Hello everyone!

        I'm Kim Flohe and I am so excited to be able to write for Melle's newsletter.  I'd like say a thank you to Melle for writing something for mine!   I have been a nail technician for 7 years.  Wow!  Where did the time go?  I went to nail school when I had to take a semester off from college due to complications from oral surgery.  I hated my job in retail and thought doing nails would be fun.  I was right!  One of the things I like about the nail industry is that the companies are constantly improving either their products or the techniques in using products.  It is a constant challenge to keep up with the latest trends and techniques.  Another aspect of this business is being there for people.  Whether I help with someone's self esteem about their appearance or by being their confidant.  I have one client that
describes me as her therapist, friend, theatre buddy, consultant, and then nail tech.  I guess all those psychology courses that I took in college have come in handy!  Every year I try to either improve my techniques as a nail tech or I try to improve a service that I offer.  This year I added aromatherapy to both my manicures and pedicures.  I also have added a scented salt glow scrub to my pedicures.  My clients love it!  Lavender has been the biggest hit!

      I work full time--5 days a week--with Sundays and Tuesdays off.  I work at Dan's 5th Avenue Salon in Indialantic, Florida.  We are located 1 block from the beach.  We are in the Space Coast area, about 30 minutes south of Kennedy Space Centre.  Yes, we all can just go in the backyard to see the shuttle launches!  Our salon has 5 nail technicians, 10 hair stylists, 3 massage therapists, and 1 esthetician.  We have a lot of fun together and have a great camaraderie with each other.  This is something that our clients pick up on and have commented on!

Our clients are conservative.  They like natural looking nails.  Enhancements are thin and an active length.  Clients seem to prefer red, pink, mauve or French polish.  Now it is a different story down in Miami; the nail trend is long, chunky, and bright!  Nail art is popular during the holidays and with the younger girls especially around Prom and Homecoming!  I hand paint all of my art, I don't seem to have the patience for airbrushing--go figure, I practically go cross-eyed painting those designs!  Our clients are mostly professional or retirees.

    I use OPI and Creative Nail Design products for both acrylic and natural nail care.  I feel these two companies give the best product for the money and they have excellent technical support!   

The best advice that I can give to a fellow professional is that to never take your clients for granted!  It is our privilege to service their needs ... not the other way around!  The best technical advice that I have been given is that to take the time to use my brush to apply my product and sculpt with my brush, which will leave less filing of the nail.  It works, even with me...  I have an astigmatism and tend to make one side of the nail thicker than the other.  I don't have to spend much time filing and rarely have to use the drill to shape the nail.  I just zip around the cuticle area to get a good seal!  I love this, I have much less finger and wrist fatigue.

    Well, I'd like to thank you for your time, I'm new at the computer, so I am not technologically advanced enough to have a website.  My e-mail address is Kimlyn007@aol.com.  E-mail me if you come to this area of Florida, I'd love to meet you!