Pam, I know and feel your frustrations I too was very reluctant to start using the SOG for the simple fact that they contained gel and I was going to have to invest in a UV lamp in addition to the new products.
However, since doing so I purchased my first generic lamp via amazon for $30 then another and then an LED along with ALL of the Gelish & Shellac collections. I've experimented with other products and found that those didn't work as well. Since I have been doing the SOG's I am so happy and although it started off slow, I was originally doing a wet manicure couldn't figure out why the heck the products weren't curing or why it would bubble....I contacted CND along with posting on this group and got so much information that helped tremendously. I have specialized in pink & whites for years, now that I have been doing the SOG I don't even do as many acrylics. I can whip a client in and out within 30 minutes even if I have to soak off the old to put on the new.....my hands and wrist aren't hurting as much I am doing less filing and breathing of chemicals. I know that SOG has been a GOD sent for me, my career and my own nails along with my clients nails. Continue to try it, my guess would be that the altitude where you are in Ohio might be a factor, how and where you are storing your products as well, and last but not least what type of lamps and where your getting them? As for your client(s) - girl your always gonna have that slickster client that always wants something for nothing whether it's SOG, acrylics or a pedicure. The products are designed to last 14/21 days no more no less if she got more 3 weeks out of it she was D A M N lucky and should be paying extra for a tip cause you did such a FABULOUS job that they lasted that long!!! Best of luck to you my manicure sister! Anna Creations by Anna Z-James www.annazjames.com 702-927-8831 -----Original Message----- From: Michele Wolosyn <[email protected]> To: nailtech <[email protected]> Sent: Thu, Dec 1, 2011 9:27 pm Subject: Re: NailTech:: Why are my Gel Lamps JUNK!? (A Furious Rant on Gels!) Buy a light elegance pro light I've had mine for five years. You won't be sorry. Michele Sent from my iPhone On Dec 1, 2011, at 10:34 PM, [email protected] wrote: I don't know why I bothered to pay a pile of money for these stupid gel lamps! I've only been doing gels now for 18 months and neither one of them will work! I tried replacing the bulbs. I tried checking the fuse! I shook it, pleaded with it, lightly tapped it on the table! prayed over it, Threatened to THROW IT OUT THE WINDOW!!!! NOTHING! I am going to have to have my son the electrician look at the dang thing and see if HE can figure out why it won't work! Suddenly! WIth NO warning! Just KAPUT! I went to turn it on and NOTHING! Not even a tiny little flicker! Leaving me in quite a jam with clients sitting at my station staring at me! Gawd! Here's why I don't like gels! Now.. acrylics? No problem! I sculpt them, they set, I file, they are DONE! no questions! No problems! Not ONE dang bead of sweat pops off my forehead like when I do gels! Grrrrrrrrr..... I just plain ole do NOT trust gels! Or lamps! Or any other magical potions! I have a bottle of Iced Cappuchino Shellac that will NOT cure in the lamp! NOT AT ALL! WTF!? (which stands for Wednesday/Thursday/Friday in case you were wondering... lol!) Then I bought some Artisan Gels. Nice colors, but does NOT soak off! Says they are SOG, but trust me, they are NOT! Shellac at least has the decency to peel up and flake off after 5 minutes in the foil! Not this stuff! It softens a teeny tiny bit after soaking, but I had to file the stuff off! Bleh! I just get so stressed out when I have gels on my book! Will it set up? Will it just all wipe off when I take off the tacky layer? I had a client last week whose ONE little finger kept wiping off one the last step! Did I do anything different to this one little finger!? NO! I did all the prep just like the other 9 fingers! After gelling and wiping the whole shebang off twice, I polished her and sent her on her way, with me scratching my head wondering what the heck I did different to cause this one stupid finger to not cure! honestly! Will it set? Will it bubble? Will it wrinkle? Will it wipe off!?? Who knows! Spin the wheel and see what it lands on! I'll take my good ole fashioned acrylics ANYDAY over these unpredictable gels! I had to run to the beauty supply and buy a lamp till the one from PNI could get here. When it arrived, I admit I felt a glimmer of hope because it weighed about 3 times what the other lamps did. It feels a LOT heavier! Maybe its built better, maybe it will last longer. I taped the dang receipt to the bottom and will see how it goes. I wouldn't mind replacing them every 2 or 3 years, but after just 18 months of part time use? Really!? Thats the life expectancy? Am I the only one with these issues? Then there's the clients who complain if they get even a TINY little chip out of the gel! After 3 weeks! "Ohhh..... LOOK! Its not holding up very well on my nails, is it!?" Grrrrr.. I explain that they have 9 perfect nails, and just ONE tiny chip out of ONE nail after 3 whole friggin weeks, and they act like the next set should be free because of the inconvenience this tiny little chip has caused them! Seriously!? I explain its not meant to last indefinately, and certainly not for 3 or 4 weeks! 10 days to 2 weeks, tops! C'mon people! I'm under a lot of stressure! (stress + pressure = stressure!) Thanks for letting me vent.. I feel better already! Pam Living in Gel Hell in Ohio -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "NailTech" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nailtech?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "NailTech" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nailtech?hl=en. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "NailTech" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/nailtech?hl=en.
