Your clients may look relaxed sitting there in front of you, but there are some things they might believe about nail polishes that are just not true. We shed some light.
Myth #1 All polishes are the same
Source of the myth: When all lined up on a shelf, nail polishes can look pretty similar, but there are some major differences, particularly when it comes to formulations.
The solution: There is a lot of new technology going into polishes these days so it makes good business sense to make yourself an authority on the subject and tell your clients what’s new; you can bet they want to know what’s gone into their nail products just as much as they want to know about skincare. Perhaps the polish has a new quick-dry formulation. Perhaps it’s chip resistant. Perhaps it’s high shine. Not only do your clients want to know about the products you are using on them, a bit of knowledge will help wed them to your polish brand and keep them coming back to your salon.
Myth #2 Acetone is BAD
Source of the myth: Of course, the acetone that’s sold by the litre at the hardware store will dry out nails, damage the cuticle and cause peeling and flaking… (It will also strip mould from a pavement and thin house paint.)
The solution: Firstly, let your client know that you aren’t using an industrial cleaning product! If a client has read something somewhere about the damaging effects of acetone, let them know that the formulation you’re using is formulated especially for the nails. A brand such as EVO has formulated medical grade acetone, which not only smells great it’s really gentle on nails. This clever gel removing solution comes in little sachets which allows you to sell them to your client for easy at-home removal. Easy for her, easy for you, and an end to nail health worry.
Myth #3 Polishes are cruel to animals
Source of the myth: Nail polish brands have been under the spotlight recently because of testing on animals.
The solution: New Australian federal laws are planned for 2017 to stop the practice of testing cosmetics in animals. But in the meantime, there are plenty of great brands that refuse to use animals in their testing. Bio Sculpture’s new brand EVO makes the safety of animals a priority; it’s both cruelty free and vegan friendly, which means clients with a conscious can feel good when they sit down for a manicure.
Myth #4 All gel polishes damage the nails
Source of the myth: Clients love gel polish. They love the longevity of it. The shine. The strength it gives their nails. What they don’t love is the damage it can cause beneath the polish surface. One of the major issues is the removal. Gel polishes are often scraped off which can damage the nail, leaving it flaky and weak. The other issue is permeability. Some gel polishes do not allow moisture to penetrate through the polish, which can leave nails dry and starved on nourishment.
The solution: Brands have been quick to develop formulations that are both easy to remove and permeable. The result: when the gel polish is removed, very little scraping is required and nails are nourished and healthy.
Myth #5 A brush is a brush
Source of the myth: As a nail expert, you will stock a polish based on its brush alone, but your client may have no idea how important a brush is for creating a flawless, streak-free finish.
The solution: Nail polish brands know that a brush can make or break a polish so they are constantly adding fatter, flatter brushes to their polish packaging. If you love a particular brand for its brush, let your clients know why – trust us, they want to know all your tips and tricks!
Myth #6 Gel polish curing lights give me cancer
Source of the myth: Ok, so it is true that exposure to UV light will increase your risk of skin cancer, especially if the light is artificial and close to the skin… But actually, you can tell your client that all LED lights used to cure gel in the industry are UV LED lights – not the UV fluorescent lamps of old. (Your clients just may not have got the memo…)
The solution: Your clients are fretting for no reason because fluorescent lamps have been given the heave-ho. Bio Sculpture, a nail company that has always placed importance on client health, has even had its lamps safety tested. “We have purposely differentiated a lot of our product offerings to focus on health and wellbeing,” says Brad Bergmann, Managing Director at Bio Sculpture. “Only Bio Sculpture has had its LED Lamps independently safety tested by Australian Radiation Authority – no other brands have claimed to have done this.” So you can tell your client to relax…