2016 is shaping up to be the year of the nail polish launch… And Laquoir is an exciting new recruit.
Frustrated with polishes that require multiple steps, are hard to remove, and have the potential to weaken the nails, companies are coming up with polish solutions that both look amazing, and keep nail health in check.
The latest release is Laquoir, an exciting new cured polish system that offers the ease of no base coat and no top coat – and promises an end to shrinkage and that tacky feeling professionals have to deal with during a manicure. Distributed by National Salon Supplies, this Australian made and owned range has an impressive 60 colours (with more on the way) and may just change the way your salon does nails.
We talk to Wes Pawlowski, managing director at National Salon Supplies about this next gen polish. (Warning: you’ll want to get your hands on it…)
Where did the concept of this new nail innovation come from?
“A chemist in Europe decided to make a gel polish that was more simple to apply and remove than existing Gel Polishes,” says Wes Pawlowski, managing director, National Salon Supplies.
What are the most exciting aspects of this new polish system?
“There is no damage to the natural nail as no abrasives are used in the application process and the product is easily and completely removed in 60 seconds,” says Pawlowski. “Because basecoat and topcoat are not required, there is a major saving of both time and money for the salon. The elimination of the sticky residue makes for a more simplified application procedure.”
What gel polish issues has Laquoir tackled?
“The most serious issue facing the use of gel polishes was the removal process,” says Pawlowski. “Taking as long as it does has customers complaining. Customers resort to removing their own gel polish as salons charge for this service. Some salons use a drill to remove the gel polish. In any event, incorrect removal of gel polish has led to a significant increase in the number of clients who have damaged nails. Laquoir has completely resolved this problem. Now salons as well as customers can safely remove this gel polish.”
Can you talk us through the differences between Laquoir and the curing process most of us are familiar with.
“Instead of the existing application process [where professionals] prepare the nail plate by cleaning and roughing up the nail surface, with Laquoir, there is no need to rough up the nail surface,” says Pawlowski. “Then instead of needing to apply a basecoat gel, two coats of gel [colour] and topcoat gel, all cured under UV/LED light, Laquoir only requires the two coats of [colour] gel. [There is also no need] to wipe off the sticky residue that remains after gel polish is applied and cured.”
What about removal?
“The existing removal process is to soak the gel polish in acetone until it becomes soft and can be removed,” says Pawlowski. “Typically this takes anywhere between 10 and 25 minutes depending on the amount of product applied and the brand of product. Some gel polishes have to be removed with abrasives like files or drills. Many customers resort to picking it off the nail. Laquoir on the other hand removes in 60 seconds.”
No base coat, no top coat… does this mean that Laquoir professional manicures are faster?
“It is not just the absence of a basecoat and topcoat, it is the absence of the filing of natural nail plates and the elimination of the sticky residue,” says Pawlowski. “Existing gel polish manicures take at least 6 steps. Laquoir has only 3. Clean the nail, apply and cure the first coat, apply and cure the second coat. Finished.”
What kind of colour range does Laquoir have?
“The initial range contains 60 great fashion colours. There will be another 60 colours added over the next 3 months,” says Pawlowski.
What is the average wear time of Laquoir?
“Laquoir was manufactured to wear well over a 14 day time frame,” says Pawlowski. “Some people will show significantly better wear times and some who are very tough on their nails may show some wear and tear on the free edge. Some customers who have been unable to wear gel polishes because they simply last one day have found success with Laquoir and can wear it for over one week. Pedicures last much longer and have been known to last 60 days.”
What are professionals saying about the range so far?
“They love the fast removal times. They believe they can win customers back who have become disillusioned with the existing gel polishes and are having problems of removal and nail damage,” says Pawlowski. “The colours wear well and application is simple. Salons can squeeze more clients in per hour over the busy periods. They love the initial launch of colours and look forward to the next release. Being that this is an Australian made product, new colour releases will coincide with our seasons and not like those offered to us by the northern hemisphere.”