Why I Became A Nail Technician

From the time I was 19 years old and working full time I always had my nails done by a professional. Back then nail salons didn't exist like they do today. There weren't nail salon's on every corner so finding a nail tech was not easy. There was only a handful of hair salons that actually offered nail services and all they offered was acrylic nails. If gel existed it hadn't found its way into our tiny town. It didn't arrive until 6 years later.

When I finished high school I went directly into hair styling school. The plan was to do hair then go through for nails but I just didn't love hair so I quit when I got to the point where we had to work on clients all day. I took a year off and went through for office administration. Found a job, got married had children became a stay at home mom and loved every second of it.

What to do Now That The Kids Are All In School

As my children grew and were in school all day it was time for me to find something to do while they were in school. The desire to do nails was still pretty strong in my heart but many years had passed and I'd have to go back to school.

You know you're destined to do something when years later the desire to do something is still there. I loved my nails and thought long and hard about starting that career.

My hair background allowed me to purchase professional product so i bought a huge LCN nail kit. This was the same gel system my nail technician used and because she did my nails for so long I knew what all the products were for. I began to do my own nails. After all how hard can it I be (so I thought) I had watched her do my nails for YEARS! Mind you most of that time she used acrylic but gel seemed so much easier.

Four hours later I had a set of sub par nails that didn't last a week. I kept at it and kept practising but my improvement was very small. Clearly this wasn't as easy as it looked and it was obvious that I needed training. The only course available was at night which meant someone had to stay with the kids while I went to school. Fortunately I have a supportive husband who encouraged me to enrol at a college while he stayed home with the kids. So began a year long journey to my Nail Technician Certification Course. Best decision I ever made or was it?

I was so excited to start I was the first one there. From day 1 I was disappointed with my class my instructor was all over the place. She didn't make sense and couldn't teach a class. Her teaching style was like trying to watch a squirrel chase leaves in an open field...she was impossible to follow. I mostly relied on my manual and what I learned from watching my own nail technician. I asked my teacher one time to show us how to do a fill and instead she showed me how to do a natural nail overlay??? I was beyond frustrated with the class. When it was time to learn extensions she had me do the demonstration in front of the class. The only reason I only knew how to do them because that's what my nail technician did on me for years! I spent thousands of dollars to attend college only to learn very little information about how to actually do nails. A few years after I graduated I learned she actually didn't know how to do a fill or extensions.........

Have I Learned Enough To Start A Career

I did learn about sanitation and various nail diseases but that was all in my manual. I was determined to find a way to make a go of this career. Not one other student from my class was able to go on to have a career as a Nail Technician. They didn't have the skills necessary to pursue a career in nails.

This was before the internet was what it is today. Back then most of the internet service was dial up which was so slow. You couldn't just go online and watch a YouTube video or take an online class. You had learn the old school way, as in a classroom!! LOL.

I ended up going back to my old nail technician and paying her to explain every little thing she did while doing my nails. I learned more from her doing my nails than I did in the year I spent in school. I felt that I was finally ready to start working in a salon but that story is in another blog.

Follow your dreams and stay the course. It's never too late to start a new career!!