In Praise of Polish

Article Published in Stylist Magazine, May 2011

If you hadn’t already noticed, nail color has made a tremendous comeback. The renewed focus on colorful nails owes much to the incredible popularity and abundance of colored gel and gel-polish products. These products promise no drying time because they light-cure, extended wear with no chipping and soak-off removal (more or less). Consumers have responded to clever marketing by contacting salons to request a “lacquer manicure,” or a “three-week manicure,” even when they don’t fully understand what the service entails. This trend has been so pervasive that brands known primarily for polish and natural nail products have launched their own gel lines. And while this may seem like bad news for polish manufacturers, the recent acquisitions of Essie by L’Oreal and OPI by Coty suggest otherwise. No doubt, the value of these professional brands lie in their growth potential beyond salons. And as expected, these brands have expanded their presence in retail and drug stores, competing alongside Sally Hansen (also owned by Coty) and other brands that consumers have had access to for years.

While these recent developments provide consumers many options, they also prompt professionals to question whether polish has lost its appeal as a salon service and  product? I cannot answer this question for every salon owner or nail professional, but for me, the answer would be decidedly no. Polish is not the perfect product; an expert application can be a challenge for the professional, and the patience to let it dry, a challenge for the client. But after decades of reliable performance, polish remains an integral part of my professional nail services. What polish lacks in drying speed and durability, it more than makes up for in price, color range and ease of application and removal, with no additional equipment necessary. Moreover, just as my stylist friends don’t complain about the availability of hair coloring products, I won’t complain about the availability of polish. My clients still rely on my application skills, and they want to test colors before they purchase.

The minimal supplies I use to polish include nail wipes (non-woven sponges), pure acetone in a pump dispenser, base coat (needed for natural nails only), polish, top coat and a clean-up brush (my favorite: a #4 oval taklon). Application begins with removing any existing polish and/or oils from the nails using nail wipes moistened with acetone. 

The speed and accuracy of my polish application depends largely on my positioning. I hold the client’s finger firmly from underneath with my left thumb and forefinger, the polish bottle in the palm of my left hand and the bottle cap/brush with my right thumb and forefinger. When removing the brush from the polish bottle, I wipe against the neck so that polish remains on one side of the brush only. For more precise brush placement, I extend my right pinky to rest against the three other fingers of my left hand. When placing the brush at the base of the nail, it’s my goal to have polish be close to, but not touching, the skin. Each stroke toward the edge of the nail should be smooth and straight, and slightly overlapping to cover the entire surface. The fewer the strokes, the better. Starting at the center of the nail and working toward either sidewall, or from one sidewall and working across to the other, is a matter of personal preference. (I happen to start on the left side and work toward the right.) While polishing, I prefer to gently rotate the client’s fingers than tilt my head.

After each layer of polish, I place that hand under a polish-drying fan that circulates room-temperature air while I polish the other hand. Drying between layers reduces the amount of time clients wait to dry at the end of the service. For sheer colors, I generally apply only one layer of color; for opaque colors, two thin layers provide better coverage. There should not be any excess polish on the underside of the nail, or on the surrounding skin. Before applying top coat, I use my clean-up brush dipped in acetone to perfect the perimeter of the polish. After top coat is applied, the client waits another 3-5 minutes under the polish-drying fans before leaving the salon.

That clients can, with varying degrees of competence, polish their own, or a friend’s, nails makes it ideal for retailing. Displayed attractively, polish virtually sells itself. Let your clients choose their favorite color from a well-stocked, dust-free retail display, rather than from the bottles you use to polish. At my salon, we stock a minimum of 3 bottles each of more than 200 different colors, arranged according to color. We store one bottle of every available color alphabetically in the back room for use during services. Clients can also request to test colors using these bottles. For testing purposes, we place a piece of clear plastic tape on the client’s hand and dab polish there instead of directly on their nails.

There’s no need or scientific reason to advise clients to purchase a bottle for salon use. Frightening clients about the possibility of cross-contamination is not a valid marketing strategy. If bacteria and fungus were able to thrive among polish ingredients and subsequently be transmitted to other clients, there might be cause for concern. However, this is not the case. According to research conducted by chemists Paul Bryson, Ph.D. and Doug Schoon, “nail polish quickly destroys microbes that are introduced into it. . . . When partially-used bottles of polish were repurchased from salons after actual use on multiple customers, examination by an independent lab showed no trace of microbial contamination whatsoever.” That’s bad news for microbes, but good news for those of us who love polish.

By Jaime Schrabeck, Ph.D.

Being Green: What Does it Mean?

Article Published in Stylist Magazine, April 2011

Judging by the increasing number of salons marketed as “natural,” “organic” and “eco-friendly,” the pressure to appear “green” must be immense. My salon appears green; I painted both the exterior and interior beautiful, complimentary shades. But besides being my favorite color, and in the context of a nail salon, what exactly does “being green” mean? I don’t ask this question facetiously; in fact, I struggle with the entire concept. While the intent may be admirable (protecting the environment, conserving resources, preserving health, etc.), this concept has been distorted and abused through misinformation and fear mongering. Now, more than ever, clients ask questions like, “Is your polish toxic?,” while some manufacturers go so far as to promote their 1`products as “chemical-free.” How do we nail professionals differentiate fact from fiction? And how do we reconcile our responsibility to protect our clients with a desire to protect the environment?

Lacking a definitive standard based on empirical evidence, the concept of being green deserves careful consideration. This requires knowledge beyond the basic education and training most manicurists receive. That’s why I’ve enlisted three of the nail industry’s most respected chemists, Paul Bryson, Ph.D., Jim McConnell and Doug Schoon to provide their scientific expertise. 

All three experts agree that manicurists need to better understand the structure and function of nails. In brief, Doug Schoon advises, “Be a knowledgeable professional.” Although beauty school would be the obvious and ideal place to learn this information, that apparently does not happen for many students. As Schoon points out, “Most nail techs can't even name the parts of the nail . . . How can you address concerns when you don’t understand the basics?”

Furthermore, manicurists “need to educate themselves on the products they use,” emphasizes Jim McConnell. Professional nail products contain chemicals that have been proven safe when used according to manufacturer instructions. That being said, you should never ingest nail products, rub them into your eyes or otherwise use them inappropriately. Any manufacturer claiming that its products don’t contain chemicals is simply being dishonest. Bryson reminds us of basic science, “It's impossible to make a product that is ‘chemical free,’ since everything around us - water, air, plants, foods, etc. - is composed of chemicals.” Likewise, any manufacturer claiming better/safer products because they’re made from some unlikely, yet more “natural” ingredients, cannot be trusted. McConnell expresses his frustration when mentioning a UV gel product supposedly made from seaweed.

Despite decades of safe use, nail products still raise safety concerns, leading to questions like “What’s the most dangerous chemical used in nail salons?” Acetone is a common response. But contrary to what many manicurists and consumers believe, “acetone is one of the safest solvents that we can work with in the salon,” according to McConnell. Bryson describes acetone emphatically as “the safest and greenest polish remover! All the acetone substitutes either produce more photochemical smog, and/or are more hazardous. ‘Non-acetone’ polish remover has long been dishonestly marketed as a safer product, but in fact the reverse is true . . ." Bryson singles out methyl acetate as “the only non-acetone polish remover solvent still legal in California,” but warns that it “could cause death or permanent blindness if a child drank it! The few companies that sell it use a bitter tasting additive to prevent accidental ingestion."

What about formaldehyde in nail polish? Schoon addresses this controversial chemical in a must-read article, The Formaldehyde Myth (available at www.schoonscientific.com). “Formaldehyde is not a cosmetic ingredient and never has been,” he states. Bryson acknowledges the understandable confusion about formaldehyde: “one of the main resins in nail polish is called ‘Tosylamide-Formaldehyde Resin,’ which despite the name, is not the same chemical as formaldehyde. Specialty nail hardeners are another story - they contain a small, US FDA-permitted amount of a non-volatile, reaction product of formaldehyde and water - more properly known as methylene glycol - or they won't work. Confusingly, until recently, this substance had to be called ‘Formaldehyde’ on the label, which wrought much customer confusion as they wrongly assumed that nail hardeners posed a cancer risk.”

Schoon further cautions against allowing ourselves and our clients to think in terms of what’s most dangerous, “If you remove an ingredient, then the next one on the list becomes the ‘most,’ until you have no chemicals to list. It is more important to ask, what should we do in nail salons to ensure that all products are used safely?” 

The following suggestions will help you create a healthier salon environment:

• Protect the health and safety of yourself, your coworkers and your clients.
• Keep your salon clean.
• Follow applicable laws (state board, OSHA, etc.).
• Install an effective ventilation system.
• Read product labels and follow manufacturer’s instructions.
• Learn about product chemistry.
• Read product labels and follow manufacturer’s instructions.
• Obtain MSDS on every product.
• Store your products properly.
• Limit your exposure by wearing gloves.
• Wear protective eyewear.
• Utilize disposable products when necessary.
• Dispose of your waste safely.
• Make the most of the resources you use.
• Invest in bulk quantities.
• Encourage manufacturers to reduce packaging waste.
• Simplify your salon packaging and marketing materials.
• Purchase adequate liability & property insurance.

For more information about nails, nail products and salon safety, read Doug Schoon’s book, Nail Structure and Product Chemistry, Second Edition (Milady, 2005) and visit the website, www.schoonscientific.com for relevant articles and publications from the Nail Manufacturers Council.

By Jaime Schrabeck, Ph.D.

Competitive Pricing for Salon Success

Article Published in Stylist Magazine, March 2011



“Nowadays, people know the price of everything and the value of nothing.”
Oscar Wilde


Spend any time in the beauty industry and you’ll soon recognize the first words of most potential clients: “How much is a (insert name of service here)?” Like most nail professionals, you instinctively answer with the price. But no matter what that number, the answer will be wrong. Why? Because without context, a mere number is essentially meaningless. It assumes that all services are created and delivered equally from salon to salon, and it cannot possibly capture the nature and quality of your service. Clients cannot appreciate the value of your work when they don’t understand what they’re paying for. It’s your responsibility to communicate that value.


Whether just starting your salon business, or reinventing an existing one, the decisions to be made can be overwhelming. One of the most important is how to structure and price your services. Overpricing will discourage potential clients initially, while underpricing will discourage you eventually. The only thing more frustrating than clients taking advantage is the realization that it’s your fault. Ideally, your service prices will strike just the right balance between being competitive (attractive to potential clients) and
providing adequate compensation (enabling you to earn a living doing what you love . . . nails!).


Important decisions related to service pricing require doing your research, but not the kind that you might expect. How many times have you been advised to contact other salons and ask about their pricing to determine your own? That’s just as useless as when a potential client asks the same question. If you want to make the common and misguided mistake of competing on price, then contact other salons. But what’s the point unless you also find out what their salon costs are? Few salon owners would be
willing to share that information, even if they knew.


Doing your research means accounting for your own costs:

• Lease
• Equipment and supplies
• Utilities (telephone, water, gas and electric, etc.)
• Outside/professional services (payroll, accounting, laundry, etc.)
• Licenses (business and professional)
• Insurance
• Taxes (payroll, sales, property, etc.)
• Marketing/advertising
• Education
• Professional memberships
• Payroll, or your time if you work independently

These costs vary so widely from salon to salon that it’s imperative that you do this for yourself, and make every effort to reduce these costs whenever possible.


Even with this information, you’re not prepared to make good decisions. Considering that income generated from nail services depends on the active participation of service providers, time must be accounted for before pricing can be determined. The time required to complete the service should be minimized as much as possible to avoid wasting your time or your client’s. To maximize time (your greatest resource!), your services need to be structured deliberately to achieve the desired results: the
procedures organized step-by-step and the products and tools selected for each step. Every procedure, product and tool should be evaluated for its safety, efficiency and cost-efficiency.


For every service, you need to calculate the product cost, including both disposables (files, gloves, nail wipes, etc.) and consumables (polish, lotion, acetone, gel, etc.). Once calculated, that number. along with the time required to complete the service can be used in the following formula:


Product Cost + $1/minute = Service Price (Round up to the nearest $5 increment.)


For example, our pedicure costs $3 in product and takes 45 minutes. Our service price is $3 + $45 = $48, but rounded up to $50. The product cost percentage is $3/$50 = 6%. Ideally, the product cost should be lower than 10%; otherwise, that service may not be worth offering.


Before you question the feasibility of earning at least a $1/minute, let’s discuss. For nail professionals who believe that clients in their particular area won’t pay $1/minute, ask yourself what the standard hourly rate is for massage. Given your diverse skills and significant investment in education, equipment and supplies, your work should be worth at least the equivalent of that of a massage therapist. And for nail professionals who don’t think they can charge $90 for a pink and white backfill just because it takes 90 minutes, they’re right. What’s taking so long? Every service offered should be doable in an hour or less. Developing your skills and being more efficient will reduce the time required and move you closer to that $1/minute minimum.


To market your services, publish enticing service descriptions that detail what’s included, the time allowed and the price. Your salon policies (appointments, cancellations, payment options, etc.) also need to be explained in writing. Despite the accessibility of the internet, salons still need something tangible to present to potential clients, so a brochure is a must. When asked about your service prices, whether in person, by email or phone call, be prepared to ask some questions to determine which service, if any, best meets the client’s needs and to focus on its value, not the price.

By Jaime Schrabeck, Ph.D.