Support Local Nail bars
It’s so tempting to head to the cheapest nail bar for a manicure. Overseas they often pay no more than $15 for the same service that we pay $40 for, so when nail salons opened in malls offering a french manicure for $25 it seemed too good to be true. Because it is.
When I was pregnant and needed a pick-me-up I went to a nail bar in Shore City and got a manicure. Instead of getting that glowing feeling from a beauty treatment executed well, I walked out with bleeding cuticles and a shitty nail job that chipped in two days time. Yes, it pissed me off, but I also knew I shouldn’t have gone there. I knew from the way the treatment was being handled that it wasn’t going to be amazing. I should have just quit while I was ahead, but I sat throughout the whole sorry ordeal hoping to be wrong. I desperately wanted my bargain to be worth it. Lesson learned.
YSL Bleu Nuit by Natalie at Nails on Richmond. DIVINE
In the past, I’ve gone to Sarah Priddy who offers an exceptional service in Newmarket. Her salon is immaculate, if somewhat pokey in size, but very pleasant to be in. She’s a delight and so are her staff. But her treatments are not cheap. They are reasonable for what they are – I’m not saying she charges too much, I think she charges the right amount. But they’re not $15 like in New York or London. And again, they can’t be – we don’t have enough people here to warrant it. Her treatments are amazing because she (and her staff) use premium products and have the highest hygienic standards. And that’s definitely worth spending an extra $25 on.
Yesterday, I was treated to a delightful manicure by Natalie at Nails on Richmond, Richmond Rd (It was actually at Bettjeman’s Hair Salon in Orakei as part of a Kerastase launch but that’s a whole other story). She told me about an alarming trend by the cheaper salons who purposefully re-use OPI bottles with cheapo $2 nail colours to save on money. THEY ARE RIPPING YOU OFF!
It was reported in the NZ Herald in February. Read about it here. OPI have proof that the varnish used in many nail bars is not theirs.
What do you think?
It’s put me off the budget places.
Tamsin xo
The biggest problem I see with cheap nail places is the lack health and safety procedures. There is very little sanitisation. So for the sake of saving $20 you are putting yourself at risk for a large range of problems.
Thanks for this piece. We need to respect there is a reason professionals charge more in this industry- they are usually highly trained and use professional products.
When I was pregnant and could no longer bend over to do my own pedicure, I went to a cheap nail bar and unfortunately caught a horrid fungal infection in one of my nails. I’d never use them again!