I work as a self-employed manicurist and I’m going to share some secrets about my profession (and why I left salons)

Some people prefer to get their nails done at the salon, while others find professionals who work from home or from home. Lyubov Martinova is a manicure specialist who serves clients from her own home. She has a blog where she shares interesting beauty tips and a few “secrets” about the manicure industry.

We believe that the advice of a professional in the field will be very useful to you, the reader. In the bonus that we, from awesome.club, we brought you, you will find out how much people actually spend a year on nail care. Check out!

Many may have heard that gel nail polish lasts for up to 14 days. Other people, on the other hand, believe that this method of painting nails is tough as a rock and doesn’t need to be renewed much longer.

There is a recommendation (according to the product’s manufacturers) that gel nail polish can be used for up to 14 days. But I believe the ideal time is about 3 weeks🇧🇷

If you decide to use it longer, it is very likely that the nail polish will start to peel. The product can also start to accumulate dirt and moisture, which in the future can cause serious illness and the appearance of fungi.

One client had gel polish on her nails for a month and a half and then took it off herself. She ended up removing the product along with the surface layer of the nail, which made all her nails much thinner.

The situation could be corrected by reinforcing it with acrylic powder, but the client did not accept my opinion and asked to paint her nails normally. After applying the nail polish, I warned her again: “since the nails are thinner, the gel nail polish won’t set as well and it may not last as long as usual.” I figured I’d made it pretty clear.

After a few days, this client sent me this photo:

If you cannot go to the salon and it has been 4 weeks or more since your last visit, you can file your nails at home carefully🇧🇷 The important thing is not to try to remove the gel polish yourself so you don’t risk damaging your nails, and try to make an appointment with a manicurist as soon as possible.

To ensure that your nails remain well-groomed for longer, you need to follow some maintenance procedures:

Using hand creams and oilsespecially during periods of greater cold, when the skin tends to get drier. Apply cuticle oils and gently push back🇧🇷 You can start doing this 1.5-2 weeks after getting your nails done. Wearing surgical gloves when handling certain productsbecause in some of them they can contain substances that leave the skin irritated. Drink more water and take vitamins🇧🇷

I’ve heard from many customers that these booths cause painful sensations when gel nail polish is drying. Many professionals say that this is due to the sensitivity of each client, but it is not quite so.

You may feel like your nails are “baking” maybe because the manicurist applied a very thick layer of foundation under the nail polish🇧🇷 On the other hand, it is also possible to feel discomfort if you apply a very thin layer of foundation (which should be around 5-10%).

If you feel that your nails are really hot and the discomfort is too great, don’t try to take the pain and remove your hands from under the lamp immediately. Wait for the pain to stop for a few seconds, and then put your nails back on the drying rack. Important: When removing your hands from the lamp, turn the palm of your hand upwards so that any gel that has not dried completely will not run out.

From my own experience, I can say that it all depends on one’s nails. If they are healthy, thick and without flaking, then there is no need to take a break. The only thing you need to do is to change the nail polish regularly🇧🇷

If your nails are too sensitive, it’s best to go to a professional to have them removed (using an electric file instead of acetone or products that dry out the skin). After that, nail polish should not be applied for 2-3 months so that the nail can fully recover. During this period, you can use medicated nail polishes and cuticle oilsas well as making strengthening baths for the nails.

I have a rule: the number of manicure kits cannot be less than the number of clients I can serve in one day. In my case, it’s 6. Otherwise, I would not have time to sterilize all materials in the intervals between procedures🇧🇷

To do the cleaning, I use a UV light machine. Simply add a disinfectant solution and leave the instruments in the liquid for 15 minutes. Many professionals would say this is enough, but I’m a little paranoid about germs. Therefore, additionally, I also run a rotating cleaning brush through the instruments🇧🇷

After liquid and mechanical cleaning, all metal materials are placed in a special bag and must be dried for one hour at 180ºC. The bag must be opened in front of the client so that the person can see that the materials have been sterilized.

When I started working, I didn’t know where to find clients. My then boyfriend (now husband) and I decided to leave flyers around the neighborhood with my phone number and a list of available services.

One day a boy stopped us on the street, raised his hands and asked: “Do you also serve men?” At the time, I hadn’t even thought about that possibility, but I said to call me and make an appointment.

He didn’t call, but I ended up getting another male customer. It was the husband of a client who asked me to serve him. And, you know, it’s not a seven-headed beast. what happens is that many men are not comfortable in the process and, therefore, it is important not to be nervous so as not to make the situation worse.

I start my workday at 10 am. That means I have to wake up at 8:30 or 9:00, doesn’t it? Wrong! I usually get up as late as possible, after 9:30, and take a while to get ready. I know you have to wake up earlier, but when you have 4-5 clients per day (the equivalent of 10-12 hours of work), We come to appreciate every second of rest.

As I drink my coffee, I wait for the intercom to ring.

Trim, trim!

I normally allocate 2h30 for each client🇧🇷 If I finish work quickly, I use the extra time as a break to rest. But often, clients are late or ask to do a different design and, at the same moment, another client has arrived, and so I end up going from one job straight to another.

I usually finish work at 10 pm or a little later.

I took a manicure training course in my city and went straight to work in a salon. The first rule I noticed is that the girls had to work really fast. Speed ​​was the priority, while quality took a back seat.

the beauty salons do not always offer the best working conditions🇧🇷 First, you can’t find the color palette to show a client. Then, she notices that the nail polish she chose is being used by another manicurist at the moment, and there are no other nail polishes of the same color. The customer then has to choose another color… and so on.

Where I worked there was only one long table where all the professionals were seated next to each other with only 40-50 cm of distance between them. Not comfortable. Not to mention that everyone listened to what you were talking about with your client.🇧🇷 I once told a girl that her nail was not done correctly. When I was done, my boss called me and asked, “Why did you say that? What if she had her nails done in our salon?”

Another downside: even if you don’t have customers, you can’t leave the workplace. In other words, I spent hours standing still doing nothing.

I normally have a busy day, so there aren’t many options when a customer arrives 20 minutes early. I can only offer a sofa, coffee and a television while you wait.

Some women show up with their children, friends or husbands🇧🇷 If that happens, I do the same thing: sofa, coffee, television and Wi-Fi password.

Some people ask to change the time. I understand that many unexpected circumstances can happen, but when the frequency increases, it starts to bother me. To me, these people are simply losing credibility.

Some women ask to exchange time with someone else. But they ask me to call everyone to see who would be willing to exchange their schedule with an unknown person. It rarely works.

There are people who ask me directly how much I earn from my work🇧🇷 Don’t you think this is too personal?

I once saw astories” interesting on Instagram. A colleague told how she manipulated customers into tipping her. For that, she had to intentionally “forget” bills on the table🇧🇷 It worked like this: the manicurist would receive a new client and, when she approached the table, she would say: “Wow, how wonderful! The last customer must have left it as a tip. Always nice to know that our work is appreciated!”

Many customers fall for such manipulations. Nobody wants to feel “backward” or like the “ugly duckling” of a group. By the way, I saw many comments saying that this method is used not only with manicuresbut also in several other professions.

A friend of mine, Cátia, made an appointment with a manicurist at a beauty salon. She arrived at the appointed time, but she was asked to wait, as the professional was still busy. The receptionist then offered my friend a cup of coffee🇧🇷

A hot coffee is always good, isn’t it?

Well, the manicurist finished and started attending to my friend. The job was quick and very well done. Cátia said that she didn’t even remember that she had to wait.

But the receptionist didn’t forget the coffee and said: “X reais for the manicure and 5 reais for the cappuccino you had🇧🇷 My friend didn’t want to make a fuss, but she was shocked. What would have happened if she’d only counted on the money for her nails? What I mean is that you have to be careful with the “hidden” services of beauty salons.

I work from home and always offer free coffee to my clients.

Ever…