Fifty-Two Weeks

B.Y.O.B. I personally, am not a huge fan of discount nail salons, but I do frequent them in times of the urgent need for a manicure or pedicure for an event or a special occasion. Like many of you, I don't put up much fuss about the products that are used, but lately I have been noticing a few things that I may begin to fuss over. Nail polish and spa products are expensive. Plain and Simple. Even for nail techs like myself, I still have to pay a right good price for the products that I use on my clients. Many discount salons though are finding more and more way to rake in more money by using cheaper and/or generic products. Here's the scoop - I don't want you to be fooled! Many discount salons are filling expensive brand name lotion bottles with cheap generic lotion. This way they can charge you more and claim to use prestige products. (and the cheap lotion does nothing but make your skin smell good) If you go into a salon and see a lotion bottle without a name...

To File, or Not to File? It's been a while since I posted a nail safety/salon safety post so I thought it was time to talk about something most people haven't realized they've been doing wrong or have been letting their nail technician do wrong. Did you know that there is a right and a wrong way to file your fingernails? The shape of your nails really tops off your manicure. So, before you start filing and painting away, it's important for you to know how to file your nails properly. First, choose the right kind of nail file. Sometimes, the cheaper the better - in many cases the most basic and inexpensive emery boards are more flexible and easier on your nails. The grit on metal files can often be too harsh and can cause your nails to peel and chip. Stick to a simple drugstore file, it should do the job and it'll save you some money too. I myself, use simple wooden core files that I buy in bulk from my nail products store. I like these files becau...

I Bring My Own Tools! Just recently a friend of mine mentioned that she brings her own tools with her to the nail salon. I couldn't help it, but I cringed a bit and she asked me to explain my sour face.  Bringing your own manicuring tools isn't necessarily safer. In fact,  you may not be doing yourself any favors. It is more likely that your personal tools are more unsanitary than salon ones. But how can this be??  After appointments, customers usually seal their tools (including non-cleanable files) back in the bag without sanitizing them, which becomes a breeding ground for bacteria—even if it’s just their own. Or they decide that they will clean them when they get home. At home, you most likely do not have a hospital grade disinfectant, which is just one step of the required cleaning method. And once you wash the tool off, you most likely stick them right back in the same contaminated bag or box.   After each client, professional salons (di...