LOCALLY, it is safe to say that the Gel-X and Poly Gel alternatives to nail extensions are dominating, at least at Hair Tech International, where the salon girls there are always on top alert to what’s new and trending globally.

Poly Gel is used to overlay only if you want to protect your own natural nails.

Gel-X, on the other hand, can also be used to protect the nail and could add some length without the use of acrylic or other chemicals to top it. Simply apply the nail tips, and polish.

Both Gel-X and Poly Gel are lighter than acrylic and healthier for the nail. It’s not much work to put on and it doesn’t cause damage to your natural nails.

In fact, the gel polish on the whole is easier to use because it dries with a lamp. No more worries about smudging as it dries in just 60 seconds, once it’s cured under the light.

Currently, there aren’t too many salons doing the two services. To fill the gap, ‘Hair Tech’ commenced classes to train interested persons.

With decades of experience in the salon industry, the folks at ‘Hair Tech’ have a pretty good grasp of what’s needed to successfully execute new things.

“I saw them online and went after them. I always try to keep up with the latest. So, I look to see what’s new and interesting when I’m scrolling through Instagram or TikTok and the rest,” Kelisa McCalman, who now manages the salon, told Buzz, this week.

“I would go on Amazon, bring it in [the country], and then practice on the girls at the salon. Then, I will introduce my clients to it when they come for their next touch up or repair,” she related.

Once the procedure is new to the salon and now-tested, the salon would give the clients the first service free, or at a discounted price so they can decide if they like it or not and would want to use the product in future.

Kelisa has found that most clients choose Gel-X and Poly Gel because they are working women who have very limited time to spare to have their nails done the conventional way.

“So, because it’s faster and the polish lasts the same amount of time [as the conventional way], they are happy.

Although it’s a little more expensive than the regular nail tips, it lasts for the same time. It’s faster and it’s also healthy for the nails,” Kelisa explained.

Growing up in the salon environment, Kelisa took up the trade in 2016, having been taught by her parents, Joan and Joseph, and other family members who are experts in the business.