You’ve done your training and are out working as a professional nail technician. Maybe you did your beginner training years ago and have been working for quite a while? But the time comes when you want to change brands or add a new brand. Or maybe your favourite brand has launched a new product that plays a different role? Do you just buy it and start using it?
Well, the most important answer here is NO, you don’t. Let me explain why and the two things you need to do to make sure you are providing your clients with the very best service, (and avoid any grief from them!)
We all know that there are many, many brands that buy ‘off the shelf’ products. These are products that are ready formulated and available to the brand in their own packaging but are, essentially, the same product in a different bottle, tub, tube and maybe a different colour range. (AKA white labelling). Even this type of brand can have different formulations from others as there are many available. Some more expensive than others. I’m not going to focus on these BUT if they have a good education program with experienced Educators the following will apply.
There are so many quality brands on the market that do their own research, maybe have their own formulations and, maybe, even their own lab and chemists. As a generalisation, these are the ones that launch new products and not just a new colour range.
Once upon a time in the industry, when the brands would only sell to proven qualified pros, you could not buy a new range unless you had taken a ‘conversion course’. This is/was a short and inexpensive course that explained the science behind the range, its characteristics, how to use it effectively and so much more. The industry has evolved into a place where this isn’t the norm. It is an evolution that hasn’t helped the industry at all!
No matter how good (or how bad for that matter) your beginner training was this career belongs into the ‘lifetime learning’ category. No one can know it all. No one is so experienced that there isn’t something else to learn. The more good Educators you learn from the better YOU will be.
Every good quality brand will have its very own characteristics. For example: do you ‘float’ the colour on or do you use multiple strokes; what type of ‘manipulation’ is needed for UV gel; medium dry ratio for L&P is the basis but do these colours need to be a bit wetter; how can you solve a ‘problem’ nail. And so on. If you do not understand these characteristics, then you are not going to get the best from the brand and the best for your clients.
The solution is twofold:
- Invest in a conversion course (the best brands will have these available as they WANT the best performance from their products) It shouldn’t be too expensive and will be an invaluable investment for you.
- Don’t buy a new brand/new product and use it on clients immediately! Trial it on you, your friends, long term clients who are happy to be a ‘guinea pig’ maybe at a discount. Every client is an individual and will react differently to products.
Make your mistakes first before it is on your menu!
It doesn’t matter how experienced you are, an understanding of a brands characteristics will save you in the long run! Who needs clients complaints? Yes, it maybe the 1 in 10 but that 1 is 1 too many!
If you have trained in the brand and they have good education and customer care they will be the first port of call to help you solve the problem. EVERY client is different.
Last word: used MATCHED systems!!! Don’t buy a new UV gel brand and use your other brand UV lamp! Don’t but a new L&P monomer and use another brands powder polymer.
