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Testing Famous Names IBX Treatment

December 3, 2021

By, Holly L Schippers – FingerNailFixer

If you haven’t heard of the Famous Names Products nail treatment IBX yet, it is time to take a look at this truly unique and innovative little gem. I have been using it in the salon for years and love the results, appreciate the science behind the product, am impressed at the initiative the company has taken post covid to offer complimentary education to nail professionals online, and have decided to take it for a test drive for you to show what’s so great about it.

Damaged nails before IBX treatment

I have taken the time to pick the gel polish off one hand which naturally delaminated the nail plate. You can see the damage to the nails from the picking. (if you’re a client reading this, can you see now how we easily know you pick xo) Over the next few months, I will apply the IBX regularly in a maintenance schedule to show how it works, in stages, to allow you to see it for yourself. Feel free to do this with me, on a client you have that needs some help, don’t pick your gel polish off though lol! Let’s compare notes via the hashtag #IBXchallenge!

Items needed for IBX application

Before we get into application and who needs it, let’s take a look at some of the science. IBX is a penetrative, curable, monomer system that penetrates into the upper layers of the nail plate aided by jojoba and avocado oils. Gentle heat (105-110°F) is also used to aid in penetration. The easiest source is a 75-100 watt light equivalent bulb (I use a small desk lamp). IBX contains IPN’s (interpenetrating polymer networks), the IBX is not attaching to the keratin, it is filling in the gaps of the top layers. Once cured in the nail, IBX is a permanent addition into the nail and cannot be removed. When looking to differentiate the two products; IBX Strengthen is the workhorse that fuses the upper layers of the nail plate together, while Repair acts like a sealant on the very top layer of the nail and acts to repair visible damage. IBX Strengthen is the only one of the two that can be used as a stand-alone.

After 1 single IBX treatment

Maintenance for IBX can vary from client to client, depending on the condition of the nails and can be anywhere from two to four weeks. There is quite a lot of value packed into each little bottle as both products in the system offer approximately 100 sets per bottle! Suggested pricing is $10-15 for the first application and $8-10 for the maintenance. You can offer this as a stand alone service for men or women or it can be applied before polish, gel polish, or other nail coatings, where it acts as a protective shield for the natural nail.

Some notes you may want to have before watching the tutorial:

  • Repair only needs to be applied to the damaged areas, not the entire nail unless you are going to follow up with gel polish.
  • Application is more like dry brushing, not so much a “wet” coating on the nail like base coat.
  • When applied thin enough, there really won’t be much shine after the heat step!
  • When blotting think just a little pressure, it is truly just blotting off the excess, not a mini scrub.
  • You can get the little step by step quick guide I use in the tutorial on the Famous Names website.
  • The online certification classes are listed on the Famous Names website and contain great information!

Now that you have an idea what it is, let’s talk about who to use it on. Take another look at what it does – “IBX Strengthen is the workhorse that fuses the upper layers of the nail plate together, while Repair acts like a sealant on the very top layer of the nail and acts to repair visible damage.” Just using your logic you can probably put together a list of clients that would benefit! For fun here are some of the many types of clients that actually have benefited:

  • weak nails
  • thin nails
  • peeling nails
  • nails with grooves
  • nails with white spots
  • nails damaged from picking off gel polish
  • nails damaged from filing
  • nails transitioning out of enhancements
  • nails damaged by cleaning products
  • nails with delamination
  • nails with slight trauma

You can apply any product to the nails once you have finished the IBX treatment since it is not on the surface of the nails! This makes it completely compatible with everything in addition to being a stand alone service. Ready to see an application?

What do you think? Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments! Remember to use the hashtag #IBXchallenge on Facebook or Instagram to show your before and afters, as you do this on clients or yourself to give IBX a try with me, and let’s watch them transition the next couple months to become healthy, happy nails just in time for the new year!