6 Ways Self-Love Will Help You Crush Your Goals
From breaking free of external validation to creating joy-based goals, discover a more sustainable and fulfilling path to success.
Editor's note: Work Safe, Not Scared
July 1, 1994
2 min to read
Are you nervous about going to work these days? Are you confused about how to protect yourself and your clients? Do you feel like you understand the real risks of working with the chemicals you use? If you’re pregnant, do you work in fear of endangering your baby? Do you have all the facts you need to work with peace of mind?
It doesn’t matter whether you work in a salon or in an office or in a factory – there are risks and “dangers” in any workplace, but it’s a matter of perspective and knowing how to work safely that allow use to have peace of mind about our health and safety. We cannot protect ourselves by being afraid or giving in to paranoia.
If you have given in to the media blitz against toluene in nail polish and have stopped using it, you need to read the story on toluene that begins on page 82. Although the legal battle is not yet completely settled, the professional nail industry has won a partial victory with the California attorney general’s ruling that salons do not need to post consumer warnings if they use nail polish that contains toluene.
In another health issue, disagreement among manufacturers of disinfectant systems has emerged over whether state boards should require disinfectants to be tuberenlocidal. While the Nail Manufacturers Council has not taken an official position on the matter yet, its new Sanitation Guidelines for Salons no longer require the use of a tubereulocidal disinfectant for implements. (The new guidelines will be published in the NAILS 1994 Fact Book.)
Finally, the health issue on the minds of so many nail professionals: If you’re a pregnant salon professional, go back to the June 1992 article on working safely while you’re pregnant. In the course of reporting about another pregnancy safety article, we asked our original sources to review that article for its pertinence today. They told us that the article still reflects what is known about the effects of salon work of a developing fetus and how pregnant women should alter their work habits.
You work in an environment where you have to be particularly careful. There are no definitive answers on the effect some of the chemicals you work with have on you, but neither are there definitive answers on the danger of so many other everyday substances. What NAILS can do is provide all the information available, solicit comments from experts we trust, print the truth as we know it, and let you make an informed decision.
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
More Wellness
The Invisible Hazard in Every Nail Salon and How to Fight It
From acrylic monomers to airborne bio-dust, the air inside a nail salon carries risks most professionals never see coming. Aerovex Systems reveals the source-capture and room-purification strategies that are setting a new standard for salon safety.
Sponsored by Aerovex Systems
Nail Safety Council Warns Holiday Shoppers About Toxic 'Magic' Gel Polish Removers
Products marketed as 'magic' or 'burst' gel removers may contain methylene chloride, a federally banned, highly toxic chemical.
How Beauty Pros Can Prevent Pain: Somatic Movement for Career Longevity
Working in beauty doesn’t have to hurt. Learn how Somatic Movement helps hairstylists, lash artists, and other beauty pros release tension, improve posture, and extend their careers.
Spa Day, Safe Day: Stop Fungal Infections in Their Tracks
As a spa or salon professional, your clients expect more than just beauty—they expect safety, hygiene, and peace of mind. Fungal infections like Athlete’s Foot and Nail Fungus are more common than you think, especially in environments where tools and footbaths are reused without proper sanitation. This blog covers how to stop these issues before they start, using proven infection prevention strategies for salons and spas.
Federal Research on Nail Salon Safety Concludes Due to Budget Reductions
A federal initiative aimed at studying chemical exposure in nail salons has ended due to staffing and budget changes. Here’s what the project set out to do—and what its conclusion means for salon professionals.
by Anne Moratto
Opinion: What You Need to Know About Pedicure Safety
For many people, a pedicure is a relaxing beauty ritual. But what most don’t realize is that this simple service, if done without proper hygiene and sanitation, can cause serious infections and long-term health issues.
Onycholysis: What Nail Pros Should Know About Nail Separation
Onycholysis is the separation of the nail plate from the nail bed. While it may look painful, it typically isn’t—at least not at first. But without proper care, this common nail disorder can lead to infections, deformities, and long-term damage.
What to Say--or Not Say--to Someone Grieving
Mckenzie Kool, Psychologist, MC, RPsych provides us with guidance on what may or not be helpful in speaking with someone who has suffered a significant loss.
Protecting Your Clients From Viral Infections
Clients come to you to feel their best—not leave with a viral souvenir. Warts and cold sores can spread fast in busy salons, but a few smart habits make all the difference. Let’s talk about what’s really lurking in your salon (and how to kick it to the curb).
Beauty Professionals, It's Time to Take the Green Pledge
As Earth Day approaches, The Green Beauty Community Foundation and the Green Spa Network invite beauty pros to step forward and embrace sustainability through the Green Pledge--a powerful initiative designed by and for beauty industry leaders.
How Not to Be Cynical About Valentine's Day
Don’t cancel Valentine’s Day altogether, urges Jill Palmquist. Instead, think of it as a (frilly, flowery, Champagne-bubbly) wake-up call to fall deeply in love with your own life.
Temporary Burnout or Time to Hang Up the Shears?
Life coach and Culture Ambassador of Sam Villa, Andrew Carruthers, outlines how to tell if your burnout is temporary - or if it's time to make a bigger career change.
Nail Care and Cancer Treatment: 6 Tips for a Safe Nail Service
Cancer treatment can create very specific challenges for your guest when it comes to hair, skin, and also nails. Here are some tips for working with your salon client who is going through cancer treatment to help you provide a relaxing, enjoyable, and also safe experience.
Sun Patch Protects Hands from Sun Damage
For those clients concerned about exposure from UV lamps, the Sun Patch might be a solution. Sun Patches are waterproof, reusable (up to 10 wears) block 98% of UVA/UVB rays, and maintain their UPF 50+ rating all day long.
by Anne Moratto
The Nail Doctor: Onycholysis, or Nail Separation, Has Different Varieties
One of the most common conditions that affects the nail is onycholysis, which is the separation of the nail plate from the nail bed. Onycholysis occurs as a result of or along with a great variety of nail traumas and disorders. Probably the most common cause of onycholysis is a fungal infection of the nail.
Standing Stretches for Physical Longevity
Hairdressing is a physically taxing career integrating simple stretches into your daily routine can reduce the strain repetitive motion puts on your body, help you stay flexible and strong and eventually prolong your career.