Why is it so hard for us to find a decent nail technician and a nail salon nowadays? We have set a fairly high precedent for our hair, lashes, esthetics, makeup, and any other beauty services, and why not for nails? If you love nails, nail art, or pedicures, you must know it is difficult to find a salon that provides a gel manicure lasting 3+ weeks. Most of the clients I service come from years of jumping around salon to salon and tech to tech, never being satisfied with a service. And the worst part is…we feel like there is no other choice for nails!
I cannot single-handedly convince every salon to provide advanced education to its techs, but what I can do is help every woman that I cross paths with, in finding a great nail technician.
If you love nail art, which I personally do, it is important to find a technician that is great at doing plain nails. Do research on Instagram, when you find a page that displays the nail designs you prefer, search for nails that are just one color and look for an even and smooth application. If there is no product on the cuticle, and it looks smooth, there is a much higher chance of the gel staying on the nails for 3+ weeks. I would also suggest looking for the brand of products used, in the description. I find that technicians tagging or mentioning the brand used at every service, have good results with that brand, and their clients are happy coming back with nails intact.
I keep mentioning a 3+ week wear on gel nails, especially with artwork, because it is important to understand both the money spent and potential damage to the nails. If you are having gels peel off or removed every 10-14 days, the nail plate is going to get very thin and damaged. If you spend $100 on elaborate artwork or Swarovski crystals, and the gel peels off from the base in less than 2 weeks don’t you feel like you wasted your money?
This is also a great time to talk about a “Dry Manicure”. All gel manicures and pedicures should be performed DRY. That means no soaking the nails in water prior to applying the gel polish. When water gets trapped in the nail plate, it is pushed up towards the surface and lifts the gel off ie; peeling gels. My preference for a dry manicure is either hand file, or use an E-file (electronic nail file) to gently remove the gel color ONLY. The basecoat stays on the nail. This avoids using acetone, and scrubbing the nail plate, making it thinner at each service.
Now that we have a solid foundation, time for some artwork! Maybe you have some fabric, a favorite artists print, or a screenshot of another 
nail technicians work as the design idea. My personal favorite is the “Chef’s Choice” where I get to pick the design. I tend to believe every artist has a preferred design they LOVE to perform, and typically if you ask them to ‘Do what you do best’ the end result is a beautiful masterpiece.
And remember, nails grow, they need to be maintained. I have a nail consultation with every client before we start the first manicure. If they tell me they want long natural nails with gel and designs on them and will maintain this look for a long time, we start applying Hard gel to keep the nails from breaking or bending. Also scheduling regular appointments every 3 weeks is necessary for maintaining the health and durability of your nails.
Questions to ask:
Do you provide Dry gel manicures?
Do you provide Hard gel?
May I book a second appointment 3 weeks after my first?
Lastly, I would like to say that at any point during a nail service or ANY beauty service, if you are unhappy, in pain, or dissatisfied, you should speak up! I always tell clients to let me know if they feel any discomfort during the service, as every person has different sensitivities.
Rosanne Sollecito is a Nail Technician living in San Jose, CA and specializes in healthy gel nail services and gel extension services. @missrosanne
