22 May Diaries of a Manicurist

Every day as a manicurist is an adventure. With every day comes new surprises.

What we have come to learn is that being in the beauty industry is not only about practicing a craft but also learning the dynamics of people and relationships.

This is not something that they taught us at school. We studied hard at learning about body systems, bacterias, products and applications just to name a few. But seldom did we speak of the amazing connections we would have with the special people coming in for their beauty treatments. We were only told that people would speak of many things but to never talk about politics or religion as this could be a very touchy subject for some.

Being a manicurist also makes us a therapist in a way. When someone sits in our chair, they feel as though it is the leather couch at the doctor’s office in which they can unload on. We hear stories of women’s relationships with their husbands, boyfriends, best friends, children, extended family, and also their working relationships. Some would think that we become jaded by all the craziness we hear on a daily basis, but for us it is about learning life lessons. Many of our clients inspire us to be better and do better.

Most often we become personally attached to our clients and our heart hurts when we lose them due to unfortunate situations.

I had a client that had been doing her nails for well over 6 years when I discovered she had a problem with alcohol.

I was at a loss and didn’t know where to turn. She eventually confided in me and I offered her my help and support in any way she needed. I put her in contact with someone I know to attend a treatment program but she was unwilling to take the steps to get the help she needed.

Unfortunately her frequent tardiness and unruly behavior started to affect my business and my other clients. The last straw was when she showed up an hour late for her appointment, completely intoxicated. I started off by telling her that I wasn’t going to be able to do her nails and that we would have to reschedule for another time. She proceded to get upset and raise her voice in front of other clients in the salon. I took her outside explaining to her that I was willing to help her but I was not going to allow her to come to the salon under the influence. She was driven there by one of her employees so I asked her to bring her straight home. She continued to get upset with me and that’s when I knew I had to tell her that her that she could only come back if she agreed to get the help she needed. Needless to say, that was the last I saw of her. I tried to reach out to her but she would not return my calls. I contacted one of my hairdresser friends who used to cut her hair but she had not seen her since either. This was one of those heartbreaking moments in which I lost not only a client but more importantly a friend.

Each client holds a special place in our hearts.

Getting to know each and every one of them has been one of the most rewarding jobs in the world.

We are motivated to come to work everyday knowing that we are creating beautiful nails and lending a listening ear to a friend. Thank you to all of our beautiful and supportive clients and friends for five years of blissful success.