Christine McGrath gets acrylic clients interested in gels by putting a gel sealer over their nails.

Christine McGrath gets acrylic clients interested in gels by putting a gel sealer over their nails.

Converting acrylic clients to gels can be an uphill battle, but not for Christine McGrath, a nail tech at Christine Michaels Salon in North Merrick, N.Y., who uses several methods to gently transition her clients. “I start to convert them by putting a gel sealer over their acrylics. They love the high gloss shine.” she says. “Then I tell them about the advantages of gels: They are always shiny, they feel lighter, they’re odorless, etc.” She may then put a gel nail on one finger or replace a broken nail with a gel one. “Wearing them myself has been a big draw. The clients figure if I like them enough to wear them, maybe they should too,” she says. She also has the stylists in the salon showing off their gels. “The hairstylists and assistants like to wear them because their hands are in water frequently and gels don’t lift. This has been a big asset in converting existing clients as well as bringing in new ones,” she says.

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