After 8 1/2 years in the business, at the same salon ('cuz I love it there), I was fired. Now, before you get your undies in a bunch, let me explain. A certain biologically-related client of mine is good friends with a couple of my other clients. BR-client has been friends with N for over 10 years, and L for about 4 years. Both of those ladies have been coming to me for less than two years. BR-client and I had what some refer to as a "come to Jesus" talk (although, honestly, it had nothing to do with religion, and everything to do with personal & professional boundaries), away from my salon. I *thought* we finished this discussion on the same page...
I was wrong. The following day, BR-client & L went to a specialty camp on the coast. When BR-client & L got back, I got a phone call from L. She told me that she needed to cancel her appt (which was scheduled two days after that day), and her other two we had on the books. I asked about rescheduling and she said, "No. I need to find another nail tech. I value kindness above all, and I feel you weren't kind to" BR-client. This threw me completely for a loop; I've never been fired like that before. I don't know about you, but I value HONESTY above all, & I was nothing but honest with BR-client in The Talk.
While I'm irritated that I lost a client due to nothing regarding my professional life, I'm more irritated that BR-client's ranting about my "mistreatment" of her (playing the victim as she has for as long as I can remember) was the reasoning. So, now, I take another difficult step. I must tell BR-client (although I'm positive she already is aware) that L fired me, and that her personal feelings toward me, when *I* thought we were fine, have now affected my professional life. I came close to telling her that I will no longer do her nails. I cannot, and *WILL NOT*, have my professional life affected by someone's incorrect, and one-sided, opinion of something that is (honestly) none of their business... and has nothing to do with how well I do her nails.
But, then, I had an epiphone. It would only be fair, and professional, to give BR-client warning of her impending firing. So, I decided that I would email her what happened between L & me, my feelings about the subject, and insist that in the future, her personal feelings toward me not affect my professional life. If they do once more, I *will* fire her. I do not need that kind of stress in my life... especially my business.
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Monday, July 16, 2012
Is YOUR Shop "NSS"?
"NSS" is the politically-correct way to say "Chop Shop". It stands for "Non-Standard Salon". If you do some research, you'll find all sorts of information about why you should steer clear of these places.
My friend, Erin, originally posted a much longer version of this. I have borrowed this section with permission, and added my own notes in regards to Oregon's Rules & Regs, and the way *I* do business:
If you patronize a Shop that's dirty just because it's cheap and you like a great deal and love to save money, you're helping to keep dirty Shops in business. If you go to one of these places and get cut or get an infection and go back, you're making it okay to get cut or get an infection. If you continue to give these places money, you help a less than stellar business grow: It's that simple.
So, I'll break it down and make it super easy for you - call it me lookin' out for you: Here are some obvious, or not-so-obvious Signs that the Shop you're in might not have YOUR best Interests in mind:
Some things you might want to keep in mind for consideration while getting a Service are:
*Does the Shop clean their spa chairs thoroughly and deeply after each client with a disinfectant spray/cleaning tools (And, more importantly, do they let that "spray" circulate in the tub for 10 minutes)?
*Do you know if your Salon cleans and changes the filters on its spa chairs regularly?
*Do the techs take your tools out of a clean-looking disinfectant solution or autoclave/sterilizer before your service, or do they just pull random tools out of their jackets or drawers for use on you?
*Is your nail table dusty or dirty?
*Are they using clean towels for your service or are you putting your feet/hands on a (slightly) damp or dirty towel?
*Is the floor clean?
*Are your files and buffers brand-new or used (You can tell if they're used by the presence of a white "film")?
*Is your acrylic e-file sander bit new or "dusty"?
*Do your toe separators look new, or are they "curled" and worn?
*Does your tech wash his/her hands before and after every Service?
*Are the Salon's and tech's professional Licenses clearly and distinctively displayed?
*Does your tech eat during your Service or touch his/her face (nose, mouth, etc.)?
Simple things, but no amount of money is worth putting your health and safety at risk:
Good Nails Aren't Cheap. Cheap Nails Aren't Good.
A few things to note --
(1) Oregon approves use of disinfectable files & buffers if, AND ONLY IF, they are (a) labeled as such on the file/buffer itself, and (b) properly sanitized & disinfected according to state regulations.
(2) Oregon does not allow reuse of anything not labeled as sanitizible & disinfectible, including but not limited to: files & buffers not labeled as such, orangewood sticks, toe separators, etc.
(3) My own studio doesn't have the space for a fancy pedi chair... I use a dishwashing tub (that I S&D between every use, of course). Many of my clients have mentioned that they like that I use the tub, and not once have I had any complaints about it.
(4) My tile top is cleaned with a natural cleaner spray in between every client and my floor is swept between every client. (FTR - This is why I schedule 15m between clients.)
(5) My disinfectant solutions are mixed per instructions, and changed out, at minimum, once a week (more if needed; solutions shouldn't be cloudy or debris-filled).
(6) My floor is cleaned with a towel & cleaning spray at least once a week.
(7) I use clean towels with every client (and with gel polish services, you also get use of a SOFT LANDINGS table towel).
(8) I wash my own hands, & use sanitizer, before every client... and expect you to do so as well.
(9) My state certifications (Oregon doesn't have "licensing"; we get "certification"), price list, rules of my studio, and all my class certificates (five from CND, one from OPI -- so far) are all on display. Ask me anything. Seriously.
(10) Please, please, PLEASE!!! stop patronizing these shops. There's a reason they're "cheap". I will admit, compared to these places, I am "expensive", but I'm also well-educated. I do this because I love it, not to screw you for a buck. These places don't give a rat's @$$ about you, and will nickel-and-dime you every time.
Two more links for you:
What To Look For In A GOOD Nail Spa
Oregon Cosmetology Board
My friend, Erin, originally posted a much longer version of this. I have borrowed this section with permission, and added my own notes in regards to Oregon's Rules & Regs, and the way *I* do business:
If you patronize a Shop that's dirty just because it's cheap and you like a great deal and love to save money, you're helping to keep dirty Shops in business. If you go to one of these places and get cut or get an infection and go back, you're making it okay to get cut or get an infection. If you continue to give these places money, you help a less than stellar business grow: It's that simple.
So, I'll break it down and make it super easy for you - call it me lookin' out for you: Here are some obvious, or not-so-obvious Signs that the Shop you're in might not have YOUR best Interests in mind:
Some things you might want to keep in mind for consideration while getting a Service are:
*Does the Shop clean their spa chairs thoroughly and deeply after each client with a disinfectant spray/cleaning tools (And, more importantly, do they let that "spray" circulate in the tub for 10 minutes)?
*Do you know if your Salon cleans and changes the filters on its spa chairs regularly?
*Do the techs take your tools out of a clean-looking disinfectant solution or autoclave/sterilizer before your service, or do they just pull random tools out of their jackets or drawers for use on you?
*Is your nail table dusty or dirty?
*Are they using clean towels for your service or are you putting your feet/hands on a (slightly) damp or dirty towel?
*Is the floor clean?
*Are your files and buffers brand-new or used (You can tell if they're used by the presence of a white "film")?
*Is your acrylic e-file sander bit new or "dusty"?
*Do your toe separators look new, or are they "curled" and worn?
*Does your tech wash his/her hands before and after every Service?
*Are the Salon's and tech's professional Licenses clearly and distinctively displayed?
*Does your tech eat during your Service or touch his/her face (nose, mouth, etc.)?
Simple things, but no amount of money is worth putting your health and safety at risk:
Good Nails Aren't Cheap. Cheap Nails Aren't Good.
A few things to note --
(1) Oregon approves use of disinfectable files & buffers if, AND ONLY IF, they are (a) labeled as such on the file/buffer itself, and (b) properly sanitized & disinfected according to state regulations.
(2) Oregon does not allow reuse of anything not labeled as sanitizible & disinfectible, including but not limited to: files & buffers not labeled as such, orangewood sticks, toe separators, etc.
(3) My own studio doesn't have the space for a fancy pedi chair... I use a dishwashing tub (that I S&D between every use, of course). Many of my clients have mentioned that they like that I use the tub, and not once have I had any complaints about it.
(4) My tile top is cleaned with a natural cleaner spray in between every client and my floor is swept between every client. (FTR - This is why I schedule 15m between clients.)
(5) My disinfectant solutions are mixed per instructions, and changed out, at minimum, once a week (more if needed; solutions shouldn't be cloudy or debris-filled).
(6) My floor is cleaned with a towel & cleaning spray at least once a week.
(7) I use clean towels with every client (and with gel polish services, you also get use of a SOFT LANDINGS table towel).
(8) I wash my own hands, & use sanitizer, before every client... and expect you to do so as well.
(9) My state certifications (Oregon doesn't have "licensing"; we get "certification"), price list, rules of my studio, and all my class certificates (five from CND, one from OPI -- so far) are all on display. Ask me anything. Seriously.
(10) Please, please, PLEASE!!! stop patronizing these shops. There's a reason they're "cheap". I will admit, compared to these places, I am "expensive", but I'm also well-educated. I do this because I love it, not to screw you for a buck. These places don't give a rat's @$$ about you, and will nickel-and-dime you every time.
Two more links for you:
What To Look For In A GOOD Nail Spa
Oregon Cosmetology Board
Sunday, July 15, 2012
GELISH Review
GELISH has been out for a few years (it actually came out before SHELLAC... like a year or so before), but it was only available from online distributors. Don't get me wrong; I'll buy stuff online to use in my business... but let's stick to files, buffers, nail decals, glitter, etc. I refuse to buy polish, gel polish, and the like online because frankly there are too many fakes (although I will do a SWAP with a trusted friend).
As a professional nail tech, I have to stand behind the products I use. For me, that means buying a lot of stuff from local professional distributors. My two favorites are Ed Wyse (locally-owned "small" business, sells to both the public & the consumer) and CosmoProf (big chain, sells only to the beauty professional & beauty students).
When CosmoProf's manager, Gabbi, told me that they're going to start carrying GELISH, I was super-excited. It was a brand I wanted to try, since they have bright, fun colors I couldn't get in the other lines I carried at the time. When Gabbi called to tell me they were in about a month later, I picked up a top coat, a base coat, the six RIO NEONs, and a how-to sheet. When I went in to buy a few more colors, Gabbi also loaned me the how-to DVD.
As with all new products I buy, I like to test them on people (myself, included) before I offer them as a service. I basically needed one or two natural nail clients & one with enhancements who'd already worn gel polish over them. I had offered to do my friend, Anna's, nails for free with a gel polish of her choice months ago; she was trying to stop biting her nails, so I said that as a reward, I would do her nails. My friend, Krista, offered to be my other natural nail guinea pig ($30 instead of my regular $35 price), and my clientfriend, Shannon, offered to be my gel enhancement guinea pig (only charged for the enhancement rebalances; no charge for the GELISH). As I said, I also tried it on myself.
MYSELF -- I wear gels (CND Brisa, for the record), and since gel polishes came out, I have changed it up every two weeks... I get to explore my more creative side, and show people I can do more than just paint a simple french, or just one color, and I still get the extra strength of gels under the color!
* My first trial with GELISH, I used their base, three coats each of "Carnaval Hangover" & "Amazon Flirt" (five fingers of each), some loose glitter, & their top coat. By the end of the two weeks, it had worn a bit on the tips of three nails.
* My second trial, I used Axxium's base, two coats of "Coco Cabana Banana", then marbled together "Coco Cabana Banana" & "Tiki Tiki Laranga", applied a sprinkling of glitter, then Axxium's SOG top coat. Using Axxium's base & top accomplished two things -- one, I was seeing if there was a difference in wear (knowing Axxium's top coat is NOT acetone-permeable, meaning you have to scratch it before applying your Soak Off wraps, unlike Shellac & GelColor) AND two, seeing if the two different formulas were compatible (they are). By the end of the two weeks, I only had one with noticeable wear on the tip -- my right index finger.
* My Third trial, I used their base, one coat OPI's "Alpine Snow" in GelColor, two coats of "Amazon Flirt", white craft paint w/a dotting tool, and "Tiki Tiki Laranga" for the inner dots, then GELISH top coat.
SHANNON -- Shannon also wears gels. Well, correction: Shannon wore gels for years, then her pregnancy (her twins are now 4yo) messed with adhesion, so we switched her to gel polish. A few months ago, she went back to wearing gels. I didn't get a pic of all three times I did her, but
* HERE is one set. Over her gel rebalance, I used GELISH's base, two coats of "Star Burst", topped with "Crown Jewel", & GELISH's top coat. She said there was no difference in how long those held vs how long her rebalances last with any other gel polish I've used on her.
KRISTA -- My original intention was to have Krista go three weeks, just to see how well it held up. I quickly realized that a SAHM to three is *NOT* the person to test this on. :) Krista used to wear acrylics (now, for the record, I prefer the term "L&P" or "liquid & powder", since gels are just another form of acrylic, and since both contain acrylates -- a little science lesson for you), and just wanted "pretty nails for a while". That, I can do.
* For her first round, after doing some serious cuticle work & proper prep (both are a MUST if you want anything to stay on your nails more than a day or two, btw), I applied GELISH's base, two coats of "Shake It Til You Samba", topped with "Izzy Wizzy", and GELISH's top coat. I got a call about 10 days in that she wasn't going to make it three weeks... so,
* I changed her to two weeks. For her second round, I did "Star Burst" topped with "Izzy Wizzy...", using GELISH's top & base coats, then I rescheduled her next appt to be two weeks from that. When she came back at two weeks, THIS is what her nails looked like.
* It was now time to remove them, and give her a basic clean up. HERE, all I did was remove the GELISH, shape her nails, clean up her cuticles a bit, and used a nail strengthener base coat, and a shiny top coat.
ANNA -- Anna is a substitute teacher, and a married mother of five. She was on the two-week plan. She used to be a horrible nail-biter, as well... so, I thought ANY kind of UV-cured color would help. Heck, even POLISH would help, as it would give additional strength to her nails and the brighter colors may make her take a second look as they would be headed to her mouth. Regardless, she's been bite-free for a few months now; I'm very proud of her!
* First round, we chose "Ooba Ooba Blue" topped with "Crown Jewel". In the future, I will use either three coats of these NEONS, or undercoat them with a coat of white.
* Anna's nails at 13 days (couldn't do 14; she had an appt) HERE.
* Anna's redo HERE -- "Carnaval Hangover" topped with "High Voltage". These turned out much better, since I didn't have to undercoat them.
* She went exactly two weeks HERE.
* At the end, I gave her the same clean up mani that I gave Krista -- HERE.
WHAT I LEARNED --
* Gelish cures with completely different times under the UV lamp as the other brands I carry (OPI's Axxium, OPI's GelColor, and CND's Shellac). It is VERY important to remember which brand cures at what times... some products can breakdown if you under- or over-cure.
* Gelish is compatible with the other gel polish systems I carry; meaning, I can use Gelish's colors with any of the four UV-cured tops & bases I own to give you more or less strength, depending on your needs (this is great, considering that I figured out that GelColor is NOT compatible with Shellac -- fyi). It also means I can layer Gelish colors with any other brand's.
* Gelish's prep for natural nails is the same as with GelColor.
* Gelish's removal is a cross between Axxium (scratch first to break the top coat's seal) and GelColor (15m or less).
* ROCKSTAR Gelish is not nearly as easy as ROCKSTAR Shellac. Gelish is more resistant to adhesion of loose glitter (& loose pigments, for that matter) than Shellac, so to do a proper ROCKSTAR application, you have to partially cure your top color layer, press in your glitter or pigments, and finish curing. I had success with 30 seconds under the UV lamp, then finishing with the other 30 seconds, then applying my top coat.
* Gelish's top coat is similar to Axxium's SOG top coat, though not quite as strong. Neither are acetone-permeable, so I can wear either over my own UV-cured color (no matter which color/brand I use) and not worry about messing them up by using acetone on other people.
THINGS *YOU*, as the consumer, SHOULD KNOW --
* None of the UV-cured colors need to be soaked off in a bowl of acetone, and they should NEVER be filed off -- with a hand file or an electric file -- unless the color is applied over your enhancement (gel or l&p system). If the company who makes the products doesn't offer a special wrap (or your tech is trying to save money), acetone on a cotton pad, wrapped with a piece of aluminum foil, is THE ONLY thing they should be using.
* Your cuticles MUST be softened & pushed back, your nail surface must be COMPLETELY free of debris, & you need to have a nail prep (BondAid for OPI, Scrub Fresh for CND) of some sort used (some techs use IPA; that works for most products, but not all. I prefer BondAid & Scrub Fresh), for your gel polish manicure to last. Really, if you want anything to stay on your nails -- polish, gel polish, &/or enhancement -- these steps must be taken.
* Just because a salon offers "Shellac Manicures" (or some variation thereof) doesn't mean (a) they actually use CND's SHELLAC, and (b) doesn't mean they've been properly trained to use whatever products they offer. Do your research. Ask lots of questions about sanitation (another blog on this later), their licensing/certification (states' rules vary -- in Oregon, we actually have CERTIFICATIONS, not LICENSES), training/classes they've had, etc.
* Each practitioner is required to have AND TO DISPLAY their license, as well as their city/county business license (I have a compliance waiver, simply because I don't make the minimum required in my county to have an actual license).
* Check them out on Yelp, if possible. Call the state board or do some checking online (Oregon's cosmo website can be found here), check the websites of the company's products (OPI, CND, etc) to see if that salon &/or the techs who work there have had proper training (ftr -- I've taken four CND classes, earning me "GRAND MASTER" status, and one class from OPI, "GelColor"... wish they'd offer more). Oregon, btw, is not a state that requires continuing education (I wish it was!), but I still do a lot to stay ahead of the game -- networking, online videos, & practice, practice, practice! Your tech should, too.
As a professional nail tech, I have to stand behind the products I use. For me, that means buying a lot of stuff from local professional distributors. My two favorites are Ed Wyse (locally-owned "small" business, sells to both the public & the consumer) and CosmoProf (big chain, sells only to the beauty professional & beauty students).
When CosmoProf's manager, Gabbi, told me that they're going to start carrying GELISH, I was super-excited. It was a brand I wanted to try, since they have bright, fun colors I couldn't get in the other lines I carried at the time. When Gabbi called to tell me they were in about a month later, I picked up a top coat, a base coat, the six RIO NEONs, and a how-to sheet. When I went in to buy a few more colors, Gabbi also loaned me the how-to DVD.
As with all new products I buy, I like to test them on people (myself, included) before I offer them as a service. I basically needed one or two natural nail clients & one with enhancements who'd already worn gel polish over them. I had offered to do my friend, Anna's, nails for free with a gel polish of her choice months ago; she was trying to stop biting her nails, so I said that as a reward, I would do her nails. My friend, Krista, offered to be my other natural nail guinea pig ($30 instead of my regular $35 price), and my clientfriend, Shannon, offered to be my gel enhancement guinea pig (only charged for the enhancement rebalances; no charge for the GELISH). As I said, I also tried it on myself.
MYSELF -- I wear gels (CND Brisa, for the record), and since gel polishes came out, I have changed it up every two weeks... I get to explore my more creative side, and show people I can do more than just paint a simple french, or just one color, and I still get the extra strength of gels under the color!
* My first trial with GELISH, I used their base, three coats each of "Carnaval Hangover" & "Amazon Flirt" (five fingers of each), some loose glitter, & their top coat. By the end of the two weeks, it had worn a bit on the tips of three nails.
* My second trial, I used Axxium's base, two coats of "Coco Cabana Banana", then marbled together "Coco Cabana Banana" & "Tiki Tiki Laranga", applied a sprinkling of glitter, then Axxium's SOG top coat. Using Axxium's base & top accomplished two things -- one, I was seeing if there was a difference in wear (knowing Axxium's top coat is NOT acetone-permeable, meaning you have to scratch it before applying your Soak Off wraps, unlike Shellac & GelColor) AND two, seeing if the two different formulas were compatible (they are). By the end of the two weeks, I only had one with noticeable wear on the tip -- my right index finger.
* My Third trial, I used their base, one coat OPI's "Alpine Snow" in GelColor, two coats of "Amazon Flirt", white craft paint w/a dotting tool, and "Tiki Tiki Laranga" for the inner dots, then GELISH top coat.
SHANNON -- Shannon also wears gels. Well, correction: Shannon wore gels for years, then her pregnancy (her twins are now 4yo) messed with adhesion, so we switched her to gel polish. A few months ago, she went back to wearing gels. I didn't get a pic of all three times I did her, but
* HERE is one set. Over her gel rebalance, I used GELISH's base, two coats of "Star Burst", topped with "Crown Jewel", & GELISH's top coat. She said there was no difference in how long those held vs how long her rebalances last with any other gel polish I've used on her.
KRISTA -- My original intention was to have Krista go three weeks, just to see how well it held up. I quickly realized that a SAHM to three is *NOT* the person to test this on. :) Krista used to wear acrylics (now, for the record, I prefer the term "L&P" or "liquid & powder", since gels are just another form of acrylic, and since both contain acrylates -- a little science lesson for you), and just wanted "pretty nails for a while". That, I can do.
* For her first round, after doing some serious cuticle work & proper prep (both are a MUST if you want anything to stay on your nails more than a day or two, btw), I applied GELISH's base, two coats of "Shake It Til You Samba", topped with "Izzy Wizzy", and GELISH's top coat. I got a call about 10 days in that she wasn't going to make it three weeks... so,
* I changed her to two weeks. For her second round, I did "Star Burst" topped with "Izzy Wizzy...", using GELISH's top & base coats, then I rescheduled her next appt to be two weeks from that. When she came back at two weeks, THIS is what her nails looked like.
* It was now time to remove them, and give her a basic clean up. HERE, all I did was remove the GELISH, shape her nails, clean up her cuticles a bit, and used a nail strengthener base coat, and a shiny top coat.
ANNA -- Anna is a substitute teacher, and a married mother of five. She was on the two-week plan. She used to be a horrible nail-biter, as well... so, I thought ANY kind of UV-cured color would help. Heck, even POLISH would help, as it would give additional strength to her nails and the brighter colors may make her take a second look as they would be headed to her mouth. Regardless, she's been bite-free for a few months now; I'm very proud of her!
* First round, we chose "Ooba Ooba Blue" topped with "Crown Jewel". In the future, I will use either three coats of these NEONS, or undercoat them with a coat of white.
* Anna's nails at 13 days (couldn't do 14; she had an appt) HERE.
* Anna's redo HERE -- "Carnaval Hangover" topped with "High Voltage". These turned out much better, since I didn't have to undercoat them.
* She went exactly two weeks HERE.
* At the end, I gave her the same clean up mani that I gave Krista -- HERE.
WHAT I LEARNED --
* Gelish cures with completely different times under the UV lamp as the other brands I carry (OPI's Axxium, OPI's GelColor, and CND's Shellac). It is VERY important to remember which brand cures at what times... some products can breakdown if you under- or over-cure.
* Gelish is compatible with the other gel polish systems I carry; meaning, I can use Gelish's colors with any of the four UV-cured tops & bases I own to give you more or less strength, depending on your needs (this is great, considering that I figured out that GelColor is NOT compatible with Shellac -- fyi). It also means I can layer Gelish colors with any other brand's.
* Gelish's prep for natural nails is the same as with GelColor.
* Gelish's removal is a cross between Axxium (scratch first to break the top coat's seal) and GelColor (15m or less).
* ROCKSTAR Gelish is not nearly as easy as ROCKSTAR Shellac. Gelish is more resistant to adhesion of loose glitter (& loose pigments, for that matter) than Shellac, so to do a proper ROCKSTAR application, you have to partially cure your top color layer, press in your glitter or pigments, and finish curing. I had success with 30 seconds under the UV lamp, then finishing with the other 30 seconds, then applying my top coat.
* Gelish's top coat is similar to Axxium's SOG top coat, though not quite as strong. Neither are acetone-permeable, so I can wear either over my own UV-cured color (no matter which color/brand I use) and not worry about messing them up by using acetone on other people.
THINGS *YOU*, as the consumer, SHOULD KNOW --
* None of the UV-cured colors need to be soaked off in a bowl of acetone, and they should NEVER be filed off -- with a hand file or an electric file -- unless the color is applied over your enhancement (gel or l&p system). If the company who makes the products doesn't offer a special wrap (or your tech is trying to save money), acetone on a cotton pad, wrapped with a piece of aluminum foil, is THE ONLY thing they should be using.
* Your cuticles MUST be softened & pushed back, your nail surface must be COMPLETELY free of debris, & you need to have a nail prep (BondAid for OPI, Scrub Fresh for CND) of some sort used (some techs use IPA; that works for most products, but not all. I prefer BondAid & Scrub Fresh), for your gel polish manicure to last. Really, if you want anything to stay on your nails -- polish, gel polish, &/or enhancement -- these steps must be taken.
* Just because a salon offers "Shellac Manicures" (or some variation thereof) doesn't mean (a) they actually use CND's SHELLAC, and (b) doesn't mean they've been properly trained to use whatever products they offer. Do your research. Ask lots of questions about sanitation (another blog on this later), their licensing/certification (states' rules vary -- in Oregon, we actually have CERTIFICATIONS, not LICENSES), training/classes they've had, etc.
* Each practitioner is required to have AND TO DISPLAY their license, as well as their city/county business license (I have a compliance waiver, simply because I don't make the minimum required in my county to have an actual license).
* Check them out on Yelp, if possible. Call the state board or do some checking online (Oregon's cosmo website can be found here), check the websites of the company's products (OPI, CND, etc) to see if that salon &/or the techs who work there have had proper training (ftr -- I've taken four CND classes, earning me "GRAND MASTER" status, and one class from OPI, "GelColor"... wish they'd offer more). Oregon, btw, is not a state that requires continuing education (I wish it was!), but I still do a lot to stay ahead of the game -- networking, online videos, & practice, practice, practice! Your tech should, too.
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Ahhhh, Progress!
When I started planning my Studio MakeOver, I knew it was going to take some time to get things done. I wanted to do it right; so I planned five full days off (well, THREE full days, and two that had one client each; ones I couldn't move) as soon as my polish rack was finished. My plan (lol -- "plan"... maybe THAT was the problem) was as follows:
Day One -- Remove everything from my studio, put it all nicely into the basement at the salon, and deep clean the whole room.
Day Two -- Spackle & mud, as needed.
Day Three -- Prime everything, paint all the white.
Day Four -- Paint all the yellow.
Day Five -- Put everything back into my room that is staying, take everything else home to sell on Craigslist, etc.
Here's what ACTUALLY happened:
Day One -- Went according to plan. Daughter joined me and was a huge help. I also posted on my business FB page, asking for assistance in choosing which yellow to paint. Both were similar once swatched, so I made my fans choose by name. The choices were "Moonlit Yellow" or "Soft Lemon". Moonlit Yellow won by a landslide!
The next day was my birthday, so I didn't do any studio work that day.
Day Two -- Took care of one morning MAN-I-cure (took me 1/2 hour), took mom & daughter to the airport, then returned to the salon. This is where things went a wee bit south. You see, the mesh tape dropped out of my bag in my garage, and I didn't know this until I was at work. I *could* have driven to Fred Meyer or the Ace Hardware nearby, but by the time I actually discovered the fact of the missing mesh tape, it was about 4p and I was tired... I had also discovered that day that two of the screws in my walls didn't want to come out, so I also needed pliers to force them. I went home.
Day Three -- Now dedicated to finishing spackling & mudding. Took about an hour. Also slapped on some KILZ to some staining on my ceiling.
Day Four -- Taped off the floor, and primed everything except the ceiling, since another coat of KILZ was needed on the staining.
Day Five -- Had a basic pedi to take care of in the a.m., then finished priming the ceiling, and painted all the white (baseboards, picture rail, the roughly one-foot section of wall above the picture rail, and finally, the ceiling).
Day Six -- Had two clients in the morning, then hubs came by with tools & my polish rack. We had lunch together, then got those things installed. I decided that the old light bar doesn't need to go back up; I'm just going to install a second lamp over the client's mani chair. Hopefully, I can buy another of the one I installed over the pedi sink.
Currently, I am taking a studio break, but I *did* wash my curtains (they still need ironing before I put them back up; one set has handmade flip flop hooks!), and did some at-home painting. My dirty towel basket was brown... now it's white. It needs another coat, then sealer. My sign was light blue; it got painted medium/dark purple. It currently also needs another coat, then the stencil in white, then seal.
I will put some of my things back in starting tomorrow, but this will be a slow process, since I need to figure out where things are going, what I still need as far as storage goes (at the very least, a stackable drawer thing for backbar - under my pedi sink area - and a nice wall-hung polish rack for my gel polishes. I have a good-sized Shellac rack that CND sent me, and want one from Deco Polish Racks, but I'm not sure what size I need, yet), and what I'm going to be getting rid of (definitely the old pedi chair, some decor items, and polishes). This Sunday, hubs will return with me so that he can change out my switches & plates. They are "almond", and I am making them all "white".
If you're not already, you can "LIKE" my business page and watch my progress in pictures. I'm posting them as I go.
Day One -- Remove everything from my studio, put it all nicely into the basement at the salon, and deep clean the whole room.
Day Two -- Spackle & mud, as needed.
Day Three -- Prime everything, paint all the white.
Day Four -- Paint all the yellow.
Day Five -- Put everything back into my room that is staying, take everything else home to sell on Craigslist, etc.
Here's what ACTUALLY happened:
Day One -- Went according to plan. Daughter joined me and was a huge help. I also posted on my business FB page, asking for assistance in choosing which yellow to paint. Both were similar once swatched, so I made my fans choose by name. The choices were "Moonlit Yellow" or "Soft Lemon". Moonlit Yellow won by a landslide!
The next day was my birthday, so I didn't do any studio work that day.
Day Two -- Took care of one morning MAN-I-cure (took me 1/2 hour), took mom & daughter to the airport, then returned to the salon. This is where things went a wee bit south. You see, the mesh tape dropped out of my bag in my garage, and I didn't know this until I was at work. I *could* have driven to Fred Meyer or the Ace Hardware nearby, but by the time I actually discovered the fact of the missing mesh tape, it was about 4p and I was tired... I had also discovered that day that two of the screws in my walls didn't want to come out, so I also needed pliers to force them. I went home.
Day Three -- Now dedicated to finishing spackling & mudding. Took about an hour. Also slapped on some KILZ to some staining on my ceiling.
Day Four -- Taped off the floor, and primed everything except the ceiling, since another coat of KILZ was needed on the staining.
Day Five -- Had a basic pedi to take care of in the a.m., then finished priming the ceiling, and painted all the white (baseboards, picture rail, the roughly one-foot section of wall above the picture rail, and finally, the ceiling).
Day Six -- Had two clients in the morning, then hubs came by with tools & my polish rack. We had lunch together, then got those things installed. I decided that the old light bar doesn't need to go back up; I'm just going to install a second lamp over the client's mani chair. Hopefully, I can buy another of the one I installed over the pedi sink.
Currently, I am taking a studio break, but I *did* wash my curtains (they still need ironing before I put them back up; one set has handmade flip flop hooks!), and did some at-home painting. My dirty towel basket was brown... now it's white. It needs another coat, then sealer. My sign was light blue; it got painted medium/dark purple. It currently also needs another coat, then the stencil in white, then seal.
I will put some of my things back in starting tomorrow, but this will be a slow process, since I need to figure out where things are going, what I still need as far as storage goes (at the very least, a stackable drawer thing for backbar - under my pedi sink area - and a nice wall-hung polish rack for my gel polishes. I have a good-sized Shellac rack that CND sent me, and want one from Deco Polish Racks, but I'm not sure what size I need, yet), and what I'm going to be getting rid of (definitely the old pedi chair, some decor items, and polishes). This Sunday, hubs will return with me so that he can change out my switches & plates. They are "almond", and I am making them all "white".
If you're not already, you can "LIKE" my business page and watch my progress in pictures. I'm posting them as I go.
Sunday, June 10, 2012
Moving Along Nicely...
So, today, while my daughter was at the water park with her friend & her friend's family, my husband and I finished painting my new polish rack, then went over to Home Depot & Lowe's. I picked up two new drawer knobs (decided to hold off having hubs make a new storage cabinet for being my chair; for now, I'm just going to paint it white, to match the polish rack), push-in wall hangars, and two small sample cans of paint. I like this lamp for hanging over my pedi sink (goes with my framed CND certificates), and this rug for under my new pedi chair. Sometime this week, I will paint all four walls with sample swatches of the paint, so I can decide which I like best (so far, I'm leaning more towards "Moonlit Yellow", but "Lemon" is also in the running).
Wednesday, June 6, 2012
You May Proceed...
Ok, thanks to my, my husband's, and my daughter's efforts, my custom made corner polish rack is done! I have narrowed my paint choices to three; I think I like one best, but will still get little cans of the three and do paint swatches to make sure. I have my new pedi chair and both cushions (one for spring/summer, one for fall/winter) bought, but not put together. I have researched carpet tiles and found a company I can get some from, but it's not cheap. I had found a 4' square rubber-backed low-pile rug I was going to order, but I measured my pedi space today, and it's a bit smaller than that (and I don't want to cut a pre-made rug). So, my next step there is to check out the local carpet places & see if I can get the tiles, or maybe have a custom rug made, for cheaper than the catalog I have. I also need to see about a lamp I can hang (on an eye bolt or something) above my pedi bowl that has a really long cord, so I can have better lighting. Pretty sure those are the last bits I need to get done before I can shut down. Oh, and if you're a client of mine, I WILL be shutting down June 21st through June 25th for the makeover.
Sometimes, Cheating Is Ok... Sometimes, It's Not
When you're in the beauty industry, things happen... Your regular clients occasionally need to go somewhere else to have their services done. For me, it's usually due to my client's schedule (work conflict, out of town, or lack of daycare are the three most common), not because of mine (although lately I have had less open appointments to accommodate last-minute clients). A few weeks ago, a client of mine, R, was leaving town for a weekend of fun with her friend, J. When she was finally able to make it back into my chair, I was prepping her for what I now call her "Diva" service (thanks, Tanya!). What do I see, but rings of fire! They weren't actually red, but there were very defined rings; ridged out of her natural nail. I semi-jokingly said, "What did you do?!?!" She goes, "I cheated... I'm sorry!" I told her next time she needs to cheat on me, that I have plenty of names for her of highly-qualified, certified by CND/OPI, nail techs I can send her to. GEEZ! Last tidbit:Here's a great, but long, article about MMA every person should read & understand.
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