Part of the satisfaction of being a nail technician comes when a client reacts immediately to a job well done by saying, “I love my nails. They look beautiful!”

By contrast, magazine writers and editors don’t usually get to see readers’ reactions to their articles, so when there is a response by phone or by mail, it’s an occasion for some excitement.

That was the case when a few phone calls and letters came in to NAILS Magazine after a Salon Profile about Carol Shaw’s Nails and Skin Care appeared in the February 1986 issue. I was so excited that I called Carol Shaw to give her the messages and to let her know I would be forwarding the mail for her.

Imagine my delight when Carol said that she had been overwhelmed by phone calls from technicians all across the country, asking for more information about her program of natural nail care. In all, Carol received more than 75 calls and letters.

In a letter to me, Carol wrote, “The readership response to our Salon Profile has been tremendous. Perhaps this letter will attract the attention of advertisers and distributors of nail care products (specializing in natural nails), as the major concerns from the callers were lack of product information.”

Understandably, Carol was reluctant to endorse specific products, and NAILS Magazine is in the same position of being unable to recommend one product over another. Through the Product Spotlight section, we try to keep readers abreast of the latest product introductions, but the comparisons and judgment calls must ultimately be left to the individual technician.

Contacting manufacturers and distributors of products advertised in NAILS is one way of getting more information. Using our Reader Service program is another ... and attending trade shows and seminars for demonstrations and samples should give you a good basis for comparison.

To satisfy requests for more info about Carol’s natural nail care program, Carol agreed to let me interview her for a follow-up article about procedures and techniques. That story begins on page 34 in this issue.

And now, I have a request: If you would like more information about articles that appear in NAILS, please do not call the salon owner or technician directly.

Instead, write to them in care of NAILS Magazine and we will forward your letter — or better yet, write a Letter to the Editor.

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