Article Published in Stylist Magazine, April 2010
As beauty professionals and business owners, it’s possible to make better choices, choices that are more efficient, more economical and more “green.” Many choices are presented to us, and others we discover for ourselves. This has been my experience with waterless spa pedicures. Five years after its introduction, the waterless spa pedicure continues to be the most popular service in my salon and the most popular class I teach at beauty shows. Whether working with clients or teaching classes, I'm often asked why I chose to go waterless. I must admit that being green was the least of my considerations, but it has since become one of the most important benefits of this innovative pedicure procedure. As ridiculous as it sounds, that choice completely changed the way I do business, and gave me a new perspective on what it means to be green.
Being green requires more than recycling plastic containers. While certainly worthwhile, recycling alone does not go far enough to improve the environment. Given our creativity and resourcefulness, we can do so much more. That being said, being green represents a significant challenge to think differently about our own salon environment. Instead of merely following tradition, we should question our salon practices and research our options. We need to reevaluate everything we do, from purchasing decisions to service offerings to marketing.
Greening our salons begins with a commitment to protect the health and safety of our clients, ourselves as service providers and the environment we all share. At a minimum, we must understand and follow the laws that govern both the beauty industry (your state board) and the workplace (OSHA). Knowing this critical information helps us stay in compliance and reduces our liability.
Beyond our technical skills, our expertise as beauty professionals depends upon our knowledge of product chemistry, including the proper use, storage and disposal of our salon products. Marketing “organic,” “natural” or “non-toxic” products and services as safer has become commonplace, but unless scientific research supports those conclusions, such claims are unfounded. Our clients expect us to be informed and truthful. Whether done intentionally or through ignorance, misleading your clients about the safety and quality of products and services compromises your professional credibility.
We want what’s best for our clients, and our choices should reflect that. In early 2005, I chose to replace an expensive whirlpool footspa with a comfortable leather recliner and introduced a new service, the waterless spa pedicure. By eliminating the water, I created a more efficient pedicure that's much safer for clients and better for the environment. As admirable as that sounds, especially now that more salons consider themselves "green," that's not why I did it. Saving the planet wasn't nearly as important as saving myself . . . from the hassles of owning and using a footspa. Despite its beautiful looks and "pipe-less technology," my footspa never worked consistently; moreover, it barely circulated the water and required too much time and effort to clean. I soon realized that my time and efforts would be better spent working on clients, rather than cleaning equipment. Besides, no equipment can replace me as the the service provider.
I also realized that, contrary to what I learned in beauty school and demonstrated for the manicurist licensing exam, California's Board of Barbering and Cosmetology does not require that feet be soaked and/or cleaned before a pedicure service. So when I clean my client's feet during a waterless spa pedicure, I am exceeding what the state board requires. At the same time, I can avoid California's strict regulations for disinfecting footspas, or any other container that holds water.
Why waterless? Eliminating the water eliminates:
• the expense of a footspa, including maintenance and parts;
• the space required to install it;
• the expense of plumbing, including labor and permits;
• 12- 15 gallons of water each pedicure;
• the expense of water and sewage fees;
• the risks associated with water-borne bacteria;
• the time to clean a footspa, or any other container;
• the labor involved in cleaning;
• the expense and disposal of disinfection products; and
• the need for a pedicure-equipment cleaning log.
To quantify the water savings, we provide about 3500 nail services a year and use less than 1500 gallons of water. In the last 5 years, our salon has saved more than 75,000 gallons of water that otherwise would have been wasted. The response to this service has been overwhelmingly positive, even earning the praise of California American Water which described Precision Nails as a “fine example of a water-wise business.” Considering all the benefits of waterless pedicures, I can't imagine doing it any other way, but the choice is yours.
Jaime Schrabeck, Ph.D. owns Precision Nails, an exclusive nails-only salon in Carmel, California. She can be reached at info@precisionnails.com.
By Jaime Schrabeck, Ph.D.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Monday, January 25, 2010
Unlicensed Activity: Cheaters Never Prosper?
In California, any business that provides hair, skin and/or nail services regulated by the Board of Barbering and Cosmetology (BBC) must obtain a valid establishment license from the BBC before it opens. This law applies to any kind of business, whether a salon, day spa, hotel, medical office or gym. Likewise, any individual providing regulated beauty services must have a valid license, specific to a course of training and scope of practice. The BBC issues licenses for five main categories: cosmetologist, manicurist, esthetician, barber and electrologist.
Although the BBC requires establishment and individual licenses, it appears that many business owners, service providers and consumers could care less. Whereas most consumers don't know any better, the large number of unlicensed businesses and service providers in our state shows their blatant disregard for the law and disrespect for the beauty industry.
Two years ago, I attempted to quantify this problem by determining how many beauty businesses in Monterey County have valid establishment licenses. According to AT&T's The Real Yellow Pages (Monterey and San Benito Counties, November 2007), 468 businesses were listed under the categories "Barbers," "Beauty Salons & Services," "Day Spas," "Electrologists," "Nail Salons" and/or "Skin Care." These businesses were cross-referenced with a complete list of establishment licenses for Monterey County printed from the BBC website on December 23, 2007.
This simple, though time-consuming, license verification process revealed:
· only 282 businesses, approximately 60%, had clear establishment licenses; and yet even of these, 75 (27%) had listed business names in the Yellow Pages that differed from their licensed establishment names;
· an additional 17 businesses were individual licensees with a clear cosmetology license, but no establishment license;
· 115 businesses, approximately 25%, had no license at all;
· the remaining businesses, approximately 14%, had other concerns: Cancelled (21), Delinquent (14) and Fines Due (14) and five businesses had "Clear" licenses that were questionable (e.g. one license was listed as expired in 1999).
We cannot afford to tolerate unlicensed activity and unfair competition, and yet the BBC does not have the resources to eliminate unlicensed activity without our help. Do your part by being licensed and reporting those who are not.
Although the BBC requires establishment and individual licenses, it appears that many business owners, service providers and consumers could care less. Whereas most consumers don't know any better, the large number of unlicensed businesses and service providers in our state shows their blatant disregard for the law and disrespect for the beauty industry.
Two years ago, I attempted to quantify this problem by determining how many beauty businesses in Monterey County have valid establishment licenses. According to AT&T's The Real Yellow Pages (Monterey and San Benito Counties, November 2007), 468 businesses were listed under the categories "Barbers," "Beauty Salons & Services," "Day Spas," "Electrologists," "Nail Salons" and/or "Skin Care." These businesses were cross-referenced with a complete list of establishment licenses for Monterey County printed from the BBC website on December 23, 2007.
This simple, though time-consuming, license verification process revealed:
· only 282 businesses, approximately 60%, had clear establishment licenses; and yet even of these, 75 (27%) had listed business names in the Yellow Pages that differed from their licensed establishment names;
· an additional 17 businesses were individual licensees with a clear cosmetology license, but no establishment license;
· 115 businesses, approximately 25%, had no license at all;
· the remaining businesses, approximately 14%, had other concerns: Cancelled (21), Delinquent (14) and Fines Due (14) and five businesses had "Clear" licenses that were questionable (e.g. one license was listed as expired in 1999).
We cannot afford to tolerate unlicensed activity and unfair competition, and yet the BBC does not have the resources to eliminate unlicensed activity without our help. Do your part by being licensed and reporting those who are not.
State Bored?
After being reinstated on January 1, 2003 by SB1482, our state's Board of Barbering and Cosmetology (BBC) struggled to meet its legislative mandates, due in large part to inept leadership. Facing yet another sunset review, the BBC apparently redeemed itself through new appointments, a renewed focus on its priorities and the performance of Executive Director Kristy Underwood and her diligent staff. Under her leadership, the BBC has accomplished legislative mandates like increasing fines, eliminating lengthy processing delays and establishing reciprocity. Even with limited resources, Underwood has been remarkably effective.
However, the Board itself has failed to demonstrate any true leadership, despite excessive, self-congratulatory and undeserved praise from its president. Perhaps that's why yesterday's board meeting proved so encouraging; the president was no longer even a board member and a new industry member had been appointed: Truc Tran, a licensed manicurist and salon owner. Only five of nine positions have been filled, so four new members (three public and one industry) will be appointed soon.
Officer elections, the first order of business, resulted in a new president, Richard Hedges (public member and past vice president), and new vice president, Ken Williams (industry member). Both were unchallenged. After announcing that he'd only serve a year-long term, Hedges promised to protect consumers, be fair to licensees, be collegial, avoid burdensome regulations, move the meetings along and work towards consensus with his fellow board members. Williams, meanwhile, emphasized the importance of education.
Here's hoping that new members will invigorate the board so we can move forward. Given the dynamic nature of the beauty industry and the challenges of this economy, the BBC must be more proactive. The prevalence of incompetent service providers, unlicensed activity and tax evasion indicate that our current system fails the interests of consumers, professionals and the state. Californians deserve better. Only after a comprehensive review of the entire BBC legislative/regulatory system will the necessary change begin. Progress depends on innovation and cooperation, enabling us to reconcile the BBC's responsibility to protect consumers with a professional's efforts to provide quality services and succeed in a competitive industry.
This reminds me of the wisdom of Socrates: "To gain a good reputation, endeavor to be what you desire to appear" and more recently, Henry Ford: "You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do." We need less cheer, and more leadership.
However, the Board itself has failed to demonstrate any true leadership, despite excessive, self-congratulatory and undeserved praise from its president. Perhaps that's why yesterday's board meeting proved so encouraging; the president was no longer even a board member and a new industry member had been appointed: Truc Tran, a licensed manicurist and salon owner. Only five of nine positions have been filled, so four new members (three public and one industry) will be appointed soon.
Officer elections, the first order of business, resulted in a new president, Richard Hedges (public member and past vice president), and new vice president, Ken Williams (industry member). Both were unchallenged. After announcing that he'd only serve a year-long term, Hedges promised to protect consumers, be fair to licensees, be collegial, avoid burdensome regulations, move the meetings along and work towards consensus with his fellow board members. Williams, meanwhile, emphasized the importance of education.
Here's hoping that new members will invigorate the board so we can move forward. Given the dynamic nature of the beauty industry and the challenges of this economy, the BBC must be more proactive. The prevalence of incompetent service providers, unlicensed activity and tax evasion indicate that our current system fails the interests of consumers, professionals and the state. Californians deserve better. Only after a comprehensive review of the entire BBC legislative/regulatory system will the necessary change begin. Progress depends on innovation and cooperation, enabling us to reconcile the BBC's responsibility to protect consumers with a professional's efforts to provide quality services and succeed in a competitive industry.
This reminds me of the wisdom of Socrates: "To gain a good reputation, endeavor to be what you desire to appear" and more recently, Henry Ford: "You can't build a reputation on what you are going to do." We need less cheer, and more leadership.
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