon or work from home and be legit (although, I'm still not legit...I didn't complete my licensing):smack: :o , but I did get the majority of my training and was on the clinic floor before I left school, and I fully intend on going back to get my license after the baby is born.

That's why so many people are walking around with nailbeds about to fall off their poor fingers because Joe Blow can decide "Hey, I want some extra money, I've had my nails done before...looks easy enough, I think I can do that." and they never go for any training nor do they really desire any, just a fast buck is good enough for them. SAD!!

[font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]“[/font]
Originally Posted by Bryony
If only this were the case, sadly, it's not. In the UK you don't need a license (some areas of London require one though) - it's not even compulsory to be trained - AT ALL! There is NOTHING to stop someone buying nail stuff off ebay or wherever and starting up a business as a nail tech. We're hoping that this might change one day but for now just a cross we have to bear. Hopefully, as nails become more popular clients will learn that this is the case and know to look out for techs who can prove their qualifications and avoid those that can't! [font=Times New Roman, Times, serif]”[/font]


...the sadder thing is if you know somebody with a shop/salon you can go to work under their license...now it's supposed to be an apprenticeship thing and you are supposed to still be getting training, but some just let their friends and families come in and set up shop...same thing with those NSS the majority of the people in there don't have license the first, use sub-standard products -- and I have yet to see one that practices ANY sanitation procedures at all...ARGGHHHHH!!!

 

[Jeni Giles]

In the US your licensing depends on your state cosmetology board. Each state has different licensing requirements and number of hours you must complete to be licensed in that state. For example until 2003 Utah did not require nail technicians to be licensed and almost anyone could walk in to a reputable supply house and purchase the products. Utah's board of cosmetology has gotten this changed and you must go to school for 150 hours ( about a month) They are currently working toward 300 hours, and the legislation for that is in the house of representatives for their state.

Now, I live in Idaho (about 2 hours from the Utah border ) and we are a little stricter here, we used to do 300 hours but it was increased to 500 and we are working on 600. Salons in Utah used to pay a technician licensed in Idaho more to compensate their level of training. Most of my students do cosmetology which is a 2000 hour or 17 month program, and we do an in depth nail class for 6 weeks in segments so they take the class have some time to practice that part and then do another 6 weeks, practice etcetera until they have completed each segment. It is modeled after the Creative Academy, and we just happen to be a Creative Nail school. We also teach them gels and fiberglass. So depending on where you happen to be the requirements will be different. In Idaho our professional suppliers CANNOT sell to the public in general. A licensed person must purchase their products for them, so they can't buy the "good stuff"

Each state is different, and if you move you must get a license for that state, there are very few that require more than Idaho so most states accept our license with out question, as long as we pay their licensing fee. Nebraska, Oregon and Washington require more hours, but will accept work experience to make up the difference. That's probably way more than you wanted to know, but if you are in the industry long enough, you begin to build a network of people you would trust to send a client to if they move or if you move out of the area.

With an awesome site like this all it takes is one post and you get all kinds of help and info no matter where you are at!!

 

[Ms.Matrix]

In the US your licensing depends on your state cosmetology board. Each state has different licensing requirements and number of hours you must complete to be licensed in that state. For example until 2003 Utah did not require nail technicians to be licensed and almost anyone could walk in to a reputable supply house and purchase the products. Utah's board of cosmetology has gotten this changed and you must go to school for 150 hours ( about a month) They are currently working toward 300 hours, and the legislation for that is in the house of representatives for their state.

Now, I live in Idaho (about 2 hours from the Utah border ) and we are a little stricter here, we used to do 300 hours but it was increased to 500 and we are working on 600. Salons in Utah used to pay a technician licensed in Idaho more to compensate their level of training. Most of my students do cosmetology which is a 2000 hour or 17 month program, and we do an in depth nail class for 6 weeks in segments so they take the class have some time to practice that part and then do another 6 weeks, practice etcetera until they have completed each segment. It is modeled after the Creative Academy, and we just happen to be a Creative Nail school. We also teach them gels and fiberglass. So depending on where you happen to be the requirements will be different. In Idaho our professional suppliers CANNOT sell to the public in general. A licensed person must purchase their products for them, so they can't buy the "good stuff"

Each state is different, and if you move you must get a license for that state, there are very few that require more than Idaho so most states accept our license with out question, as long as we pay their licensing fee. Nebraska, Oregon and Washington require more hours, but will accept work experience to make up the difference. That's probably way more than you wanted to know, but if you are in the industry long enough, you begin to build a network of people you would trust to send a client to if they move or if you move out of the area.

With an awesome site like this all it takes is one post and you get all kinds of help and info no matter where you are at!!

Yeah, see here in Michigan you have to have 600 clock hours of training and about 500 of those are working on the clinic floor in school. What I speak about is the way ANYBODY can walk into a beauty supply and buy L&P etc, etc with NO training, without showing school ID -- NOTHING, the only time you show your school ID here in a beauty supply store is when you are trying to get your student training discount...my point is what's the point of all the training all the exams when someone who hasn't had any can do what you do and make more money?? Not saying that the knowledge is not a plus, because I like knowing the parts of the nail and I like knowing about nail diseases, and I like just knowing the "right" way to do things. But what about these "hacks"??

 

[Lily]

Just adding my two cents worth here too!!! Do not tar all the wholesalers with the same brush!!!!!

I run a nail & beauty wholesalers and i do not let the general public in, my customers have to provide proof of training even to buy a wipe!!!!!!!

I have ordered from some of the big companies in the past and they have never asked for any ID or proof of training?

You can buy kits from large stores over here and also other wholsalers will sell to the general public..............we dont!!!!!!!

Amanda