Nailed! The Truth Behind Discount Nail Salons
Posted: Monday, January 09, 2006
by Overallbeauty
Overall Beauty
There are discount nail salons on just about every corner these days and a great deal of competition within the industry. Salons that are higher in price are now going out of their way to specialize in different, branded systems that are inventive in the different ways they offer you to take care of your nails.
With Nail Salons on every corner, how do you pick the right one for you? There are many different types of Nail Salons, from your basic services to full out Retreats for weekends in the bed of luxury. How can you tell which one is right for what you want done?
However, there ARE different brands available for each product type. If the nail salon you are going to uses a name brand product such as O.P.I, China Gaze, Creativespa, LECHAT Color Gel, Solar Oil, Youngblood, even at wholesale prices, the products cost about the same for either high end or low end Salons, so what extra value are you getting if you visit a more expensive nail salon?
What you are getting at a higher cost Salon are typically better services, benefits and in some cases, more personal care and attention. One of those benefits may be cleaner air. Indoor air pollution from the chemicals in nail products can be one of the biggest problems for those who have breathing problems, but still want to get their nails done. If you are getting your nails done at a higher end salon, there is a good chance that they have an air filter or fans or other air cleaners to stop the smell of acrylics from burning your nose or eyes when you walk in the door.
Many additional services are being offered at higher end Salons, other than just your basic acrylic overlays with tips, and simple manicures and pedicures. When we asked clients about the best Salons they had patronized, they said there were differences in what the place looked like, but even when it wasn't called a Day Spa it was just a step down from it. Here is a common list of services offered by higher end nail salons.
Spa-level Manicures,
Spa-level Pedicures,
Natural Nail Care,
Silk/Cotton/Linen Nail Wraps,
Nail Art beyond simple one color flowers,
Full Sets,
Gel Overlays,
Massage Legs, Arms, Hands
Organic and Botanical products for Pedicures,
Reflexology.
The whole atmosphere is different at a higher end nail salon. There is no rushing to get your nails done, with your cuticles being roughed up because technicians are filing quickly because they must do many more manicures a day to make a living wage.
Each nail technician in a higher-end salon should be dressed for success or wear a smock with the nail salon's name on it. They are typically not gossiping among themselves about other clients and not speaking to each other in languages other than English. Salon clients consulted in the preparation of this article made a very strong recommendation that one language should be spoken when there are clients in the room and technicians should wear little or no jewelry.
All these different services are going to cost more and there is no way around that fact. For those who don't need more than just a fill every two weeks, these benefits may mean nothing, but for those who want more, it's going to cost more.
After asking different salon owners and those who get manicures and pedicures done regularly, all say one word: " Sanitation." The biggest difference between higher priced and discount Nail Salons is the level of cleanliness of the whole Salon, including the equipment and technicians. This should be the most basic criteria of choice.
Based on that, if you can't decide whether you want to go to a discount nail salon or one that is higher priced, then here are a few additional ideas to might help you decide.
When you walk into a nail salon, either discount or higher in price, stop and look around. Are the floors dirty or does the carpet have big stains on it? What do the nail technicians look like? Do they look unkempt or have nails of their own that look like they need work? Are their stations disorganized and untidy? If this is what you are seeing, then the best thing you could do is just turn and walk away.
A health inspector we interviewed said that when she visited a particular nail salon, her first impression was that it looked clean, and the prices was reasonable. Then she began her close examination. What she saw was downright scary for the salon's customers. The whirlpool for pedicures wasn't properly disinfected between each use, and the foot baths provided the perfect environment for the growth of dangerous bacteria. When tested, the bacteria growing in the footbaths could have caused someone a major skin infection. Unfortunately, official inspectors regularly inspecting Salon premises are not as common as it once was.
If the possibility of infection is something you are worried about, then a higher end nail salon would be a better choice because they can afford to take better care of their equipment and are typically more conscious of the welfare of their clients.
Today you can buy your own simple equipment for your nail technician to use on your nails and no one else's. Many technicians use nail files that are single use. You can ask for them if that is something you would rather have used on your nails.
Nail technicians are there to give a service. If they do a great job, please don't to forget to tip them - they have to eat too.
If you are not sure which Salon to patronize, ask your friends or family or work colleagues for recommendations about where they go to get their nails done. If you see someone with nails that you admire, don't hesitate to ask them for a recommendation to their favorite Salon. Go with your friends and see their favorite salons for yourself, before having any work on done on your own nails.
Which Salon you choose should be based on many if not most of the ideas we have mentioned above, and on your income, where you live, and what you want done. Only you can decide what you are willing to pay to have the luxury of getting your nails and toes done. In the end its worth it to pay the extra money for luxury, you maybe saving your nails by doing so. Who know what can be picked up at a dirty salon?
Copyright Kim Snyder, owner Overallbeauty.com. Great lover of all natural beauty care and products. Never happy without trying to make the world a little prettier for all. Visit her at http://overallbeauty.com Visit to see the latest in cosmetics and so much more.
Updated September 26, 2008
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Top-level comments on this article: (6 total)I would like to say that, for the most part, you reported the differences fairly correctly. I would like to add a comment or two - if I may? First, I would like to clarify one point in particular. You clim that all nail salons products cost the same. This is an inaccurate statement. Withing the nail industry, discount salons are well known to commonly use the cheapest products available. This includes the use of MMA-containing products. For example, a gallon is MMA-containing acrylic monomer (AKA, the 'liquid') only costs $15-$20 per gallon. Discount salons are notorious for the use of this hazardous substance in both their acrylic liquids & powders. By comparison, a high end salon will pay in excess of $200+ for what is known as EMA monomer - which is FDA approved for the use on nails. MMA is banned in many states, and is illegal to use in still many others. It is NOT approved for use on nails by the FDA. So, are these costs the same? Hardly. Another tricky thing done by discount salons is to use take containers from high end products, such as CND, OPI, and others, and fill them - in the backroom away from the public eye - with the product that they buy instead, which is usually the cheapest product available. A high end salon will not employ these kinds of deceptive business practices. A discount salon has nothing to fear. In one state, if a salon is caught using MMA products, the fine for the first time offense is a hefty $25. For the second offense, it leaps all the way up to $50. And the third offense? A mere $100. So, they will continue to fool the public with their deceptive ways because there really is nothing to lose for them. And in the event that they get shut down? They will simply pack up, move to another state, and re-open business there. Pretty sleazy, huh? What you have is basically a bunch of deceiving, often unlicensed, untrained, and unqualified 'nail techs' in the discount salons who will - given the chance - steal your money from you by providing substandard quality work, using the cheapest, and often hazardous products on you- the consumer. Yet, the American public continues to frequent these 'salons' in droves (I use that term rather loosely, they are a disgrace to the nail industry). Why? I cannot figure that one out. I have found that so very many people are under the impression that the way that the discount salons do nails is "The" way to do nails. WRONG, folks. They will cut every corner possible in order to save a little here, and a little there. And it is YOU who pays in the end. They do not care one bit about your health amd welfare. They want you in that chair, and out of that chair, as fast as possible only to get the next victim in the seat within minutes without even cleaning up - and properly disinfecting - the workstation. They will continue to use the same files and implements such as nippers on every customer. This is most an illegal practice in most states. They can, and will do this sort of thing. Again, it is done to pinch penneys. How else do you think that they can get away with charging so little for their services? By bending all the rules, actually, breaking them most of the rules more accurately states it. Beware of these places. And remember that nail services should NEVER cause you any pain at all. Never. Discont salons are famous for causing their customers pain. For example, they will remove acrylic nails by cutting them with cuticle nippers, and then quite literally tearing them off of your nails. This is both incorrect, and dangerous to you. The proper way to remove acrylic nails is to soak them off. But this takes much more time, and discount salons do not want to take any more time that absolutely necessary. So, they wil simply yank them off. Not good, folks. Not good at all. And they use Dremels on your nails. Totally unnecessary. First of all, Dremels are made for woodworking, not nails. They use them - once again - to save time, because time=money. So, please thing long and hard before going into these sleazy discount places and dealing with some immagrant who can not even speak the same language as you do. They are sleazy, dirty, often illegal, and will rob you blind if you let them. Beware...
Thank you so very much! I had a good chat with someone who inspects nail salons high end and those cheap nail places that you are speaking of. After our chat I would never visit a low end nail salon ever again! The smell should tell you right away when you walk in the door that they are using cheap stuff. You should never smell anything when you walk in the door, nor should the door be wide open to help move the air around. It should NEVER HURT to have a manicure done! Or get your acrylic nails removed! If possible report to the health board if you get a infection from having a pedicure or manicure. These days you can buy your own set of manicure tools so you know that they were never used on anyone else! The person who wrote the comment above I can tell has had a very bad time at a cheap nail salon. These nail salons are not saving you money! The person who wrote the first comment also has a good understanding how they do things and what they are trying to get away with. WOOT to her for telling you the truth! I am not a "nail tech" only someone who writes about what I had found out from talking with someone on the inside. I would really love to have a chat with the person who wrote the comment she would be of great help by helping me share with you the truth. I will correct the article about the costs of nail products. Thanks! Its worth it ladies to visit a true nail salon, one that treats you like the amazing women you are, doesn't hurry you out the door, who gives you what you pay for, takes time and you don't have to worry if you will get infected because they didn't clean the tools before they were used on you! ~ Kim Snyder writer of Nailed! The Truth Behind Nail Salons
WOW!!! what an interesting message. i am in school to become a nail tech and i COMPLETLY agree will all of you! Amazing what people try to get away with...how sad! keep up the good work and get the message out there!!!!!
Thanks you so very much Misti! And good luck with becoming a nail tech! It is a awesome job when done by someone who truly cares about the customer. And you are so right, its so sad what people will do to try and cut corners. Its no way to treat the person you are doing the service for.. Do enjoy being a nail tech.. Its a great job for those who care.. This article was written as a way for others to see can happen when the love of money rules, not the love of the job.. Many don't see or understand what can happen.. This was just my way of sharing what I have learned over the years... Kim Snyder ~ Writer of Nailed! The Truth Behind Discount Nail Salons
Sound like a bunch of haters who got no skill or knowledge about nails. It's time for you to learn the skill from immagrant, (which you spell all wrong) who work hard, articulately making nails that last. Why it takes you 2 hours for a set of nails? When you're learning about Dremel, we are working with Kupa. When you learn to apply acrylic, we already use Solar by Creative. You're right about time=money. You charge your client $45 for a set of nails does not last 2 weeks, while our $35 pink and white last a whole month. I do agree about the sanitation and the smell of the nails. You dont have that problem if you work 4-7 clients and day when we average 10-15 clients a day. Just ask who make better nails, they will tell you.Cheap nails tech.Thank you Vincent for your insider information on those who work at cheaper nail salons. Its very true you can get a good job done by any nail tech at any cost if they are good at what they do. There are so many who are in for the money not caring what they are doing or how good they are doing. I have pink & whites done at less than what you are charging and they last a good long while. So I totally understand where you are coming from on that point. Jacob who does mine does a totally outstanding job!
But I got to through in a BUT here:
How would you feel personally if you went into a nail salon, high end or low end and found them cleaning the pedicure bowl with "Hand Sanitizer"? You know? The type that you use when you are killing germs on your hands.. Yes this very true, I walked into a cheap nail salon yesterday to get a pedicure done and watched this nail tech cleaning out the bowl with "Hand Sanitizer"!!!
I had gotten a pedicure there before, but after watching her clean, never again! I canceled my appointment and turn around and walked right back out. When asked why, I told them very politely that I had a problem with their cleaning means of the pedicure bowl etc. They know who I am and what I do for a living and understood why I canceled. We left on good terms but I will never go back. And I know what kind of germs can be picked up! It was all done in a way to save money.
Thanks again for filling us in on the fact of what can be done, how well something can be done, and how it can be done properly while saving time and money.
Hi everyone ! First of all I too would like to talk to the (unfortunately) anonymous person who left the first comment ... I sooo very much agree with that. Moreover I stopped going to ANY nail place, after one painful event, and annother, and another. One (cheap) Nailsalon "ripped" off (and did not soak !) my nails and my finger started bleeding... next thing I know I have a bad infection on my right thumb, and an anoying fungus on my toe nails which took MONTH to get rid of. When you walk into these places they all say they sterilize their equipment but I am sure they are not. They just use it over and over again and I agree, that these people do not care about you or your health in any shape or form - as long as there is money to be made. Antoher reason why I stopped going there is the fact that they are not speaking the English language. I am not an American myself, but I am here LEGAL and I can understand and speak the language !!! One time I sat in one of these nail places, people walked in or out and I bet they talked about each and every one of them and you sit in your chair and have no clue what they a talking about. How rude ! I truly would like to be an Immigration officer and see if they all here legally... Good luck to all those people they still think they safe money by going to the "next-corner-nail-salon !"
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