New website went live today!

Quick blog just to tell you all that finally my website is live!!!!

Wooohooooo!!!!!!

No greater feeling! I've been working on it for weeks- it's been slow, but I must say I'm not that technical! My lovely boyfriend has helped me loads, he us that technical! He's designed my logo and done all my photography so far except the official CND pics!

But seeing it live for everyone to see us a really great feeling!!  I am a firm believer that all great businesses require a web site, now I can give potential clients even more confidence in me! On my way to my first client of the day, a salon in hammersmith and I'm feeling great about my decision to take this career path and firmly believing everything happens for a reason!

Check out my new website at www.adoflondon.com

:-)

Xx

Screwing up a set of nails!

Hey guys.. me again, I'm on a roll tonight! I just wanted to write a post on screwing up! Really to remind everyone that we have all been there, we've all been new,  we all need to practice on willing clients and guinea pigs in order to improve, there's no other way to progress but to make mistakes. For me some of my worst, most upsetting mistakes have been the ones I have learnt best from. Have you ever sent a client off with nails your less than happy with, or felt the feeling of the client clock watching as she's been in the chair for 2 hours already and your still filing product or correcting your cuticle application. Have you ever looked at the finsihed nails in utter fear that  it will lift as you've flooded the cuticle or got that ledge at the cuticle? Trust me we all have been there... hands shaking, faking it, till you make it!

I would like to share with you all what is hands down my worst experience to date was when I had just started out and I did a set of pink and whites on this awful very snooty client, She made me nervous when she called me to book by slagging off the last tech and her work. Anyway I went there, determined to rise to the challenge, things started out well, I did my prep, applied my tips and blended but as time went on she started making me nervous, by asking me why I was doing this and that, then she was huffing and puffing as it had taken me an hour already,Ii tried to speed up..... then I applied the white too thinly and didn't cap it so when i filed i actually filed into the colour on one of the nails! She was furious, she lost it with me and started shouting at me! I offered to correct it but she said she didn't want it corrected! She was an awful woman, to be fair I would of been unhappy with them but I would never of treated anyone like that!

I then packed up my stuff as quickly and possible apologised and thanked her for her time! I said I didn't want any money for the nails and I was close to tears and just wanted to get out of there but then she started insisting I take some money for my work. I didn't feel right taking it, so it then became a "Just take it", "No, really I don't want it", type situation. I could of died, I must of looked terrible! I was sweating, hot, very red in the face with anger, upset and embarrassment. In the end I just left the house- literally ran out of the house!

In hindsight I wish I had handled it differently as the nails were a really good set apart from the one finger which I had missed a tiny section of white. It could of been corrected easily! This experience really knocked my confidence and I felt like I didn't want to do nails anymore as I was so useless! I forced myself to get back out there and do nails even though the thought filled me with dread, I did a few more guinea pigs and did my own nails a few times. I also started looking around for more training to top me up on my UV application as it wasn't covered very well in my course!

There have been many many other moments I've wanted to quit, trust me but something keeps me here! Below is a set of glitter tips I hand sculpted on myself!

They lasted 3 weeks, with no lifting.... so whatever your fears are conquer them,  whatever your mistakes, learn from them. Don't give up, if you want to do this you can so get straight back on the bike again! Nothing good ever came easily!!!!


xxxxx

Choosing your nail product ranges!

We all need to pick a product range for our business, and there are so many suppliers and companies out there, all in competition with each other so how do you know whats best for you? It's probable you will try a few and chop and change. If you train in a college very often they use products such as Millennium nails, Edge nails Star Nails etc. These are good affordable brands, available in Sally's which are great for training and practising!

After you qualify you might want to start exploring this huge nail industry and what it has to offer!
I chose my product ranges using a variety of thought processes and methods.  I broke down what I wanted to offer, a good gel polish brand, acrylics, UV Gel and a soak off gel. That was all I needed from a supplier.  Then carry out research! Listen, read, try out. I would advise you:

1. Order trial kits from a few of the leading companies. Most brands will send you them out and they are extremely cheap or even free and enough to do a few sets of nails to test their longevity durability and overall performance. I got one from NSI and Young Nails and a gel polish one from Opi.

2. Pay attention to a lot of word of mouth, listen to what other, more experienced techs out there were using and why.

3. Visit the trade shows where there are demonstrations, and loads of freebies and giveaways of products.

4. Read industry magazines,  for instance I get Scratch sent to me free of charge quite a lot and its very informative.

4. Use various Social media, Instagram, twitter, Facebook and forums like Salon Geek have a wealth of information!

I finally settled after thinking about what sort of brand you want to be! What is your vision for yourself and your business? I initially went with OPI for my polishes, they are a well known brand with a huge colour range, other techs I knew used them, the public love them AND they were doing free training for their gel polish product GelColor. I went with NSI for my L&P in the end (or acrylics as you may know it). I picked up their trial kit at the show as they are a reputable brand, with beautiful colours for their powders and I also used their balance gels. However I found their gel to be very runny and switched to young nails which I find thicker and easier to work with!

However this year I have decided to convert to CND! That's for another blog post, which in fact I think I will do very soon, but I will explain exactly why it was the best decision I've ever made.

 

Whatever you do,  please make sure you get a reputable supplier, Ebay is not the place for buying acrylics and Gels, Ebay is great for nail art bits and pieces but when it comes to chemicals you need to know their source. I'm sure you would be mortified if you unknowingly bought a counterfeit product which damaged your clients? Again the is for another blog but whoever you decided to go with, remember "You get what you pay for"!


bye xxxxx

So, I now know I want to do nails but what do I actually need to do it,and why are there so many damn courses?

So there I was, in front of my computer with the results of the search "nail courses in London"  A least a thousand courses came up. From home learning, to this institute, to that college.....

"Er.... so what exactly are the regulations for nails in the UK and what qualification do I even need???" Is it an ITEC, a VRQ,  an NVQ,  or even Home learning? There are so many, so many acronyms, so many academies, so much vast difference in prices! The reality is just about anybody can set up and teach a course these days, even if they aren't endorsed or accredited by anything! Your certificates will mean diddly squat when you finish of course, but you can in theory do the course!

Where and how you train really depends on you and your future plans. If you want to set up mobile or from home, then you really can train with any provider and it doesn't need to be a formally recognised qualification, as long as your insurable, your good to go. However after researching further, I knew I personally wanted to get an NVQ or VRQ. This is mainly because in London and (probably most other areas) one needs and NVQ or VRQ to work in a salon, and certainly if you want your own salon you would need this to get a Special Treatments Licence which you obtain from the council for your premises!

Home learning courses and distance learning courses have their place of course, but personally I don't think its possible to learn something like nails from home.  I really feel such a trade based thing can not be learnt from behind your computer screen. You need real live models, you need experience, salon experience, trade experience.

So for those of you interested in starting out, I think almost certainly to keep your options open an NVQ or VRQ should be sought. Lots of places are now offering the VRQ instead of the NVQ but it is totally equivalent. NVQ is designed for people in the workplace where as VRQs are designed for the classroom! If you want to know the difference check out:

http://www.cityandguilds.com/Courses-and-Qualifications/Qualifications-Explained

In London not many colleges offer the course in nails. I could only find LCBT, City and Islington College and Bexley College, none of which are very near my house. In the end I researched and found an independent college which delivered VTCT level 2 in Nail Technology. It was spread over a few months, and I needed to do a portfolio which I was allowed to do from home and it suited me very well! Check what your course covers, mine did Acrylic, UV Gel and fibreglass enhancements. I found it hard but I passed!!!!!

Seriously if you do nothing else.. get a good foundation of training.  cutting corners doesn't pay and you get what you pay for! If you don't invest at the beginning of your career, what foundation is that to build upon? Trust me, you will only end up spending more money in the long run, retraining anyway, believe you me!

If anyone wants to know where I studied, do message me!


bye for now

xxxx

My first ever beauty qualification!

Seriously guys.... its so confusing to know exactly which course to take... there are seemingly 100s of academies, training schools, home learning courses ITEC, BTEC, VRQ, NVQ Accredited this and that..... WTF?????

I was working in a stressful job and due to personal reasons I left the job suddenly. It was December 2011, right before christmas and I found myself with no job! I was also newly pregnant at this time and a bit lost with no guidance and no way of knowing what I wanted to do.... all in al a pretty bad time in my life really.

One day I remember walking down a cold wet London street (seriously imagine your worst, cheesy, violin playing stereotype of total dejection etc... that was me at this moment) and a bus drove by with a sig saying courses for level 2 beauty at my local college were enrolling for January. I thought why not? I called up and was told to get down there before 3pm that day as places were filling up fast. I made an excuse to my sons school and took him out a bit early and traipsed down there! paid the congestion charge, paid an arm and a leg for parking. Queued for hours only to be told they were closing enrolment for the day and I was too late. I begged, pleaded and eventually I was allowed in to the room. It was quite disorganised but I managed to sit an entrance exam and have a brief interview. I was told i could do the course! Yeyyyyyyyy!

After xmas we started the course.... I just loved wearing the pink tabard and loved the course content, it was totally the best way for me to learn. I found the coursework and exams easy, and loved the practical work. I adored manicure and pedicure the most! Long story short the course itself was a bit of a disaster... and I decided throughout this course I would never again undertake community college education! but, 10 years since i first tried to do it... I had managed to get most of my City and guilds VRQ Level 2 in beauty therapy!


I so wished I had followed my heart and done this 10 years ago! I had the bug now... I loved manicure and pedicure.....So what next?

Starting out!

Hi!

So pleased to meet you! Ok so this is my first blog post.... don't know who is reading, however I shall continue my ramblings about my journey to be the best nail technician I can be! I've taken a sharp career change which I didn't necessarily expect to take. I'm 30 years old now, mother of two beautiful children and imagine I've only just found out, my niche, my passion! It's been a much harder journey, than I ever imagined, and really I'm just starting it.......

I will share with you all tips and hints along the way,  new products out product reviews and techniques. I will share with you what i've gleaned from hours of research and time spent on forums like Salon Geek, social media like Facebook,  Instagram, twitter and at trade shows and from my links within the industry!

I will share with you my work dilemma's, opportunities, ups and downs and the pro's and cons, product reviews and hints and tips!  The main aim of this blog is to be motivational, to everyone... existing nail techs, and to new or aspiring nail techs, to show you, you too can do it and to help you get over your fears, struggles and troubles. We're ALL human, we ALL make mistakes and we ALL go through the hard times as well as the good!

I've got loads to say...... so many thoughts and anything you guys want to see just ask. I can't wait to get started!