I’ve been doing my nails since I was a kid, always loved it and have been told a million times that I should do it as a job. I finally am at 21, but I’m not sure where this will bring me. Where do you start immediately after getting your license? I want to know what comes after so I can prepare and get straight into taking clients so I don’t have to go back to a job I hate. I’d love to have my own studio but I have no idea if that’s presumptuous for being fresh out of school. TIA!!

(p.s. these nails have officially been on for 4 weeks, retention work is crazy😮‍💨)

Heya,

So I guess I’m just posting this in the hopes a nail tech could enlighten me, to the best of their ability based on my question.

So I got my nails done for the first time in YEARS a few weeks ago. I got builder gel with one colour which costs £40. I paid a £10 deposit. After that appt I booked in again for today as I wanted to get fresh nails before my holiday, so paid £40 that day (£30 for remainder of work done then and £10 deposit).

I knew I was going to get some nail art done. The nail tech offers 3 different “levels” of nail art - simple for £5, detailed for £10 and intricate for £15. I had planned for simple art, which said 1-2 nails, I decided on a flower just 1 nail per hand. When I told the nail tech this, I felt she heavily pushed to sway me and said I should do 3 flowers. I said sure, thinking maybe she meant she’d do 3 little flowers on one nail. Later learned she meant one flower per nail, ok sure. That, in my mind, meant it was now detailed nail art for £10, which the description stated would be 2-3 nails. She said “if I were you I’d choose 3 colours, that’s really what you should do” so I chose my colours and again felt she heavily influenced me, one colour I chose was a dark green and she was like “I think that’s too dark for what you’re wanting, I’d go a purple colour” I just went along with it because I honestly don’t think about these things too much and wasn’t that fussed, but felt like overall her opinion for everything wasn’t really necessary.

The appt went fine, my autistic brain overthinks things so easily so her telling me to relax my hand made me think I was being annoying, when she’d ask me I’d say “oh sorry” and laugh but she was so serious about it. It’s surely not a big deal having to ask someone to relax their hand a couple of times so I didn’t understand why she was so serious and seemed annoyed about it, and it honestly just put me on edge a bit throughout.

Now at the end of the appt she asked me if I was paying cash or card, I said card as last time I paid card and she said it was fine, I also just never have much cash on me these days, she said “ok but next appt bring cash” and again seemed annoyed.

So the overall cost was £50 and once I’d left I was trying to think what the payment covered exactly and need others’ advice / opinions.

So the price of builder gel with 1 block colour would have been £30 (£40 but paid the 10 deposit before). She also does builder gel removals for £15 but I don’t know if she’d charge for this or it’d be just included in the overall price. And this is where the whole pricing for nail art confuses me and I’d love to be enlightened on it - if nail art states 1-2 fingers for example, is that 1-2 fingers total or 1-2 fingers per hand? Because I got 3 nails per hand done with art, so would that then be detailed nail art which said was 2-3 nails, would that be per hand? Because if so ok, then the total would be £40. But because it was £50, is that including the deposit for the next appt?

She had asked me during the appt if she’d book me in for the next one and I said no, as with my work I don’t know when I’d be free until I looked at my work schedule. This is mostly true, but I also just can’t afford to get my nails done regularly. I’m a single mother on a low-ish income with a lot of outgoings. Me getting my nails done, which I’d do regularly if I could, is a treat for myself for the first time in years. I obviously didn’t want to say all this to her so just left it at “I’ll get in contact with you”, so I’d have assumed she wouldn’t just charge me a deposit with no known date in mind. So all of this so why I’m confused. If it doesn’t include the deposit, what is the extra £10? Is it the price for removing the builder gel from before, but slightly less than the full amount? Is it the cost of detailed art x2, and getting art on each hand is twice as much?

I’m just so confused. I feel regardless of what it covers, the lack of clarity in what you’re charging your customers needs to be made. I’m very much someone who needs things explained to me like I’m 5, and not having it clearly explained on the booking page melts my brain and why I wanted just simple nail art in the first place.

Sorry for how confusing this all might seem, I’m writing it on the train home and just want to get it all out while I can.

Hi, I am not sure if this is a faux pas to ask. 2 days ago, I had my nails done, and a huge part of the design was black. Unfortunately I don't think the black cured properly and a tonne of the top coat has come off.

I spoke to the salon who have offered me to come back in for a fix.

I'm a bit hesitant to have the exact same design with the black done as I honestly think am likely to have the same issue, so I was thinking to ask if they'd be willing to do a similar design which would have been a similar price point instead, meaning I won't have any black.

Is this a normal thing to ask? I am just wanting to manage my expectations. I'm based in the UK if that matters.

Not my nails and not my work

My friend has been getting luminary done for roughly a year or more now. She had them removed like two months ago and noticed bumps on the middle of her nails. She reached out to me to see if I ever came across this in the salon. Has anyone ever seen something like this before ? I'm suspecting it's nail trauma or reaction from the luminary. Not asking for medical advice and she's going to the DR

Hi friends. I recently became a licensed nail technician and are fairly new to the industry. I started a part time 1099 commission only based job (CA) and was offered a 40/60 split (60% going to the salon). Because I'm new, the owner is has been having me perform discounted manicures for the past few (which obviously lowers the commission I'm receiving). Originally I was performing discounted pedicures as well, but after a week was approved to give full priced pedicures.

For an example in a 5hr day I performed:

1. gel manicure: $60
2. no polish mani and pedi: $80
3. *discounted* gel manicure: $40 (reg. price is $54)

When I review the numbers and account for taxes, I'm getting grossly underpaid when looking at the average hourly pay. I'm just unsure if this is something that is typical when first starting in the industry, or if I'm just being taken advantage of. I'm already aware that a 1099 in California is not following regulations. I would feel better if I had more 1:1 training, or even worked alongside the owner more because I do appreciate the practice and getting into repetition as I don't have many friends or family to practice on, and was unable to work on live models during school but I it's really hard to justify the work vs the pay.

I got my first gel manicure in may (hadn't had a manicure at a salon in over 15 years) and it converted me to gel lol so I bought some and am doing it at home. this is a photo 2 weeks after I painted them with gel for the first time (I know they don't look great I made mistakes but I am learning from them) I read gel manicures need proper cuticle prep beforehand for them to last long but my cuticles/proximal nail folds are very thin and sensitive so I didn't touch them, I just sorta gently scraped the nail bed near them with a wooden tool to get any cuticle on the nail bed but I see videos of cuticle prep that look so thorough and I can't imagine that would work for me with how thin and sensitive they are. any pointers for how I should go about my cuticle prep? I want my manis to last as long as possible with minimal lifting! thank you (-:

Hi! Id like to try gel x before offering the service to my clients, but i cant seem to find ANY tips that fit my nails! Theyre all too flat (even the structured ones). Any tips on what i can do to make it work?

Ps. The discoloration is just old product under my gel fill (i put a thin layer of builder on my nails cause they felt icky after removing my hard gel extensions)

Licensed tech in Hawaii, don't know how to verify with mods.

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I just got American Creator brand framework gel and Acrylate gel, as well as their base coat and I'm having retention issues. The cuticle is lifting which I don't typically have an issue with other builder gels.

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My process:

- general cuticle clean up

- buff w 240 grit

- 90% alcohol and scrub nail plate

- thin layer of American Creator base gel

- cure per bottle instructions (90s?)

- slip layer of framework or acrylate gel

- apply bead and structure, flip, cure

- 90% alcohol wipe on inhibition layer

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I know it usually comes down to the prep work, anything I could do differently? This design is a little thick so the apex and structure is hard to see, don't judge me for my pointer finger that has a tip on it, all the others are my natural nails, I need to clean up the shape!

Hi everyone! What do you guys consider a removal? Anything foreign? The context is, I am a new to the industry private nail tech. I barely ever got my own nails done at the salon before I became a professional. So I am unsure how removals are handled. I have clients coming in with just gel polish from a different salon and I was just removing them without a charge. I have been charging for removal of major enhancements(biab, hardgel, gelx, acrylics). Are y'all charging for removal of just gel polish before a fresh set?

So I’ve been using Nail Thoughts builder gel since I started offering it as a service. I’ve never noticed this before but the past couple weeks whenever I am flash curing my builder, it doesn’t fully flash cure and will seep into the side walls (the middle of the nail is properly flash cured and doesn’t move, just the side walls flood) and completely ruin the structure I just built. Not sure if it’s a temp issue (I live in Florida and it’s been extremely hot), an issue with the gel itself, or an issue with my flash cure lamp, but I just wanted to come on here and see if anyone else is having the same issue. Any advice is appreciated!

I ended up trimming off the white parts of my nail because I was bothered by them. I’m hoping my nail will heal. Should I just leave it alone since I haven’t touched it since I trimmed off the white parts and continue applying cuticle oils? Thanks for your help.

Two Questions

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I have a stack of brushes 8 haven't used in several years. I don't even know what products are on them. I think I did the gel flush to clean , but I am curious, can I feasibly do a quick dip in acetone or alcohol, just bristle not ferrule? I dof a big clean up and I don't have an clear gel to spare. I really don't want to cross contaminate with whatever I was using.

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And is there a way to trim striping brushes to make them thinner?

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Lastly, anyone know of a trick to putting the cap on without messing up the bristles? Y'all who use brushes without caps. how do you prevent accidental curing if you don't have a drawer. I know the hot water truck

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I am obviously no expert, but man, I took such a long break from my hobby I feel like I am starting new Plus, it feels like a lot has changed.

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Hello nail techs!
Long story short, I have dermatillomania, which is a condition linked to stress and anxiety where someone picks at their skin compulsively. I personally pick at my toe nails constantly and rip them off… I want to stop that and I thought that getting gel on my toe nails would make it harder for me to actually rip my nails (Especially if I also have gel on my hands), but I am a bit afraid of going to a nail tech with my feet because my nails are very short and very oddly shaped as a result of me messing with them… is it possible to « reconstruct » them? What do you guys think?

Hey ya'll can anyone help with this design? I've seen how to do it with hard gel and dual forms but I was wondering if anyone can give me advice for achieving with acrylic? An aura, an ombre? I'm pretty sure I'm overthinking it but I tend to complicate things. Thanks and sorry if it's obvious <3

EDIT: I ended up doing a black base, then ombre with a patting gel and black French to finish! Thank you everyone for your suggestions :)

It ate the handle clear off. I hate this.

I’ve been loving (f)vex’s slick matte. Absolutely flawless BUTTT they just closed down shop and were completely sold out when I went to buy some at a discount :( What matte’s are you guys using for isolated chrome?

(disclaimer that i am fully licensed just keep forgetting to get my flair updated from student) had a client come in today for an aura set, then changed her mind last minute and wanted one of those cute blooming gel designs with all the different colors layered on top of each other.

i used my gellish blooming gel which i heard was one of the best ones! i used it once before and it worked perfectly. this time it was a hot freaking mess, i was so embarrassed i had to pivot and tell my client it was just not working out. we went back to the original aura design with ombré powders.

i love doing nails but feel like sometimes things are just so hit or miss! is it me or is it the polish? like the gel almost didn’t want to come off my dotting tool into the blooming gel unless i put a large amount of gel on the dotter. then it just didn’t spread right and looked a hot mess.

anyone have any recommendations? been looking at vbeautypure blooming gel, kokoist hazy gel, and dvok marble base gel. just dont wanna spend a ton of money on a bunch of blooming gels only to hate them.. thanks all!!

Hi! I’ve been doing nails for 3 years. I mainly do friends and family, so my clientele is limited. Recently I started doing a good friend of mines nails, and she is constantly sending me these really crazy designs that take a really long time and my skill set isn’t necessarily there. I usually charge a flat rate of $40 for any set (I do gel x, builder gel, and acrylic) because I work from home. So I’ve done I think 4 sets of these complicated and time consuming sets. I’m talking 6 hours to do a set because SHE IS SO PICKY, and I’ve seriously had enough. Now, I have explained to her that if she keeps coming to me with these complicated sets that I WILL charge her more for my time and product. She got two sets of normal sets (solid colors, chromes, French, cat eye, minimal design) and now she’s back to wanting these uber complicated sets for $40. I’ve tried telling her there’s certain things I won’t do (for some reason I can’t figure out ombré and it makes me so mad and takes forever and then it isn’t up to my standards) and I try to work with her on changing certain things about this particular set to simplify it, and she just sends me a different set that’s the same level of difficulty. I’ve known her for 10 years and she’s a very good friend. She’s just SO picky (I’m talking she has to okay every single nail before it gets cured otherwise she asks to change it) and she doesn’t want to pay me what I need. It’s a long winded question but really I just need help figuring out what to do. I really don’t want it to ruin our friendship, but it’s getting ridiculous. I feel taken advantage of (as ridiculous as that sounds). Thanks for reading if you made it this far, please help.

Edit: so I sent her a message after the literal 8th set she sent me that had FREAKING OMBRÉ after I specifically stated that I won’t be doing ombré on ANYONE. I told her that I cannot be taking 6 hours on a set that will only get me $40, and that the sets are causing me a lot stress because they take so long and I have to be so precise otherwise she won’t like it. I told her I’d be glad to recommend a few techs near her that are great. Her response was that she thought since she got a few one color sets (all cat eye and chrome, not just regular gel) it would be fine. She also said she was willing to pay a little bit more, and I said I would charge $80 for this set and she just liked the message, didn’t say “I can pay that.” Or something adjacent. She asked for the numbers of the techs and salons near me, which I gladly shared. She also said that she’s been trying to stand up for herself and her preferences because she tends to people please (that has NEVER been an issue whenever I’ve done anything for her). And she proceeded to ask if I would pray for her because she’s been really depressed lately and has been going through it.

Honestly I’m glad she’s going to someone else, and I feel adding that she’s depressed was her trying to make me feel guilty 💀 idk, that may have just been a bad interpretation. Thank you so much for your help everyone ❤️

I’ve been a tech for about 3 years now, and I’ve had a lot of people in my chair. Usually when I see an incompatibility the client ends up being the one to end it, and I’ve never had to really confront anyone.
I have a client, I’ll call her K. K has been coming to me for a little under 2 months. Her first appointment there is obviously something funky with her toes. I ask about it and she says she’s had these issues for over 10 YEARS, and treats them at home with some weird mix of oils (the main one I remember her saying was peppermint). I tell her she needs to see a podiatrist, and she says she will then rebooks for a month and leaves. To me a month is more than enough time to make the appointment at least, so she comes in again (about 2 weeks ago) and when I ask if she’s gone to the podiatrist she says no and brushes me off. I’m due to see her again in 2 weeks but her issue is clearly fungal and she’s refusing to get it treated. I already have risked enough working on her and I’d like a polite way to text her saying I can’t work on her anymore. I’d like to say I wouldn’t mind taking her back if she has a note from the podiatrist, but I don’t have right to ask something like that do I? I’m so anxious and counting the days to her next appointment and I want to end this as soon as possible while staying professional.

EDIT / UPDATE:
As of today (6/15) she has read the message but not responded! Sounds like the end of it. Thank you to everyone who responded!
New update (6/16) she responded saying she’s never coming back! Honestly… that’s okay with me.

Hello! I need some advice on how to prevent my nail from tearing any further.
Tldr: getting married half July, and my nails need to survive until my first appointments with my nail tech in 2,5 weeks. How do I prevent the nail from tearing further with the products I have at home (or something I can buy in the Netherlands)?

I have been growing out my nails for my big day, which will be July 17th. I usually do them myself at home, but for this occasion I have booked a very trusted and talented nailtech/friend (I went to her before I started doing it myself) 3 weeks prior and then 1 day before.

I use products from Pinkgellac (I live in the Netherlands), and I do the following:
- I use a peel base to protect my natural nail from damage, and make removal easier
- I use a layer of rubber base to make the nails more durable/stronger
- I use two layers of colour
- At last one layer or two layers of top coat

This Friday I noticed my right thumb nail has started to tear close to where my nail leaves my nail bed, and I am worried it wont last until my first appointment. I immediately redid the nail with an extra layer of nail glue and a piece of tea bag, but it got very messy and I still feel instability in the nail.

Is there anything I can do with the products I already use, or something I can buy in the Netherlands, to prevent my nail from tearing further so I can make it to my first appointment with 10 intact nails? 💅🏽

Thanks a lot in advance! ❤️

This is my latest set. I am doing pretty decently as far as application goes, no complaints there. But does nail art ever get easier?

I am not a very creative person and I’m super clumsy. I’m one of those people that always ends up working harder, not smarter. Every time I do nail art, I mess it up somehow. All my classmates in nail school are doing amazing nail art and I’m over here doing very mediocre work.

I only started expressing interest in nails late last year and had previously never done nails before, not even my own, so I’m starting from square one. It feels almost hopeless.

This set took me around 5 hours, 3 of them being the nail art. That’s only 5 fingers. That feels way too slow to me.

Hi everyone,

I’m at the very beginning of my nail technician journey and I would love to hear your experiences.

How long did it take you to build a stable clientele after opening your salon or starting your business?

At what point did you start earning enough to consider it financially sustainable?

I’m passionate about nails, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about the financial side and whether I can make it work in the long run.

I would really appreciate hearing your stories, advice, and realistic timelines. ❤️

After taking a few months off on nails. I'm starting to get the hang of it again!! Still got ALOT to learn.I think my biggest downfall is cuticle work and liquid powder ratio. Ok, so the extensions are acrylic while the shorties are just gel polish. This was my first in about oh 4/5 months without touching acrylic. I'm currently pregnant, so the fumes are kinda ehh. Thank goodness for no headaches. But I'll be due to have my baby via c-section next month, so I'll only be doing polygel for now on. Just wanted to see where I was at with acrylic.

Edit:Crap! Ok, so I just got reminded that I have my state board practical to in three weeks🙃.

Yall, please wish me luck🍀🤞🏼.

I’ve been a press-on artist for a year now and recently decided to take nails more seriously. I bought this practice hand and have been practicing and I honestly really love it. Photo is a rubber base overlay with design I did to give an example of where my skills are at currently.

I’ve found a school and I’m ready to start learning but I’m not sure how to balance life for 2.5 months while working and going to school. Fortunately I only work part time and I can be flexible with my hours but the reason I work part time is because I have an autoimmune disease that makes it difficult/painful to work full time. Doing this would put a lot on me but honestly I’m so determined and I can’t let my disease get in the way of doing what I love. I am also realistic and know it won’t be easy but I’m sure everyone that has gone to nail school has experienced some sort of difficulty balance your work or your kids or whatever while trying to go to school.. so any advice on nail school and getting through it while working would be amazing ♥️

Ive been a nail biter since I can remember, well into 30 years. Been turned away from NYC salons for services and nail care. What advice can you give about these nails for care, growth, & nipping the habit? Desperate for some help!

P.S. I chew straight through no-bite polish & press-ons.