QuestionQUESTION: I have the new bio sculpture gel nails. They are nice, but it looks pretty easy to apply. There's no drill, very little etching and shaping...why is the procedure so expensive? The gel is painted on like polish and then it hardens under a special 'light' machine. With acrylic nails, there was no way a lady could do her own...thus...the expense. These bio sculpt nails...I could definately do my own. The manicurist does very little really.
ANSWER: Ahhh... how easy we can make it look!
I remember the first time I saw gel nails demo'd for my class back in nail school. Even though I had technically been doing acrylics for 7 years before I started school to become a pro, I was having such a hard time mastering them in a professional setting. Then our instructor brought in her daughter's gel system-- California doesn't include gels in their practical exam for licensing, so very few schools bothered addressing them, especially back in 1992!
It looked SO easy! Heck! I was already really good at applying nail polish! What's the difference, right?
I had it all planned that I was going to get my license and specialize in gel nails.
Turns out, it's not that easy.
The primary reason that gel nails (Bio Sculpture or any other brand) are more expensive is because the products are more expensive. Gel products cost, on average, 3 times more than acrylic products. That's OUR cost. Yet the consumer rarely sees salon prices for a new set of gels that are 3 times higher than a new set of acrylics-- which means that we are actually taking a hit to our profit margin to offer gel services. When the math is done, many nail techs fail to clear minimum wage for their labor.
Also, gel is not nearly as easy to apply properly as it appears. Gels do not behave the same way as acrylics, it is very difficult to master the art of sculpting with the gel, since it just sort of flows like lava until it goes under that lamp. So it doesn't stay where we put it. It's also very difficult to learn to build an arch in the nail, the gel self-levels and will flow into the side walls and cuticle area, or pool up at one end of the nail or off to one side.
Add to that the fact that clients tend to talk with their hands, root around in their pockets or purses, play with their hair, talk on their phones...when their hands NEED to be under that light. So the gel runs into the cuticles or they get all kinds of fuzzies in the gel, or the gel just doesn't get cured all the way through and you start to feel some of our pain.
Another cost factor in gel nails is the expense of that "light machine." A high-quality lamp cost upwards of $300. High quality light bulbs cost $15-30 each and need to be replaced frequently, depending on how much use the lamp gets.
It took me 2 years after beginning my career before I was comfortable enough with my acrylic skills to not apologize for asking to be paid... it took me 15 years to get to that same place with my gel skills!
Gel products are also far more difficult to find at the consumer level. Whereas you can find consumer acrylic kits in any Walmart for doing your own, it is FAR rarer to find a set up for doing true gels (products that are cured under an ultra-violet light as opposed to products that call themselves "gels" but are actually thick-viscosity resins-- the same type that Crazy Glue is made of) at home.
Unlike many of my colleagues, I wholeheartedly invite anyone to attempt to do their own nails. Chances are you will discover that the cost, time and effort involved is far more than you were prepared for and with time you will land back in front of your favorite professional with a newfound appreciation for what we do.
Of course, there's always the possibility that you will excel at doing your own nails, AND enjoy it. If that turns out to be the case, consider getting licensed and pursing a career in the industry! Skilled professionals are few and far between and this is a GREAT job!
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Thanks Maggie for the explanation. I guess that's why the gel is on my cuticles. Although I am a MODEL client as I get those nails under the lamp lickity split. May I ask one more question of you since you have been so helpful? Is it out of line to ask the tech to push back my cuticles before she does the etching? I asked her to do this since my cuticles are rough and kind of thick and she said it wasn't necessary because the etching would do the trick. Now I have those pools on the side walls of my nails that you spoke of in your response. She seemed very reluctant to do this. Is there a reason or is she being lazy?
AnswerMy guess is that since she didn't give you a reason for not wanting to push back your cuticles when you asked is that she's being lazy. Maybe she has a philosophy on this that she just hasn't shared with you.
Here's the thing: You really shouldn't push back cuticles unless they have been softened. We do this during manicures by soaking your fingers, or by softening the skin with warm lotion or oil and/or applying a cuticle solvent to loosen the skin. No matter how gently you push back your cuticles, it's a pretty traumatic process for the skin if it's not properly prepared. Pushing back cuticles that aren't softened first can result in microscopic (and sometimes NOT so microscopic) tears along the edge of the living cuticle which can then become entry points for bacteria and other cooties that could result in some nasty paronychial infections.
Cuticles exist as a sort of protective barrier that seals down to the nailplate and prevents dirt and cooties from getting under the skin and creating all sorts of health problems. So you want to be kind to your cuticles!
I can totally understand if your nail tech doesn't want to push back your cuticles without doing a full manicure for health and safety reasons, and there's no reason you can't enjoy an old fashioned manicure even if you wear enhancements! Unfortunately, I also know there are still many nail techs working in the industry who are under the erroneous impression that you can't get your nails wet before applying any type of enhancement product. (Which is why many nail techs still don't make their clients wash their hands before services! YEK!) So she may not want to soak your nails and/or apply cuticle solvent before your service, thinking that this will prevent the product from adhering to your nails.
I always advise trying to communicate with your nail tech. Find out why she doesn't want to push back your cuticles. If she just plain doesn't want to do it... you can keep tabs on them yourself. When you get out of the shower gently push back your cuticles with the towel. Very gently. Depending on the condition of your cuticles, it may take a few days of gentle coaxing before you see results, don't try to work miracles on overgrown, dry, tough cuticles all at once! Another EXCELLENT means of conditioning and maintaining your cuticles is cuticle oil. No need for fancy oil blends from the spa (although they do tend to smell nice!) you can use the olive oil that is probably already in your kitchen. Olive oil is a light weight, botanical oil that is quickly absorbed into the skin and is very nourishing and hydrating. Just dab a smidge onto your nails each day and rub in gently in a direction that pushes back your cuticles.
The oil WILL NOT make your nails lift! In fact, it prevents lifting by keeping the skin and nailplate hydrated. When skin becomes dehydrated it shrinks, since most enhancement products aren't flexible enough to shrink with the skin/nail, the nail starts to pull away from the product and you get lifting.
The pools of gel in the sidewalls on your nails can be addressed with thinner coats of gel. Also, where ever the gel touches your skin when it is cured it will eventually lead to lifting. Product won't stick to the skin for long, when it loosens, the seal is broken between the edge of the gel and what it was attached to. Since the gel is one continuous sheet it will start to lift.
I really hope you have a good relationship with your nail tech. I know I am eternally grateful to those gel clients who had patience with me while I mastered the technique! If you like her and have a good rapport, it's definitely worth waiting out the learning curve!
