Your Guide to Express Manicures
At HONA, we understand the importance of time—both yours and your clients'. That's exactly why this knowledge hub is dedicated to everything you need to know about express manicures. What are they, how can you offer them efficiently in your salon, and which HONA products can deliver the best results quickly?
This guide will equip you with the strategies to seamlessly integrate express manicures into your offerings. Learn how to streamline your procedures and select the right HONA products to not only satisfy your clients but also enhance your salon's operational efficiency.
What is an express manicure?
An express manicure is an individual service that can be offered to clients with natural nails without enhancements, who want a simple manicure and may struggle to schedule in 1hr+ for a treatment.
Crafted to maximise efficiency without compromising on quality, ideal for accommodating clients with busy schedules. This streamlined service includes essential prep, an application of our versatile PureFoundation, and finishes with a choice of SuperShine topcoat to ensure durability and a high-gloss finish. Offering this service allows you to provide quick yet thorough manicures that fit seamlessly into your busy schedules.
Why express manicures?
For Clients:
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Time-Saving: Designed to fit into even the busiest schedules, express manicures are quick and efficient, usually completed in 30 to 45 minutes.
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Easier to Schedule: Finding 30 - 45 minutes for an appointment is easier than finding a free 1hr+.
For Nail Technicians:
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Efficiency: Express manicures allow you to maximise your schedule by fitting more appointments into your day. This not only increases your earning potential but also enhances your ability to manage time effectively.
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Reduced Costs: Using fewer products per session not only lowers your material costs but also helps in managing your inventory more effectively. The streamlined process of express manicures makes them an economical choice for your business.
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Perfect for Beginners: For technicians new to the field, express manicures provide a manageable way to hone skills and increase service speed, all while building client interaction experience and confidence.
What products?
You might be wondering what products you need to conduct the perfect, long lasting express manicure? We've got you covered with a list of HONA express manicure essentials:
PureFoundation:
SuperShine Topcoat:
Guide to application
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Step 1, Perfect Prep: Whether it's an express or traditional manicure, prep is always the most crucial step, especially when using a hypoallergenic brand. HEMA, a monomer that enhances adhesion to the nail plate, typically allows for maximum adhesion with minimal nail prep. In products where HEMA isn't present, thorough prep becomes essential to ensure a safe, long-lasting manicure. Read our comprehensive prep guide here.
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Step 2, PureFoundation Application: PureFoundation is the ideal builder gel for your express manicures. Requiring no base coat, it streamlines the application process and is available in a variety of opaque shades, providing flexibility and simplicity in your service. This builder allows you to complete a express manicure but also ensures strong adhesion and durability, making it a top choice for quick and effective manicure sessions. Watch our PureFoundation Application guide here.
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Step 3, Topcoat & Finish.
Apply your choice of HONA SuperShine - cure for 60s. Finish with PureClean to sanitise and apply cuticle oil.
Costs: Maximising Profitability with Express Manicures
Express manicures not only save time but also significantly enhance the cost-effectiveness of your services. Let’s break down the costs using HONA products:
PureFoundation: A single bottle of PureFoundation, priced based on its ability to deliver around 30 applications, works out to approximately £0.66 per treatment. Given its comprehensive coverage and no need for a base coat, PureFoundation streamlines the manicure process, reducing product usage and saving money.
SuperShine Topcoat: With SuperShine, you can achieve up to 80 sets per bottle, making the cost only £0.24 per treatment. This topcoat adds a durable, glossy finish that enhances the longevity and quality of the express manicures, further asserting its value.
Total Cost per Treatment: Combining the costs of PureFoundation and SuperShine, the total comes to just £0.90 per treatment. This efficiency ensures a high turnover of clients while keeping product costs low, resulting in a greater return on investment. You can offer competitive pricing to your clients without compromising on quality. Express manicures, therefore, not only meet the demands of time-sensitive clients but also significantly boost your profitability, making them a smart addition to any salon's service offerings.
Additional Time-Saving Tips
1. Practice: It's not a quick fix but the best advice when it comes to speeding up your service time (particularly as a beginner) is to practice. Perfect your prep, filing and etching. The more you practice, the more your service becomes second nature.
2. Pre-appointment consultations: Having a thorough pre-appointment consultation form that you can read before the appointment will save time having new clients fill them in at the stat or having to discuss everything on the day. This means you can simply confirm during the appointment what they have written.
3. For clients wanting added length: Our full cover soft gel extension tips, SwiftTips are swift in name and nature. They are one of the quickest ways to add length to a clients nails. Want to know more? Our Head of Education, Gaia, has created a 6-minute guide on how to apply SwiftTips.
4. For simple and speedy nail art: Nail art doesn't always have to mean delicate brush work. Stickers and foils are an incredibly simple way to add nail art to your service but take less time than painting designs by hand. We have a huge range of stickers from simple shapes to butterflies, snakes and roses. But our most popular speedy nail art solutions are our foils, especially our Tortie foil. Applying foils is a simple and effective way to create an animal-print look without the need for brush work.
5. Creating content: For those modelling lots of looks for social media, our Peely Base is a must-have. Simply use Peely Base on top of your regular manicure or on your natural nails, create your look and peel away the design once you're done.
Conclusion: Boost Efficiency and Satisfaction
Express manicures are an ideal addition to any salon, offering a perfect balance of speed, quality, and cost-effectiveness. By adopting HONA’s express manicure techniques and products, you can enhance your service efficiency, meet the needs of busy clients, and boost your salon's profitability.