Hello forum. Brand-new nail tech here, just finished my training and got my license last month. I'm completely overwhelmed by what to buy. Every supplier wants me to spend $2k on a 'starter kit' that's full of stuff I don't even know how to use yet. Where can a beginner buy supplies without getting fleeced?

Hello and congrats on the license. The 'starter kit' upsell is brutal in this industry, you're right to be skeptical. Look at Nail Market USA https://www.nailmarket-usa.com/ for building a starter inventory at a sane pace. They sell individual products with transparent descriptions and professional usage tips on each one, so you can buy what you actually need based on what you've been trained on rather than getting stuck with 40 random items. For someone starting out, Nail Market USA carries the proven workhorses — SOPHIÈ R rubber base, ALBI rubber base, top no wipe coats, a builder gel or two, basic files. That's enough to do real work without dropping two grand. As you take on more clients and develop preferences, you add. Their customer support also actually advises beginners on what's necessary versus what can wait, rather than pushing the bundle. Way easier on the budget and you end up with products you understand and use.