page 3
This month’s Nail Tech is……….
Kate Woodley-Fry
Salon
name and town:
SensatioNails, Southampton
Why
did you decide on a career in nails? I
had been a nail client for a number of years when a friend commented me on my
elaborate nail art, which I had done myself for the first time. At the time I was thinking of moving to a different area and
would need a means of earning money until I could get what I then called a
‘proper job’. The technician
who did my nails found all the necessary information for me to train but we
decided that she would do my training herself.
I attained my Star Nails Certification a couple of years ago now and left
my job of 8 years as an Administrator to work in a Nail Studio.
I started to work for myself in May 1998.
What environment do you work
in? I work in a
studio set up in my spare room at home. I
have spared no expense in decorating the room to provide the most relaxing
environment possible for my clients. I
have relaxing music playing in the background and burn incense and candles to
add to the ambience.
What
services do you offer? I mainly provide
silk or fibreglass extensions along with the usual maintenance.
I have a massive range of nail art and jewellery available and I am jus
starting to get to grips with airbrushing.
I also have a small range of costume jewellery for sale and am able to
provide Henna Body Art sand Reiki healing as well.
How many clients do you see per
week? On average
I see around 25 per week. I do try
to have at least one appointment every evening through the week available as I
have a large number of ladies who work full time and this is their only free
time. Three evenings a week I work until 9pm when I am able to see
maybe 3 in an evening and I work all day Saturday as well.
During the Christmas period I managed to see in excess of 35 a week.
What part of your job do you
enjoy the most and why?
By far the most enjoyable part is doing nail art
– I can lose myself totally in creating the most elaborate designs.
A close second to this must be applying a full set of tips to a client
who has always bitten her nails and seeing her face when she sees herself with
glamorous hands and nails for the first time.
That really makes it all worthwhile - changing someone’s life!
How do you advertise?
I occasionally submit an advertisement to the
local monthly magazine, but the vast majority of my clients come via word of
mouth from existing clients recommendations.
When I started working own I had only 17 clients – I now have over 60!
Recommendations really do work and boost your ego to boot.
What is your most popular nail
art request? Usually diamante stones and
glitter dusts, but I invested in a ProTrans kit at the Beauty Show last March
and have been able to create some really outrageous nails.
I have a large display of various designs that my clients can muse over
using all types of things – transfers, foiling, marbling, hand painted designs
etc. I also provide a nail piercing
service and have access to a wide range of charms that are purchased to order.
What is the weirdest request
you have had for any nail service?
I have a large display of individual nail art
designs on nail tips mounted on pins. It
is surprising the number of people who ask how they are fitted on to their
fingers and what would happen if they wanted more of the same design.
Tip to pass on to other nail techs? Before and after photos are essential for your new nail biter clients. They never believe how bad their nails were before they had tips.
go to page 4 - Nail Art Gallery
go to beginning of issue 3 - Introduction, Nail art
go to page 2 - How, why, where, what, who?, Glitter acrylics
go to page 3 - This month's nail tech