The Imperial Room Store

09/01/2026

still pushing cuticles the old way with an orangewood stick? we need to talk. 👀

slow, uncomfortable, and half the time the dead skin is still there when you're done.
and then you wonder why your gel keeps lifting.
hint: it's not the gel.

here's the truth
whether you're doing gel polish, builder gel, acrylic, or dip
the durability of your entire set starts with how clean that cuticle area actually is.
dead skin, excess oil, moisture trapped at the base
any of it left behind and that nail is lifting before the client even gets home.

the fix: use an e-file with a cuticle bit at around 5,000 RPM.
work in small circular motions around the cuticle area.
for stubborn skin, apply a little more pressure — but stay in control.
this removes dead skin, excess oil, and surface moisture in a fraction of the time
and gives your gel something clean and solid to actually bond to.

done right, your clients stop coming back asking for repairs.
they come back asking for their next appointment. 🤍

need a recommendation on which bit to use?
drop a comment below and I'll point you in the right direction.

follow for more tips on working faster, cleaner, and keeping clients coming back without the drama.

08/29/2026

while you were sleeping, gel extensions quietly took over 1/3 of nail industry revenue 👀

and they're growing at 9.5% every year, faster than any other service in the industry right now.

if your salon isn't offering gel extensions yet, here's what you're missing:

lighter than acrylic. no heavy drilling on the natural nail, no weakening the nail bed over time, exactly what today's clients are asking for.

faster service. full set in 45 to 60 minutes with results that look high-end even with a simple design.

higher ticket, every time. budget salons are charging $60–65. mid-range $65–100. boutique salons $100–200 for custom sets. that's $20–40 more per appointment than a standard gel manicure no matter what market you're in.

clients are already looking for this service.
the question is whether they're finding it at your salon or someone else's.

save this and follow for a step by step on how to add gel extensions to your menu.

08/29/2026

08/27/2026

if your gel extension tip pops off but leaves the gel behind on the nail, don't redo the whole thing. save this. 🤍

the fix is simpler than you think.
most people assume it's a gel problem or a prep problem.
but nine times out of ten, it's the inner surface of the tip that wasn't prepped properly.

here's what you need to do.
take your prep solution and apply it to the underside of the tip, but don't just swipe it on lightly.
you need to actually rub it in vigorously until the surface goes from smooth and shiny to tacky.
that tackiness is what tells you the surface is ready to bond.
no tackiness = no real grip = tip pops off and leaves the gel behind.

try it on your next set and see the difference for yourself. 🫶

08/26/2026

how to refill soft gel from colored to clear?

08/26/2026

crooked gel extensions are almost always a placement problem. save this. 🤍

1. find your axis before you touch the tip.
sight the alignment from the knuckle straight down to the fingertip.
no matter how curved or uneven the finger naturally is, the axis runs through the center of that knuckle.
if you skip this step and eyeball it from the top, crooked placement is almost guaranteed.

2. fit the tip to the sidewalls, not the other way around.
the side edges of your tip need to sit flush inside both sidewalls.
if the nail falls between two sizes, always go larger and ease it back toward the cuticle.
forcing a tip that's too small is one of the most common reasons extensions end up sitting off-center.
file the sidewalls of the tip down if needed before you apply - never try to force a fit.

3. check from the side, not just the top.
looking straight down at the nail doesn't show you the full picture.
check the alignment from the side of the finger too - both edges of the tip should run parallel to the finger axis from that angle.
this is what stops tips from curving upward or tilting downward after curing.
one extra second of checking before you cure saves you three minutes of fixing after.

placement is a skill you build with intention 🫶

08/26/2026

4 mistakes when building your salon's branding