To Bling or Not To Bling?

I remember, ohhh about 3 or so years ago, MTV making a huge announcement that the word "Bling" was being retired. I remember because I thought it was hysterical that they would even make such a production out of the word.

Regardless, hundreds of thousands of people haven't gotten the memo. Look around you the next time you're at the mall. Tweens, Teens and even Moms are throwing a rhinestone on any and everything they can get their hands on. YES even their nails.

Rhinestones, in my opinion, are a Technicians best retail item. I'm not saying sell them by the packs (but you never know who will buy them to put on their own phone). I'm saying add them to your service.

Think of it this way, if you charged .10 cents US per stone used on a set of nails, and you used only 5 stones per nail, you've just increased your profit by $5.00! Pretty cool for something so easy and well loved.

My favorite kit in our Cinapro line that I LOVE to sell, is the Cina Rhinestone Decoration Kit. Watch the math on this baby. Betty the nail tech purchases this kit for $4.95. In the kit are 400 rhinestones. If Betty uses all the stones on her clients and charges .10 per stone... she's made a whopping $40.00 off of her $4.95 investment!!! That's a profit of $35.05!!! Helllooooooo!! Just try making that kind of markup on a bottle of shampoo or a bottle of nail polish.

Here's another one for you... 10 Gross Crystal Rhinestones from Cinapro. 10 Gross = 1440 stones. Betty's cost is $9.95. Again, if Betty charges only .10 per stone, she's made $144.00!!! That's a profit of 134.05!!!

Now here's my super speedy trick for applying rhinestones to anything and everything that will sit still long enough. A Stick of Spagetti. Yup... Mama Cuccio's pasta. If you take a dry stick of spagetti and dip it into water for about three seconds, the moisture activates the starch in the pasta making the end sticky. You can then use it to pick up those tiny stones and apply them to the nail (or anything else). If you get any glue or topcoat on the end of your stick, simply snap it off and redip. You're rockin and ready to fly through a full set and rake in the money.

Profits like these get me excited enough to sing about the Bling!!! The heck with MTV!

Elaine
(writing from Valencia, CA today)

My Clients Would Never Wear That!!

"My clients would never wear that!!". When ever I hear this statement my instant reply is, "Bull! If you really believe that, you are missing out on some serious money.".

I got my start in the nail industry in Maine. If you have never heard of Kennebunkport, Maine... let me paint a picture for you. First, George Bush Sr. has a prominent summer home there. Some of the richest business people, movie stars and musicians own summer homes there as well. The remaining locals, are an interesting breed. They're down to earth (we're talking about Maine here) but VERY conservative. My salon that I owned with my dad was just "a stones throw away" from KBP.

At a very early age, I discovered I had a natural gift for painting and art. It didn't take long before I was painting anything and everything on a nail while in school. My first job was in a hair salon in Kennebunk (not the port). I built my entire clientel by displaying my little works of art under my glass table top. Back then most of my artwork was requested for the holidays. My clients were proud to have me hand paint designs and wanted no part of quick stick ons.

Later in my career I discovered color and glitter acrylic. I even created and made my own glow in the dark acrylic. And guess what? 90% of my business was wearing it. Maybe the most conservative didn't have it on their fingers, but you better believe they had simple designs with crystal rhinestones on their toes.

My only mistake back then, was I was too detailed. I needed to book more time on my appointments in order to do my nail art. I wasn't as business minded then, as I am now. If I were back in my little Maine Salon today, I would use the amazing array of designs that stick on fast. Time is money folks. If you can add designs without adding time to your books, you've just increased your income.

The line of nail art that I have done for my company "Cina and Cinapro" has all been created so that the nail art can either go on top of polish or even inside acrylic or gel. So Stickers take on an amazing roll in a set of acrylic nails. You can do a design set of permanent acrylic nail art in less time than it takes to do a set of Pink and White french...and make MORE money!!

Have I got your attention yet? Now for any of you that think your clients won't go for it, you're not even giving them a chance with that mode of thinking. Try introducing them to something very soft and simple. Crystal Rhinestones are a given. Do a little five petal flower on their big toe and put a rhinestone in the middle. Before you know it, that nail art will have a permanent place in their service. But the first step is up to you. Unless you expose your clients to something new, they'll never know it exists.

So what's the state of the Nail Art Segment of the Nail Industry? Well, 14 years ago my clients were coming to my salon with their little girls. After mom's manicure, I would paint their little girls nails and add nail art. She is now grown up with her own disposable income and has already been exposed to nail art. It's not a stigma to her.

It's up to you. Keep thinking they'll never go for it and watch. In the coming years as nail art gets increasingly popular...your clients will be going to the competition for it... and you'll be losing money!

Elaine
(writing from Valencia, CA today)