You receive education and training to better your future.  Once you get a certificate, a degree or a diploma from an education series or nail tech school, the last thing you want to hear is that you didn’t get the right nail training.  You always want to make sure that you spent your time and money in the right place to help you reach all of your current goals, and hopefully many of your future, unforeseen goals as well.

When it comes to making sure that your nail training will take you as far as you need, you want to make sure that the education you are receiving for your nail technology license covers all the standard material that you will need so that you can work as a nail technician where you are planning on working.  This mean that you should take your nail training in the area, or from the area in online cases, that you plan on working.  I once knew a girl who had to take a second basic nail tech training course so that she could get an ITEC accredited license, because she wanted to work as a nail tech giving manicures and pedicures on a cruise ship.  So, make sure that while you are taking your nail tech courses, al your bases are covered.

Study Well To Pass Your Nail Tech Course Exam

If you are currently taking a nail technician course at your local community college, or at a beauty school or salon, you want to make sure that you finish that course before anything else and make sure to pass your nail tech exams with flying colors.  It would be silly to change your course now after you have already started getting your foundation of nail training and education.  The more you can learn at this stage, the better, so make sure to study any resources you can get your hands on, and practice, practice, practice.  In a previous post I talked a little bit about how you should prepare for your nail training exams, so make sure to check that out.

If you are looking for resources to study beyond whatever materials were provided for you, check out the nail technician exam secrets first.  There are also plenty of other resources in there.  What resources do you all like to use?

Take Master Nail Training to Increase your Skills

If you are already a licensed nail technician that is working in the field currently, or looking to get back to your nail career and need a little refresher, it is always a great idea to take a home study or short course to brush up on and improve your current skills.  With the short courses, it is also always very beneficial to meet others in your profession in your area.

Some of you need to get continuing education units for your nail training, to keep your license current, and some of you are looking to increase your income and your service by mastering new skills and learning more about how top nail technicians perform.  If this is you, you should try a master nail tech course or talking with our salon owner about what extra trainings they may need to provide for you.

Become a True Nail Artist

Some of you may have a more exotic clientele or may just really enjoy the more creative side of the nail business, and for you all i would suggest learning as much as you can about nail art.  I have seen some really amazing nails out there, and many of them are some of the most creative works of art on tiny little canvases.  Nail artistry is really a growing field, and its FUN!  if you haven’t had a chance to check out a really cool nail art class or haven’t seen anybody do some cool stuff on youtube, you should go poke around and see what some of these creative individuals are doing.  Whether its just using varnish, or using acrylic or gel nails, there is alot that you can do with your brushes and a little creativity that you haven’t even thought of yet.

If you are a nail hobbyist or a nail technician with a creative flair that you don’t always get to express, then i highly recommend you check out a short nail art course in your area or trying out some of the home based nail art training courses from essential nails, i have heard some really good reviews about them although i haven’t tried them myself.

Know What You Want Out of Your Nail Career

I think with any career, you should always set lofty goals and go for them with vigour while taking massive action.  Learn as much as you can, set yourself up to move forward as best you can with what you have to gett yourself rolling in the direction you want to go, and you will always do well in your chosen field.

In the salon business, i think this starts with becoming a master nail technician, becoming the best in your area.  Another common goal is to own the salon you work in, build a business, and own your own shop, or nail training center.  Many nail technicians, have moved on and up into owning their own nail shop, or opening a nail school, which has given them the opportunity to enjoy the fruits of another’s labor.

Whether you see yourself in an owner position, or a brilliant nail artists position, you can always benefit from learning more about the business end of the field you are in.

If you really want to learn to build your customer base as a nail technician, you need to learn about marketing for yourself.  This can be as simple as asking your customers to refer you to their friends, and can be as advanced or as complicated as you want, but at the end of the day the principles of marketing yourself and your services have very few variations, and you will learn these in time.  If you are looking to learn about how to market yourself as a nail technician in your area, or you are looking to keep your clients coming back happy, then there are many resources available to you.

This course has a few marketing secrets of successful nail technicians that may be useful.  Another resource that is focused highly on customer retention and customer rapport is Nail Salon Success.  This course focuses on relating to your customers in a beneficial way.  After you have improved your nail art skills, and your treatment, getting more people in the door and into your chair is always going to be a top priority, so even if the course above is not for you, make sure to pick up a book about about marketing a small business and learn about customer acquisition and retention, the value will last you a lifetime, and help you really stretch your nail training far.

Uv gel lamps come in quite a few different shapes, sizes, and prices and they all have different features.  When you are first looking at what type of lamp to get you may think “well i saw one uv gel lamp on ebay for $12 is that good enough?”  or you may think that the $350 dollar lamp is the way to go.  Here i am going to attempt to give you a good idea of what the different features of these lamps mean and what you should look for when assessing what type of lamp you are going to get to use with your uv gel.

The basic Features of a UV Gel Lamp

So you have been doing nails and nail art for a while now and your looking into working with uv gel huh?  Well I am sure you know a bit about uv gel nails by now, and at least how to apply them (if not search around the site) and you are trying to figure out what kind of lamp you need.  Really what you need depends on the type of clients you have or want to attract.  You can get a basic 6 watt uv lamp for one hand with no other features and as long as you and your clients are patient, that may be all you need, but the stronger the uv output the faster your uv gel is going to dry. If you have clients that don’t want gel nails but like polish or other types of nails, then having a heater or a fan dryer may be necessary.  you can also get uv gel lamps with timers and special reflector systems to give you better distribution of the light which leads to more even drying times.  Here is a bullet list of some features to look for.

• Digital Drying Timer
• Cool Air Nail Fan
• Spa Style Heater
• Bulb strength Ranging From 6 watts – 75 watts
• One Hand or Foot and  2 Hand or Feet Room
• Single Bulbs or Multiple Bulbs
• Easy to Use (design and comfort) or Easy Bulb Replacement
• Even Distribution of Light

Replacing your UV Gel Lamp’s Bulb

One thing that is very important to look for when purchasing your uv gel lamp is how easily will you be able to replace the bulbs.  If it looks like it is going to take a mechanical engineer to get your lamp apart just to replace the bulb, you want to make sure top ask the manufacturer how much maintenance costs, and if they do replacements for you, or if they can demonstrate for you, because maybe it isn’t as hard as it seems.  You always look at how much your uv gel is right?  Well you should also look at the cost of the uv gel lamp’s replacement bulbs, and how long they are supposed to last on average.  For all you nail techs that work from home or own your own salon, this is one of those Total cost of ownership things you probably glossed over in your nail technician courses ( don’t worry i hate accounting too ).  Some lamps come with standard bulbs that you can pick up anywhere while some manufacturers have decided that they only want you to use their bulbs which they sell at a premium, so just be aware and see how much the bulbs cost when you purchase your lamp.

Uv nail gel is a polymer resin which is composed of a monomer component and a polymeric component blended together in a gel.  These monomers and polymers are similar to those found in acrylic nails, but instead of being activated by their combination, uv nail gel gets activated and begins to bond and harden under uv light.

Basic Kinds of UV Nail Gel

There are many types of nail gels, but generally speaking there are four main categories of uv nail gel that have different properties.  First there is a bonding or priming uv nail gel which is used as a base coat of sorts for the nails.  I have seen these referred to as a protein bond as well which you would apply to a newly filed nail and then cure to use as a base for the next gel types.  Second there is a building or sculpting uv gel that is used to build up and give you the general shape and structure of your gel nails.  you will most commonly apply a two or three layers of this uv gel in between curing with your uv lamp.  This sculpting gel usually has a thicker consistency and lower viscosity so that you can use your brush to really shape and “float” the gel into the nail shape you want. Once you have applied and cured your layers of building uv gel, you will then be working with a finishing gel or a gel top coat.

On the more elaborate uv nail gel sets, i have seen a protein bond that goes under and separate from the base gel coat.  i have also seen uv gel that is specifically for building and gel that is specifically for sculpting in the same set.  There are some sets which will only have one gel used for all stages of your application.  The difference between all of these (besides price) will really come up when you know what you are doing and have been practiced in doing some high quality nail art.  You are fine to start off with the 1 gel sets until you have a good hang of it, but i really suggest you work on trying out different kits and seeing how your work changes and how the quality and durability of your gel nails changes as you use different uv nail gel.

The UV Nail Gel Accessories

If you are already feeling quite artistic and want to know some of the different things you can do with uv nail gel, then read on.  You can place crystals in the uv gel to give a very striking and beautiful look.  Since gel is so clear and doesn’t have many problems with bubbles or anything like that of acrylic you can see crystals designs or anything inside the nails very clearly.  i have seen fimo design sticks you can buy that look like a sticker on one end, and you cut a very thin slice off the end and put it into your building gel before curing.  when you finish and buff the nail you have a beautiful design on the inside of the nail.  If you haven’t seen glitter rock star gel nails you need to go get some cause they rock!

now if you are looking for color on your gel nails it is not recommended that you use polish, so there are many different types of color to use.  I have seen uv gel come in any normal color as well as neon, metallic, and pearly colors.  go get some uv nail gel and get to playing!  When you are feeling like you have a bit of a hang of it, make sure to get some good gel nail training to get a hold of some of the really advanced tricks of the trade.

Till Next Time…

If you are a nail technician who hasn’t picked up on the growing trend of uv gel nails, then i am here to tell you it is your turn to get with the times!   if you’re a new or soon to be nail tech, then you need to look into extending your education to include gel nails into your nail training as soon as you get a chance.  If you are an experienced tech looking to expand your horizons, then go get a uv gel set and start offering more clients what they are looking for.

Why Not Get a UV Gel Set?

I have spoken to a few experienced nail techs recently who focus on natural and natural looking nails.  I asked them if they had heard of uv gel because of how incredibly popular it is in Europe and how its popularity and demand are growing here in the United States.  They all said they had heard of uv gel nails, but gave various excuses for why they weren’t interested in them.   To me, this is a grave mistake.  One reason given was that gel nails don’t come off, while it is true that most uv gel nails are not easily removed, there are various gel nail varieties that do “soak off” for easy removal, and there are removal kits for uv gel nails that although take time to use they are effective.   The other common excuse was that gel nails don’t fit with doing natural nails.  While it may be technically true that gel nails are not “natural” nails, they do provide many of the cosmetic benefits of natural nails while being durable and long lasting like acrylics.  They wont yellow and if applied correctly they wont lift either  if you get a modest length, no one will ever know you have a set of uv gel nails on at all.

What Comes In A UV Gel Set

In a Uv gel set, you will have many different tools and gels so that you can do the best job easily and effectively.  Some tools may not be included, but you will be expected to have them if you are doing any kind of false nails anyway.  You should have your basics for any manicure like your clippers, your finger bowl, orange wood stick, etc., etc. but the most important non-standard tool that you will need in your nail tech tool box will be a power file or power buffer, also called a nail drill.  this is important for doing uv gel because if you are going to do a nail fill or a nail repair it is crucial.  It is even incredibly useful just for doing the final shaping and application of your first gel nail set.

In your uv gel set you will get:

• a protein bond
• a primer or base gel
• a sculpting gel
• a building gel
• a finalizing top coat gel
• a finalizing top coat gloss
• various colored gels
• a uv lamp
• a dispersion remover for taking off the uncured resin after final cure
• some kits come with a removal soak for removing gel nails
• some less expensive uv gel sets will come with only one gel used for all stages

Many gel kits come with instructional videos or at least detailed manuals that you will use to review the basics if you haven’t been taught in any classes.

now that you know what you need, go check out a few different beauty supply shops or google around for a uv gel set that you think will work for you.

Till next time…

With all of Europe demanding natural looking nail beauty combined with low maintenance and greater nail strength, I think its time you learned a little bit about how fun and easy uv gel nails can be. 

Uv Gel Nails = Variety

With uv gel nails, you have the option of using nail tips, nail forms, full nail overlays, gel repairs, and nail fills.  What this means is that if you have done any form of artificial nails before than you are probably already familiar with the basics of applying gel nails in one form or another.

If you haven’t worked with tips, or nail forms before, then you can start with the basics and go straight for a gel nail overlay.  This technique is just like applying nail polish, except instead of using your regular old nail polish we will be using a uv curing nail gel to shape and protect your nails.  If the natural nail is not long enough to achieve the desired shape, then you will have to use tips to apply the uv gel nails.

The Easy Way To Do Uv Gel Nails

First, as always, you want to care for the nails, soak trim and treat, then if applying tips, you want to apply the tips and a primer or gel base coat.  Next you will want to let the nail cure in your uv light for about 30 seconds, and then come back with a bit more gel to apply to the nail.  you want to make sure to keep the uv gel off of the skin and only on the nail and the nail tip while creating your chosen nail form.  Once you have finished with the first layer you want to make sure it isn’t too thick and cure it for about 3 minutes.  You want to apply 2 more coats to your nails curing for 3 minutes in between.  Make sure to keep the coats relatively thin and be sure to use a clean brush between applications.  Wiping the brush on a wet towel is great for this.

With your 2nd coat, you want to make sure to add any arches or structure to the nail that would be ideal, and with the 3rd coat of uv gel, you want to make sure to smooth between any ridges you may have created and leave the nail completely smooth on top.

Now you want to cleanse the nails, with whatever nail and gel cleanser came with your uv gel nail kit.  make sure to use a clean swab and wipe away from the finger so as not to deposit any of the uncured sticky gel layers onto the clients skin.

Finally its time to shape the uv gel nails as needed and do your finishing work, once the nail is shaped and buffed smooth you can apply a polish or a gloss coat… and …. Viola!

Now wasn’t that easy?     Now make sure to put in a few hours of nail training and check to see if you can find a gel nail course near your so that you can really get the benefits of the advanced skills you will learn in those nail courses.

Till Next Time…

Uv gel is most commonly one of the first artificial nail types that a nail technician will learn how to apply when going through their advanced nail training.  Generally gel is easier to work with than acrylics and the consistency is much closer to polish in some cases.

Uv Gel Nail Preparation

The first step is to remove the shine from the surface of the nail plate using the buffer of your choice.  Then swipe with acetone to remove the dust oils and contaminates from the nail.  make sure to follow with a protein bond.

Now that our nail is prepped, lets get on to the gel application shall we?

Many uv gel nail kits may have different instructions and ingredients, but they will all be generally the same.  In this case we are giving instructions for a uv gel kit that has a base product and a sculpting uv gel.  Some may prefer to use a primer under the gel, but in this application we will just be using the uv base gel in its place.  Make sure to refer to the manufacturers instructions if any here are contradictory.

Apply a nice thin layer of uv gel base from the cuticle to free edge of the nail with your brush.  Do this the same way that you would apply any other nail polish, and make sure not to get any of the base gel on the skin.  Put the finger into the light for around 30 to 45 seconds.  While the nail is in the light, make sure to clean the excess uv gel off of the tip of your brush with a wet towel.

Next take a good amount of sculpting uv gel on the tip of your brush and apply it to the center of the nail.  Use the brush lightly to “float” the gel into the correct shape being extra careful to avoid contact with the skin around the nail.  You want to use the thicker viscosity of this gel to help you create the final shape or at least part of the final shape of your nail at this stage.  Make sure that the gel is not too thick, remember, you will be adding 1-3 more layers after this.  Once the uv gel nail is shaped, make sure to wipe your brush and use it to make the edges clean as they should be.  Place the nail into the uv light for 1-3 minutes if using clear gel, and at least 2-4 if using colored gel.

repeat the sculpting gel step 1-3 more times until the desired nail shape is achieved.  Finally file the nail into its final shape making sure to note that gel is easier to file than acrylic.  remove any dust and apply a finishing gloss, polish or gel.

UV Gel Nail French Manicure Tip

If you wish to achieve a uv gel nail that looks like a french manicure, make sure to pick up a clear and a white gel, and form a firm smile line with the clear gel hardened slightly before applying the white gel to the tip.  If you have ridges you can use a carefully placed coat of clear gel to smooth the nail out.

Uv Gel, or ultraviolet gel, is a common product used in the nail beauty industry.  Similar to acrylic, uv gel is a malleable material that a nail technician can use to form a false nail and then harden using an ultraviolet lamp.  This pre-mixed polymer and monomer gel is applied in thin coats and activated under a specialized light.

When applying UV Gel, it is imperative that you use thin coats.  As with nail polish, it is better to have 3 or 4 thin coats of Gel than 1 or 2 thick coats.  The main reason for this is that thinner layers are easier to cure under the ultraviolet light.  the more thoroughly the gel nails are cured, the less shrinkage will occur, and the less shrinkage of the gel, the more comfortable the client will be.  There will always be some shrinking when it comes to uv gels, but anything over 20% can actually injure the nail or the nail bed.  If you follow the curing times recommended by the product, and always use thin coats, you should be fine in doing your applications.

What is UV Gel Good For?

Just like with most other false nails, gel nails have the ability to strengthen nails, lengthen shorter nails and overall provide the beautiful look that you or your client are going for.

Many nail technicians have reported that UV gel is easier to apply and to work with than acrylics, and for nail art purposes many beginning nail techs will take gel nails as an intro to false nails.  Many also prefer to use uv gel nails for when they are doing airbrushed nail art because of the extra shine that the cured gel provides.  The gloss of gel nails puts them a step above many other cosmetic nails in many people’s opinion due to a more natural look.

gel nails tend to cure much faster (about 2 minutes a coat) than acrylic nails, and for this reason many clients prefer gels.  Acrylics tend to have a strong odor that ultraviolet gels do not, and for clients or technicians with sensitive noses, gel would be the obvious choice.

Some Drawbacks of UV Gel

Gel nails tend not to last as long as acrylic nails, and are also less durable.  The cost of gel nails generally is a little bit higher, and in terms of applying nails, it is necessary to have access to a specialized uv lamp.  Due to the extra smooth finish of gel nails, nail polish may not adhere as readily as it would to other surfaces, but if you work with colored nail gel or an airbrush, this may pose no problem at all.  Due to the nature of the curing monomer polymer mix, most gel nails are on for good, so they must be filed off fully before another set can be applied.  Soaking will not work in this case, and for some clients who are experimenting with cosmetic or false nails as opposed to natural nails, this may be a serious drawback.

Make sure to explain the pros and cons of gel nails when working with a client as it is very important for you to care for their nails first and foremost, and only then is it your job to make them look fabulous.  If you have the chance to take a nail training course on gel nails in your area, make sure to take it because it will give you a really great service to be able to provide to your clients.

Notes on UV gel Application

To start with your application of uv gel, you will want to perform a standard manicure to care for and treat the nails.  You will then want to prep the nails for artificial nails and apply a nail form the same way that you would with acrylic nails.

Next you want to scoop a small amount of gel onto your brush, keeping one side of the brush clean by wiping it on the side of the jar as you pull it out, similar to how you would take polish out of the bottle.  You want to apply the gel to the nail in a thin coat and make sure not to apply to much pressure or let the brush fan out while you apply your uv gel.  if you apply to much pressure, or don’t apply the gel evenly, it can cause problems in the curing process.  Focus on using the same good technique you learned while applying polish and you should be fine.  make sure there is no gel touching the skin at the edge of the nail bed, and if there is remove it with your cuticle stick.

Make sure to cure for the full length of time that your uv gel kit instructs you to and repeat the above steps until the nail is the desired size and shape (3 or 4 layers is normal).  Once you have finished with the uv cure for the final time it is time to use the cleaner that came in your kit to wipe off any uncured gel.  if there are any blemishes in your application, you can now put a thin layer on and re-cure the uv gel.

finally you will want to apply a sealer and the color of your choice.

Similar to uv gels, there are also non-uv gels out there, that use a chemical cure method, but they are less common.

Till Next Time

Hey,  just a quick one today.  Taking some new nail training currently, but i didn’t want to leave you all hanging, so here are a few items that i saw come through the pipe that you might be interested in.

The dangers of using MMA based liquid acrylics have been around the web recently.  Here is a post that i found on the subject.

Dangers of MMA

Something a little more interesting in the way of acrylic  nail fashions are bubble nails.  These new nails have a very different look, and seem to be getting quite a few mixed reviews.  Check out bubble nails here and come back to let us know what you think.

Bubble Nail Art

Finally today, here is a recent post on how to care for your nails after you have removed your acrylics.  The post goes into a few different ways to care for your nails best and how to remove them in the first place.

How to Care for Your Nails After Acrylics

Hope you enjoy them.

Let me know what you think in the comments below.

-Till Next Time…

We have mentioned many times before that nail training is incredibly important for increasing your income as a nail technician, and absolutely necessary for newbies looking to get licensed through their nail technician courses.  One question that i see asked a lot is “are nail technician courses worth it?” and that is what i would like to answer with this post.

The Cost of your Nail Training

The cost of getting your nail technician license will change from country to country and state to state.  If you are in the united states, you will first want to check out the website of your local board of cosmetology.  They will have requirements on the hours of training necessary for you to take the nail tech exam.  You will also want to check with them about the cost of the nail exam and what equipment will be necessary and whether you must bring your own or not.  Once you know how much schooling you need you will be better prepared when approaching the various nail schools in your area.

I would suggest calling three nail schools in your area.  You can find them online, through the phone book, or by contacting your local nail or beauty salon and asking where their nail techs were trained.  You want to get three nail school’s info so that you have some comparison of the program outline and the cost of the course.  Since you know the number of hours required for your license you can tell whether they are covering more or less then is necessary. Once you have those prices i would also compare them to the price of your local community college to see whether their is a huge price difference or not.

If you live in the UK or most other areas out of the US, you most likely have a much wider range of options for getting licensed.  You can check out nail courses online or other home based nail courses as well, and the cost difference can be quite different for in class training.

The Payoff for Nail Technician Courses

On average, according to Payscale.com nail technicians can make anywhere from $27,000 to $36,000 a year, depending on the services offered as well as the hours worked etc.  The above salary is assuming approximately 40 hours a week.  I have found that in the salon industry, if you are good you can set your own price, and as long as you have clients you can make as much as you want.  If you own a salon, you can also earn a percentage of what your employees make as well.  Find a popular nail tech at a prestigious salon in your area and have a conversation with them about wanting to get into the nail business, ask them for tips and see if you can work out what they make a session as well as what they make a year.

One of the things to consider about getting a nail technician license or additional nail training is the ability to work for ones self as well as work as an employee.  If you want to work for a salon, there are many salon’s that will take you as an employee and take care of your taxes, your hourly rate and whatever benefits you negotiate.  There are also many other salon’s that will only rent you space and allow you to work as an independent contractor.  When you work in this way, you have the ability to set up a business as a sole proprietor, or any other business entity.  When you operate as a business instead of an employee you have many legal tax benefits available to you that many employees do not have access to.  Make sure to hunt down some information online and set up a meeting with a CPA to verify your findings or ask any questions you haven’t been able to find answers for.

Choose Your Own Adventure

The numbers above should help you decide whether or not to take your nail training and get licensed or not.  If you are already a working nail technician, hopefully this information will help you decide whether the nail training you are planning to get will be worth your time and money.

If you have a career plan for yourself, using this information will be a lot easier.  Do you want to be a nail tech and work in a great salon?  do you want to own your own nail salon?  do you want to become a nail trainer yourself?  do you want to open a nail school?  How much nail training you need will be absolutely dependent on where you want to go.  for some of the above cases you won’t need anymore nail tech courses then you have already taken, for some you may need a great deal more.

That’s all for today.  I hope that this information helps you answer the questions that you may have had about whether nail technician courses are worth it or not.

Till next time…