Showing posts with label Nail. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Nail. Show all posts

Friday, October 15, 2010

Fall Nail Colors: Flakies, Foils, and Glitters - Oh, My!

Good news for all of us glitter girls! Bling's the thing when it comes to nail colors this season. For a night on the town, bold nails with bright, chunky flakies are a perfect substitute for those heavy, dazzling rings. Need a subtler shine for work? No problem. This season, you'll find plenty of glittery shades suitable for everyday wear.
1. Radical reds. For a glittery twist on classic red nails, look no further than Zoya's Carrie Ann, a candy-apple red flecked with copper, gold, and pink-red foil metallic glitter. Want something pinker? Try OPI's Diva of Geneva, a deep magenta with a rosy metallic shimmer.
[Hot tip! Transform your favorite polish into a gorgeous glitter with Essie's Carnival, designed to layer a sparkly rainbow over any color you can imagine. Pair with Essie's new Limited Addiction for a firecracker red you'll love.]
2. Blazing blues. Make a splash with Lippman's Across the Universe, a sheer navy base sparkling with turquoise and green sequins for a truly under-the-sea look. For a subtler sheen, go with OPI's Yodel Me on My Cell, featuring a blue micro-glitter swimming through an aqua base.
3. Perfect purples. Rock this season's it color with Lippman's Bad Romance, featuring chunky magenta glitter and sequins over a black base. For a purple infusion, try Zoya's Julieanne, with purple, gold, peach, and yellow-green sparkles set against a purple-blue base.
4. Gorgeous greens. It's safe to go ga-ga for green in any shade this fall. OPI's Cuckoo for This Color shimmers in a deep blue-green, while OPI's Lucerne-tainly Look Marvelous gives gray-green a glittery glow. Zoya's Edyta favors olive tones with a sparkly, metallic finish.
5. Molten metallics. Get your glitter on with OPI's Glitzerland, a foil-finish gold metallic with a champagne shimmer. We dare you to resist Essie's trio of precious metals: Golden Nuggets gives a golden glow; Silver Bullions, a silvery shimmer; and Sequin Sash, a beautiful bronze with a silver shine.
6. Brazen browns. Don't miss the chance to dress up this fall staple color. Lippman's Brown-Eyed Girl is finger-lickin' good in a chocolate velvet glimmer, while Zoya's Cheryl features a smoky brown base coated with metallic microglitter in copper, gold, and mahogany.
Ann H. Carlson is an expert beauty writer for Beauty Collection, one of the top beauty retailers in the world (Women's Wear Daily, March 2009). Beauty Collection carries over 200 prestige beauty brands like MoroccanOil, and Keratin Complex. It showcases all beauty categories including skin care, hair care, makeup, fragrance, hair tools, and more.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

What To Look For In A Beauty Nail Salon

There are numerous beauty nails salon businesses in every town across the United States and just like any other business they have their own personalities. The personalities are derived from the owners or the workers and usually a combination of both. When trying to decide which salon you should patronize, it is import to consider a number of things first. You might get lucky just choosing one haphazardly but that is exception and not the rule.
Obviously the location of the salon is very important. If you drive to work and pass by beauty salons on your way, then you may want to try one of those for their convenience. If you take your kids to school and there is a beauty nail salon close by, once again, that could be a good option for you. Basically any location that is convenient for you to visit when doing your daily errands is a great starting point and should be frequented first.
Now I said starting point because location is only one small consideration and depending on you, possibly an insignificant consideration altogether. You see, just because a beauty salon is convenient for you it doesn't mean that it will be the right fit for you. There are a number of other items to consider when selecting a beauty nail salon. Price might be the most important thing for you; however, I doubt that it is. Price is rarely the overwhelming factor for most women and I dare say it might be overlooked completely by a lot of you. Saving a few bucks is not as important as having a good experience and feeling like you've gotten your money's worth.
A very important factor in choosing the salon that's right for you is cleanliness. The reason I bring up cleanliness is that is possible to get an infection from a nail salon. You see salons use cutting tools that can pierce your skin and, if they haven't been properly sterilized, can cause an infection. In fact, many local governments now legislate the cleanliness of day spas, beauty nail salons, hair salons etc. requiring them to be licensed and inspected. It also just makes good sense. Do you really want to go to a hair salon that never sweeps the floor or cleans out the sinks? Do you want to see the previous customers nail clipping on the table you are going to use? I don't think so. That's just good business practice not mention really disgusting.
Some other considerations in choosing your salon are the length of time they have been in business, ratings by other customers, membership in local business organizations etc. Perhaps the number one and two reasons to choose a beauty nail salon are your relationship with the techs and the quality of work they do. You will spend anywhere from 20 minutes to over an hour with this person so you'll need to have a good relationship. The hair or nail tech needs to be personable and not bring you down with their complaining. You should be in a better mood when you leave than when you showed up for your appointment. The quality of their work is just obvious. You want people to comment on their work and ask where you got your nails done. And they need to be doing it for the right reasons, not because they want to avoid the place!
This short list of items to look for should get you started on your way to finding a beauty nail salon that is right for you and you will call your own for years to come. It just takes a little bit of effort on your part to find the beauty nail salon that you will refer to all your friends.

Typical Nail Salon Services

When you are looking for a good nail salon in your area you need to consider what nail salon services you'll be using. Let's say today you want a manicure because you are going out with friends and what to look that little extra special. If the salon you use specializes in manicures and offers no other services then that might be okay for you. But what if you will be wearing open toed shoes and need a pedicure too! Then you'll have to find a nail salon that does both pedicures and manicures.
Fortunately most salons offer a variety of nail salon services so you should never run into this situation. A traditional salon should offer a variety of manicure packages ranging from a simple manicure to hand soaking and complex nail art along with the corresponding pedicure packages. Perhaps the most important thing to remember is that these services can be customized to fit your particular needs and you don't just have to order from the menu. If you ask for something special you should be accommodated and usually at a very small additional cost if any. Good salons want to keep you coming back so most try and be as accommodating as possible.
Services should include as a minimum a traditional manicure. A traditional manicure consists of a hand massage with a lotion or cream selected by the manicurist. At higher end spas a much higher quality lotion or cream is used and is usually reflected in the price of the manicure. The more exclusive the nail salon tends to be the higher the quality of product used. If someone is willing to pay a higher price for a manicure it better sure be worth the additional cost. The client wants to feel like they are getting something that the average person is not. It is the manicurist's job to make them feel like they are. Along with a hand massage a traditional manicure should include removing of old nail polish, cuticle trimming, the application of cuticle oil, and a top coat of nail polish. In today's nail salon services, nail art is a popular offering. Some people like to wear nail art year round while others prefer to "splurge" for the holidays, sporting events, or other special occasions. What ever your preference, a good nail salon should be able to accommodate you.
A traditional pedicure is also another service that your typical nail salon should be able to offer you. A traditional pedicure should first offer a foot cleanse and soak in a sanitized bowl or sink. Once the foot soak is complete any existing polish should be removed followed by cuticle trimming and the application of cuticle oil. Excess skin from the bottom of the feet and toes is then removed using a rasp, file or an abrasive solution. Depending on how much skin needs to be removed will dictate the method most pedicurists will use. For those who get a regular pedicure the abrasive lotion or cream with be most effective. If you go once a year, then you may be exposed to the rasp or file. Most pedicurists will go a step further and massage the ankles and calf area as added bonus to make you feel like you've had that spa experience. The finish once again includes a nail polish and nail art if you so choose.
There are many additional nail salon services available in today's market including acrylic nails, gel nails, airbrushing, and jewels glued to the nail art. Depending on the skill and competency of the nail salon you choose, you make be offered a variety of nail salon services. You need to decide for yourself what you want or need and then find the nail salon that works for you.

How to Decide Which Is the Right Nail Salon For You

When deciding what nail salon to choose it is imperative that you do your research. There is nothing worse that choosing the wrong place and getting a poor manicure or pedicure. The repercussions can range from an ugly manicure or pedicure to a serious infection. Currently localities are requiring more and more that these nail salons be licensed and inspected periodically for compliance with sanitization standards. The fact that using cutting tools on the skin can create an opportunity for infection is the primary concern for lawmakers.
Once you've found a licensed nail salon the next step may or may not be the location. Obviously, it needs to be convenient for you patronize, however, that should not be your primary consideration. Driving an extra 30 minutes is not an issue if you've found the right place! Once you've found the right nail salon you will probably never ever leave them. Your relationship with the manicurist or pedicurist is extremely important and should never be overlooked. Since you will be getting a pedicure and manicure regularly you'll be spending a lot of time with these people. You must enjoy being with them!
When you enter the nail salon look around. Does it look clean? Does it appear to be sanitary and tidy? These are the first clues to the conscientiousness of the employees and you can expect the same in the work they do for you. If the manicurist or pedicurist is tidy and keeps and clean work station you can expect a professional job. On the other hand, if the area is unkempt and dirty, you can expect that they don't follow the sanitary guidelines they are supposed to and will put you in jeopardy. You will probably get a sloppy effort at best and they almost inevitably will cut some corners on your pedicure or manicure.
Do they have sample of their work for you to see? Look for photos of happy clients and pictures of the work they've done. You may want to look for an internet presence also. If they have spent the time and effort to put together a comprehensive website then you know that they expect to be in business for a while and are trying to build a reputation. If the webpage is just a generic free page you can assume that they are not putting any effort into building a business.
Look for references. Find out what other clients think of them. If they are not very good you know someone is squawking about it somewhere. Check the Better Business Bureau and local commerce sites to find out how viable and legitimate this business truly is. Do they advertise in the yellow pages? If you put their name in an internet search do they come up?
How are you greeted when you walk in the door? Is it a pleasant greeting or are they just assuming that you are there to buy and no further effort is required? Are they trying to earn your business? The better your first impression the chances the better your overall experience will be.
Do they offer other services and products? You don't want to frequent a nail salon that doesn't have focus. If they have other things for sale like life insurance, laundry detergent, or other non-related items, you can assume they are not focused. If, however, they have related articles for sale, you can assume that the business is focused. If the business is focused then it knows the nail salon business! You should see nail polish, files, nail clippers, hand and foot lotion, and other manicure and pedicure related products for sale. These items are part of their overall business plan and reveal a focused business.
Shopping for a nail salon is an individual thing, but these guidelines should get you started to find the right nail salon for you.

Why Nail Salons Fail

Why are there so many nail salons around? Is there really that much demand for them? And why are so many Asians running them and working there? Well there must be a demand for these types of services otherwise people wouldn't open them up in the first place, or would they? If there is such demand then why are so many going out of business? I have seen a lot of vacant nail salons as I travel around and can only assume that they weren't good at what they did or didn't know how to run a business since it seems the demand is there.
I think the latter is probably true in most cases. Not everybody is cut out to run a business no matter how easy they think it will be. Most nail techs I've run across and talked with only want to do their job i.e. manicures and pedicures. Most have no interest in actually running the business side. They just want to come to work do some manicures and pedicures, get paid and go home. Sounds simple enough, but that's not how to stay in business long term and create something viable that you can sell when you decide you want out. Most nail techs are reluctant business owners and their business suffers because of it.
Running nail salons or any business for that matter requires a commitment. If this is your full time income then your entire financial security rests on you being able to consistently bring in clients. It takes time to build a client base and if you need money now, you may not make it. If you are good at what you do, personable, and treat your clients well, then they will return the favor and become loyal, repetitive clients. Once you've built your client base large enough you can either stop advertising or expand your business. But as I said, that takes time. If you view your clients as just a way to make some money, they'll feel that and you'll lose them forever!
Building up that client base is the key. So how do nail salons get customers in the door in the first place? Ideally you'd love to have a great location that you can get drive by business. If you are next to a major store or facility that draws a constant flow of traffic, that is ideal. Unless of course you're next to Wal-Mart! Since they have there own nail salons inside. The problem with getting a good location is the cost. The building owner knows they have prime real estate in most cases and the rent is priced accordingly. You have to run the numbers and decide if that works for you based on your expected volume of clients and the price you charge in order to be competitive. Don't forget ancillary expense such as supplies, electricity, water etc.
This is part of being a successful business owner. I think most nail salons just pick a good location, get a small loan to start, and hope for the best. That is why they fail. You must have a business plan BEFORE you open a business. If the plan isn't viable then the business isn't viable. Would you put your money in a bank if they told you that based on their business plan you would have no money left in 3 months? Hell no! So then why would you not do your due diligence before you started a business? Hoping for the best is not a business plan!
Do you really have so much money that you just can't wait to throw it away?! If you do I'll send you my address and you can send it to me! I hope this has given you a little insight as to why many nail salons fail before they even open their doors.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

Choosing the Right Nail Colors


When you were a little girl, you could color your nails in any color you chose and you would look great. This is because little girls care less about matching than they do just loving a color and wanting to have it on their nails. When you get older, you do have to worry about how you look while you are at work, and you may very much care that your nail colors do not clash with what you are wearing. It only takes a little thought to make sure you have chosen the right nail polish color to go with your life and your clothing choices.


If you want to go with something like mint green, you should be wearing something that has a touch of this included, or something that compliments that color. There are some women that choose nail colors that match what they are wearing, and some that believe that is not a good idea. For a basic guideline, never wear red based nail colors if you are wearing pink, and never wear pinks when you are going to be wearing clothing with red in it. Red and pink are the two most common base nail colors and two of the most common clothing colors as well.


Otherwise, you have to use common sense when you go to work when choosing nail colors. You have to be cautious when using bright colors or unusual nail polish colors. Work environments call for neutral or conservative colors. If you work in the business sector, this is very important. If you work in a hip, retail store, you may get away with a bigger variety of nail colors. Think about where you work and the environment your employers hope to create. You can also look around to see what your coworkers are wearing as a guide to what is acceptable and what is not if you are not sure when starting a new job.


The nail colors that you use on your feet are going to be different than what you use for your hands, though you can go with the same color on both if you wish. You can go with colors that you would never wear to work if you know your toes are going to be covered. Remember that toe polish is often not changed as much as nail polish, so you may keep the same color on your toes for longer. This means choosing nail colors for your feet that you can keep all week. Think about what you are doing that week when choosing.


Think about your nail health when using nail colors. No matter what color you choose, you have to give your nails a break once in a while. They need to breathe, so go at least one or two days a week without polish. This allows your nails to remain healthy. You could end up with infection if you are not careful. If you go to get a manicure or a pedicure for your nail colors, always make sure they are using sterilized tools when working on you. Even better, get your own kit that you can clean on your own and take with you so that you never have to worry about it.



The Little Pretty