One manufacturer provided different estimates per same size bottle for its different polish types. What gives the most services per bottle? Shimmers came in first, then sheers, then creams.
For any of these products, if you’re using a product that’s in a different size container, here’s the math you need to set up the conversion. Solve for “x.”
NAILS Magazine container size / NAILS Magazine number of uses = my container size / x (what my number of uses will be)
That means 800 nails!
Some manufacturers gave the same usage estimates for both base coat and top coat, while others said you’ll get fewer uses out of your top coat. The reason? Top coats tend to be a thicker viscosity than thin base coats, thereby giving you fewer uses per bottle.
Manufacturers who offer both acid-based and acid-free primers noted that acid-based primers, which contain methacrylic acid, are used very sparingly on the nail, thereby providing more uses per bottle than their acid-free counterparts, which are applied more liberally (though the actual number of uses per bottle varies from manufacturer to manufacturer).
Primers won’t “go bad,” but their indefinite shelf life can be compromised by evaporation. So be sure to close the container properly to preserve the product.
If your clients are into bling you’ll use up your polish remover more quickly — glitter polishes tend to take more product to remove.
You won’t use up odorless acrylic liquids as quickly as traditional liquids, because odorless acrylics use a drier mix ratio.
If you do a lot of pink-and-whites, be prepared for your white to run out more quickly, says one manufacturer. This is because the pink is applied more thinly; plus, it takes more white to sculpt a free edge, especially if you’re sculpting lengthy enhancements.
Does your gel container list ounces, not grams? The 50 gram container shown here equals about 1.8 ounces. (28 grams are in one ounce.)
If you’re buying eco-friendly gallon-size scrubs (less packaging), then, to use this guide, keep in mind that one gallon equals 128 fl. oz.
Soaks, scrubs, masks, and lotions tend to have a lot of variation in usage, even for the exact same manufacturer’s product, due to different levels of generosity in using the product on clients. For instance, one manufacturer’s foot soak estimate varied from between 26 pedicures per container (for nail techs who use three pumps per service) to 80 pedicures per container (for nail techs who use one pump per service).
Make sure to store lotions out of direct sunlight (like making sure they’re not sitting by a storefront window) to optimize the number of uses per container.
Rely on your manufacturer’s instructions for how many minutes to leave the mask on so that your clients get the optimal benefit, no matter the serving size.
To come up with these numbers, NAILS collected estimates from 11 professional nail companies of typical usage for common-sized containers. The companies only weighed in on the product categories that they offer, with some choosing to skip categories for which they could not supply accurate data in the allotted time frame. NAILS then selected the median value (rounded to the nearest whole number) from all of the estimates in each category, which are published here. Each median reflects estimates from at least four professional brands. Not all manufacturers offer all of the products or product sizes mentioned in the article.
There are a number of variables that will affect your actual product usage, including client nail length, product application technique, differences between specific products, and even how tightly you close the container between uses, so use this only as a general guide.
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