As a nail tech I have heard a few phrases that should be retired from ever being said. In any language. Ever again. I will admit right now that I've been guilty of using these terms when I was younger, and didn't know any better.
My number one pet peeve nail term, that I hear ALL the time??????
FAKE NAILS. or ARTIFICIAL NAILS.
Really?? Fake? Oh no. They are just as real as the natural nail underneath. Just because they are made from a different chemical structure and didn't grow out of your own body, does not make them fake. Your natural nails are made of chemical structure. So are the other nails. Do you tell your friend, "Oh I just LOVE your FAKE hair color!" Or do you say, "My friend has FAKE hair." No. You would say, "My friend colors her hair." I will tell you right now, the majority of nail techs out there take great pride in their work and are in this industry because of their passion. It is an art form. Not just because we paint (polish), but the overall effort as a whole. The shaping, the structure....We might make it look easy, but there is an art to it. In reference to my aunt, we are not simply "gluing pieces of plastic on people's fingernails." Yeah, she said that. Even when gluing tips on, I will guarantee it's not as simple as it looks. You obviously have to have the right size tip, and use the right viscosity glue. We don't just use super glue. Really. Speaking of nail tips, do you know what a C curve is? Your nail tech does. Nail tips have varying degrees of that too. Basically, nail tips are as different as jeans. After you get the tip on, (unless you are sculpting a nail) you have to choose which media to work with. Acrylic, gel, wraps, etc. Each media has it's own learning curve, and takes a bit to get use to. When you see an awesome set of nails that look natural, that nail tech has mastered their media. So don't devalue their talents by saying "fake nails". Artificial doesn't sound better either. It's like saying "faux" versus "fake". They are called "NAIL ENHANCEMENTS".
By the way, natural nails are not better than nail enhancements, or vice versa. Don't act like one is inferior to the other. It's all dependent on the person and what their nails need. So if your friend shows you her nail enhancements, don't say (with your nose in the air), "I don't wear fake nails!" Really? Are her nails fake? Tsk Tsk! They are, say it with me, "nail enhancements".
CHOP SHOPS, OR (INSERT NATIONALITY HERE) SHOPS
I know what you mean. The enormous amounts of nail salons that seem to pop up overnight, run like a factory, and are notorious for being dirty, unsafe, and often working without a license. But lets not classify this to such bad terms, okay? Let's call these places NON STANDARD SALONS, or NSS for short. Or, if you must, "discount salons". But really, NSS sounds much better. Let me make this perfectly clear, do not judge a nail salon/nail tech by their race!!!!!!!! I am white, but I know there are plenty of white nail techs out there who "speak English" and aren't up to par with legal cleanliness standards.
ACRYLIC NAILS/FAKE NAILS RUINED MY OWN NAILS
Really? Sigh. Okay, there are some non standard salons that use illegal acrylic liquid. It's MMA, or methyl methacrylate. This was banned by the FDA for use in the nail industry. That stuff can cause damage. But the legal stuff, EMA or ethyl methacrylate, is not. People like to blame nail enhancements too easily. What about your tech? Have they had additional training with their electric file? Or do they constantly burn or nick you? Do you get fills/rebalances on time? Or do you hold out for three or four weeks until you have major outgrowth and lifting? Do you get tired of them and start to bite or rip them off? When you want to remove them, do you have them professionally removed? Don't blame the enhancement when it was likely improper home care. Nail enhancements don't cause any more damage than the brownies fresh out of the oven do to your hips. It's all in what you do with the brownies. :)
NAIL SPA
This is in reference to a business using this in their business name. If you walk in and there is quite, relaxing music, with a relaxing atmosphere to match, then yes, that's a spa. But if there are harsh odors (from improper ventilation) lots of constantly loud chatter, tv's, and loud un spa-like music, it shouldn't have spa in the title. Just using hot towels doesn't make it a spa.
Okay, Congratulations if you've made it this far!! This was longer than I had anticipated! :)
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