Kesha Hackett-Belcher of Lavender Nail and Body Studio in Oakland, Calif., uses a sectioned tray for each product (soak, scrub, and cream), and throws away the remaining products, if any, at the end of each service.

Kesha Hackett-Belcher of Lavender Nail and Body Studio in Oakland, Calif., uses a sectioned tray for each product (soak, scrub, and cream), and throws away the remaining products, if any, at the end of each service.

Scooping your products into smaller containers before a nail service will not only help you control portions in order to avoid waste, but it also reduces the chance of cross contamination.

For each service, use a wooden spatula or another type of spoon to pour the necessary amounts (one nail tech suggests two tablespoons of each product per guest) into small jars, dishes, trays or plastic containers. Be creative with colorful or decorative containers for added style.

If you’re unsure about how much you’ll need, start with a smaller amount and add more if necessary. It may take a little trial-and-error to figure out how much you’ll need for each service, but after a few services, chances are there won’t be much wasted product at the end of each appointment. It’s generally more economical to purchase containers in bulk, but it might also be beneficial to purchase a small retail-size version, and use that container for refills.

Most nail techs we talked to agree it is unsanitary to reuse products once they have come out of the container. Discarding the remaining product after each service will decrease the chances of cross-contamination in the salon environment.

Doug Schoon, an industry chemist, urges nail techs to split the resale container liquids and powders into smaller 4- or 8-oz. containers because some ingredients, especially in monomers, can evaporate if the container is opened multiple times on a daily basis. “Nail techs should also wear gloves and use a funnel when transferring the ingredients to avoid contamination.

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