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TIPS OF THE WEEK 
by Vicki Peters
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TIP OF THE WEEK #2 - Vicki Peters

Thanks for all the feedback on the tip of the week - and the suggestions too!
Here is the second installment of the Tip of the week. I though I would 
address something that was personal and I will get to all your suggestions 
eventually. Actually I have two tips in one this week for you!

Next weeks Tip Of The Week #3 is going to be about using natural nail bits on 
natural nails. If you have a suggestion for a tip of the week please let me 
know and I will add it to the list. 

-Vicki

READING INSTRUCTIONS
Habitually, most of us nail techs try a new products without reading 
instructions. It is a fact. When we try a new product and it does not work 
well we blame the product not us. Now I am speaking from experience - I have 
done the same thing myself and I know many of you experienced techs have done 
the same thing. But not any more. I have gotten into the habit of reading 
everything about the product as I can so I am more knowledgeable about it and 
it is amazing how much I have learned and produced better results. Let me 
give you a few examples: 

Your Disinfection Solution
If you read the instructions you will know the exact mix ratio for the best 
results. We all tend to pour a little disinfection and a little water into 
the container thinking we are disinfection properly. Well we are not. It must 
have the right mix ratio to be 100% effective.

Another little tid bit is that the label on the disinfection solution will 
tell you what diseases it will kill. You need to know that info because not 
all disinfection solutions are created equal.

Here is another tid bit: Most of us use a product on our kitchen counters at 
home like 409 right? 409 now comes in an anti-bacterial solution which I 
think is great. However if you read the instructions it will tell you that 
you must leave the solution on the counter tops for a certain amount of time 
to be effective. So what good is it if we spray and wipe? NONE. Same goes 
for your manicuring tables. Read the instructions on everything you use - 
that is your homework assignment! 

Another story - in speaking with Elinor Victor this past week from OPI we 
were discussing the new Clarite odorless acrylic system OPI has. When the 
nails are cured it has a sticky surface that must be filed off with the file 
that comes in the kit before shaping the nails. She has written the 
instructions on this and put them everywhere including inside the cap of the 
powders. My point being is she has received more calls than she can count 
from techs saying the product is taking forever to set up thinking the sticky 
layer on top is the product not setting up properly. Classic case of not 
reading instructions. The product is set up, it is the sticky residue they 
are referring to. Had they read the instructions they would have known.

THE NAILPRO GOLD BOOK & NAILS FACT BOOK
Every year Nails and Nailpro produces a 13th issue of their magazines that 
are reference guides. A lot of technical work goes into producing these books 
so you have all the information you need. There are statistics, state boards 
lists, pages dedicated to manufacturer 800 numbers, and distributor lists, 
plus much more like trade show information, etc. These books should be kept 
at your station all year long for references. 

Every day there is a post asking if someone knows where they can get a 
certain product.
This drives me nuts. If you reference those two special editions of Nails & 
Nailpro you can find any number for anything in there.

I take my Nailpro Gold Book and pull it apart and 3 hole punch it and put it 
into a notebook with all my phone numbers. I must use it at least 3 times a 
day. So take a better look at them, they are our phone book to the nail 
industry.


Vicki Peters 
"When you stop learning your career ends and your job begins"
Visit my new web site: http:// vickipeters.com 

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