I had no idea this world existed until I lived in Japan (2008), where you could see the most extravagant set of nails in daily life in the area of Shibuya to name a better known area.
I had my first contact through a woman who lives near Tokyo and who had her laptop decorated with beautifully done roses and flowers. I asked her to teach me one day, just out of my curiosity. Then she gave me a pass for the Beauty Salon Fair in Tokyo and said to me "Go and visit this fair. If afterwards you're still interested I'll teach you". GOSH! Such an ENORMOUS FAIR, and so much information for a non initiated like me that I did not understand a ****. More over, everything was in Japanese, and even though I read some Japanese, it is still overwhelming.
Once back in Valencia (Spain) in 2010 it was slightly hard to find a place where to buy my first products to start with (later I have found more and more). And when I did it by means of the Internet I ended up in one of the most expensive shops for nails in Valencia (I knew that couple of months later), where I bought my Pro Acrylic EzFlow Starting Set (what I cannot still understand from the box title is that even though it was an starting set i still had some necessary items that were not included
)
After couple of months and one visit to the Beauty Fair in Madrid in 2010 I realized how tiny is this market in Spain, compared to Japan (or as I heard, to Mexico). Although for me it was more affordable to get a grasp of understanding like this. I bought in this one some colour acrylic for 3D and permanent french manicure for instance. And in the next fair in Alicante I bought my first Konad set (I am not very skilful yet for painting). Girls who came to me to have their nails done and most of them were not new to this world had never seen before Konad products!!
nor colour acrylics!!
My Guinea pigs clients (as I am still practicing)
are young girls who cannot afford to go to expensive salons and some of them have actually experienced first hand fungus problems from extremely cheap Chinese "Express Nail Salons" which actually nor even use professional buffers and shine files to give you a natural lasting shine in your set of nails. Instead some clear top coat is applied. Couple of days or so later when pealed off you will have dim not polished nails. And if you are lucky... some fungus perhaps??
It seems to be common here as well that people work in their houses and charge cheaper. Actually I am not surprised if you take a second and look how the economic situation is in Spain right now.
Licensed salons more over charge you at least twice as much as you will be if you were in EEUU for selling you well known nail products and brands. You realize of this fact when you see the same products for the half of the price (shipping included) in Ebay from EEUU for example.
And to end with this I adduce that I was lucky enough to get to know a professional in Valencia who charges your the "right" amount of money (not as much as you may have to sell your soul, and not so little it would become a danger for the rest of this business) and who is in continuous contact with the world of nails in Mexico (well known specially for their wide range of decorations and stuff for nails) and trying to keep herself up-to-date.
Well this has been my impressions of the nail world in my city. I might be wrong in some points but this is all the accurate I can be for you from my personal perspective of this still-to-discover world of nails.
Hope you enjoyed it.
Ángel
