Clients are nail tech's life source, and sure some may even become great friends. But just like any job, being a nail technician definitely has it's pet peeves.
Here are 14 things we nail technician's wish you'd stop doing:
1. Showing up late for your appointment, and not even apologizing
Things happen and people run behind, we get it. But showing up late to your appointment puts our entire schedule for the work day behind. If you're going to be late, at least call so we can plan accordingly, and maybe apologize so we know you're not inconsiderate.
2. Not showing up at all
You see, we nail techs are paid by appointment. When you book your appointment, that time is literally set aside for you. When you completely fail to show up, you not only wasted our time, but also caused us to lose money.
3. Expecting intricate nail art when you didn't book for it
Each appointment is scheduled for a specific amount of time, most commonly the basic service. When you come in and show me a picture of intricate designs on every single nail, you can't possible think that I have time for that. Make sure you book for things like that.
4. Spending the first 15 minutes of your appointment mingling with your friends
Yes, the nail salon is a place for mingling & fun. But it's also someone's workplace. So when you spend your appointment time catching up with your friends instead of letting me do your nails, it puts me behind schedule and makes me run over on time.
5. Touching anything & everything multiple times, especially after I've prepped your nails.
Just because I have not actually painted your nails yet, does not mean touching everything is a good idea. After I prep your nails, the surface is completely ready to be polished. When you touch your scarf, hair, phone, etc., you just put all that debris and oil back on your nail, which is what I just removed when I prepped your nails. It's not that hard to be still and not touch anything for 45 minutes.
6. Swearing that you use cuticle oil every day, yet your cuticles are drier than the Sahara Desert
If you aren't the best at remembering to use cuticle oil, it's okay, it happens. However, don't lie to us and say you lotion and use oil twice a day. We know you don't. We just know.
7. Bringing the entire family to watch you get your nails done
When you come to the nail salon to get your nails done, we have one seat for you. We don't have six seats for your whole family plus your sister-in-law and her three kids. The whole family doesn't need to attend your nail appointment, and we definitely don't have the space for them all.
8. Messing up all of your nails after I painted them
Accidents happen, we get it. But when it's clear you dug through your purse or messed with your hair, you can't possibly think we will believe you when you said you were careful.
9. Messing them up more than once
Accidents, we understand. But you'd think after the first time messing up your nails, you'd learn the trick here: patience, and stop touching things.
10. Friends: expecting me to do their nails for free
Love you all more than life itself, but no, I will not do your nails for free. Would you do your job for free?
11. Saying you only do Shellac, not gel polish
Nothing drives me crazier than when a client says, "I only do shellac." THEY ARE THE SAME THING. Just because CND came out with one of the first brands of gel polish, which they called Shellac, does not mean that's the only brand of gel, and it definitely is no different than any other "gel polish." Similarly, there is OPI: Gel Color; Hand & Nail Harmony: Gelish, and so on. See how this works? Gel is gel.
12. Changing your color choice or art choice a million times
We get it. Picking a color is not always easy and neither is art. However, if you're coming to get your nails done, you probably have some idea of what you want. At least narrow it down to a few colors or designs, so we can try and help you pick. But when you change your mind 239704234 times, it takes up so much of our time and also stresses us out. It's a nail polish color, not a committed relationship.
13. Stiffing & tensing up your hands, and still doing it after we tell you to relax
It's almost impossible to do your nails when your hands are stiffer than a board. If we tell you to relax it's because we physically cannot do what we need to do on your nails unless you are completely relaxed. So when we tell you to relax, please do so and be conscious of it.
14. Bringing your own gloopy, old nail polish
We understand that you love that 10-year-old bottle of Sally Hansen nail polish; however, painting it on is not only a pain, but it's also very crappy quality, won't look as good, and won't last as long. Our products are way easier to work with, longer-lasting, and better quality. We can find a color 99.9% identical to "ballet slipper," I promise.
