Jamberry Application - You've Come a Long Way Baby

I cringe a little when I look at the first attempts I had at trying Jams on.  The wraps weren't sized well, I didn't heat them up enough, I didn't prep my nails well and as a result I got the newbie bubbles and buckles in my wraps. (I still loved the hell out of them anyhow).  It is a good thing tho to look back and see how far I've come and how much MORE I love my wraps.

A nice, clean smooth surface is always the best place to start when using Jamberry.  Use a cuticle remover and push your cuticles back really well.  The adhesive doesnt stick to skin so if you see buckles on the sides or along the cuticle - you need to do this step extra well.  Don't use wraps that are too BIG.  There should be a sliver of space in between your wrap and your skin with visible nail showing when you apply your wraps.  Going smaller will result in a wrap that lays flatter and won't bubble along the edges.

First Jam application circa June 2014

Wait till the tips cool before filing off the excess.  When you heat the wrap it becomes more flexible and you can stretch and pull it over the tip a little bit to get a smoother fit.  You want the wrap to cool so it doesnt retract any further before you file the edge off.  Then do another filing with a less gritty file (I use a glass file)  and do it at a 45 degree angle to your nail so that you are removing a TEENY bit of the wrap away from the edge of the nail.  This will expose a little bit of nail at the end so when you pick at things it is hitting the nail and not your wrap.  I will do this step for the middle, index and thumb on my dominant hand.

I will also snip a teeny triangle from the corner of the wrap at the tip of my nail for the same reason.  No one will notice but you and your wraps will last longer.

Once my wraps are all filed, I will do the extra steps of wrapping my finger tip tightly in a freezer bag and heating it up inside the bag.  This gives added pressure to the tip and the additional heat helps to seal it down.  Finally, I will take a metal cuticle pusher and heat up the curved side of the pusher with my mini heater and iron down the edges of my wraps.  This really gives my wraps quite a bit longer life and a stronger seal.

Apply them before bed so they have time to cure over night before they are immersed in water.

Watch my YouTube Application video which has most of these steps except for the Baggie method at the end

Happy Jamming!

March 2015

Let's talk about nail damage and Jamberry

I've had a lot of customers come to me and tell me Jamberry damaged their nails.  So let's talk a bit about that and how to protect your nails.

Your nails are made of layers of keratin and are dead. They are like layers of an onion and like onion skin can get more fragile if you don't keep them hydrated and healthy.

 So right off the bat I will point out that the surface damage is cosmetic and will grow out.  

How do you avoid damage?  The adhesive on your wraps is STRONG.  This is why they can last up to 2 wks on your fingers.  GENTLE removal is essential to avoiding damage.  

NEVER EVER rip off your Jams.  Repeat after me - NEVER RIP OFF YOUR JAMS.

I apply Jamberry cuticle oil to my nail beds and cuticles daily.  I also will apply it under the Strengthening base coat.  I feel like it locks a layer of moisture in, protecting my nails, and the base coat provides the oil free layer for the adhesive to stick too.  If I am feeling particularly picky I will also put a coat of Orly Bonder on to help the Jams last even longer.

If you use your fingers to pick at things, the pressure against the wrap can pull it up and it is essentially yanking them up and can damage your nail if you aren't careful.  File your nails at a 45 degree angle so that the wrap is slightly shorter than your nail.  When you pick it will hit the nail and not the wrap, resulting in less damage.

When I remove my Jams I always warm them up by running hot water over my nails to soften the adhesive and then use my thumb to break the seal around the edge of the wrap.  Then I dunk my finger into Jamberry's new lacquer remover for 5 seconds and then slowly work the wrap off with a flosser I have coated with remover.  My Jams slide off like butter and I have zero damage.

Check you my YouTube Removal Video on how I take mine off.

Never rush removing your Jams. 

All that being said Jams aren't for everyone.  And that's ok.

Reflections on a business venture

So I have sorely neglected my blog because my life sort of exploded with my Jamberry business.  I joined in June of 2014 and now have a team of 33 ladies and promoted to Team Manager.  I am sort of flabbergasted really at now much I've earned and how I've steadily worked at growing my business and how FUN it has been succeeding.

I joined just for the product discount, because I liked the product and I knew I was going to be buying a lot of these little nail wraps. Now the income from Jamberry pays for the extras for our family and I am saving up for a vacation to Great Wolf in the fall.

I learned some important lessons along the way.  When you first start out you are SOOO excited and want to succeed SOOO bad that you risk turning people off with your fervor.  Don't be desperate let people discover that these wraps are FUN and EASY and they sell themselves.  My best piece of advice is to get out of the friend zone as fast as you possibly can.  Your business will be all the stronger for it.  Find ways to expand your networks - try a new Meetup group or take up a social hobby.  Don't be afraid to ask for business but when you do ask, don't be salesy or desperate.  

I discovered that I REALLY like helping and mentoring my team.  I get a greater sense of accomplishment from helping them promote than from my own sales.  I diligently work my business and make sure that I lead my team by example, I am always looking to learn new things to share with them and love the sense of family we have built.

I am so excited to see where the next year leads us.