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SEARCHSome in the beauty industry think nails-only salons will continue to thrive, while others feel this may be a sign of new things to come.
More and more it seems as if spas are popping up everywhere, some claiming to be spas simply because they offer nail services and facials. How does that bode for salons that focus solely on nails? Some in the beauty industry think nails-only salons will continue to thrive, while others feel this may be a sign of new things to come.
Three beauty industry professionals — a booth renter, a manufacturer, and a school owner — tell us what they think.
Teresa Brinkman
Personal Best Spa
Princeton, Wis.
I think nails-only salons are becoming extinct. In today’s world everyone seems to be working long hours and stressed about their jobs, kids, and family. Going to a spa for your services makes more sense Clients want to be able to get it all, and couples feel freer to enjoy these services together without feeling out of place.
I had a nails-only salon for three years, and clients enjoyed my services, but I was very limited. Now I’m in a spa setting. We offer nails, skin care, body treatments, waxing, massage, and hair services, plus we have a fitness center.
Now more than ever, people need to feel pampered and special. Bringing them into a complete spa setting offers clients the best of pampering services possible. That is why we are in this business to begin with — to make clients look and feel their best.
Tony Cuccio
President/CEO, Star Nail International
Valencia, Calif.
What we know today as a nails-only salon will soon go by the wayside, but they won’t become extinct There is a transformation that is occurring a? a direct result of the spa business In California pedicures are driving business through the roof Numerous Los Angeles nail spas have doubled their size and owners are opening up additional locations.
Nail care has steadily grown over the years because many women and even some men are viewing it as a necessary part of their beauty routine. Keeping skin healthy and young-looking is also at the forefront, making nail spa services more about the hands, feet, arms, and even legs. These changes are taking nail professionals to a new level making the title Nail Technician null and void. At Star, those who are truly treating the skin, cuticles, and nails are called Derma Care Nail Specialists. That is where the future of nail care resides.
Dana Caruso
Long Island Nail & Skin Care Institute
Levittown, N.Y.
In New York discount salons represent 90% of the overall nail care business. My school offers the most comprehensive nail specialty program on the East Coast We even offer post-graduate classes for airbrush, gel enhancements, acrylic nails, and other spa treatments. A solid, science-based foundation helps give each graduate a competitive edge.
It has been my personal and professional goal to encourage aspiring nail technicians to enter this field and offer higher-end services. It’s always been my belief that nail industry standards need to be raised.
The future of the nails-only salon will remain strong and stable if the nail technician is willing to offer extended hours of operation, diligent sanitation procedures, and an environment that is aesthetically different from the norm.
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