The ancient art of feng shui has been studied in Asian cultures for thousands of years, but it has also recently become popular with people around the globe regardless of ethnicity and religion. In Chinese, feng shui means “wind water,” referring to two flowing sources in nature that are crucial to humans’ survival. Water is the moving part of the earth while wind is the moving part of the air. In combination, they give life and nourishment to nature as a whole.

Keep in mind that just because things are unseen to the naked eye, it doesn’t mean they don’t exist. All we need to do is tap into the right flow to enjoy the luck and prosperity brought by feng shui. The art and science of feng shui revolve around the goal of creating a harmonious environment where free-flowing energy can improve one’s luck, opportunities, and attitude.

It’s All About Chi
Feng shui is all about the natural forces, the elements, the spirit and energy behind life, including the human body, animals, plants, and the earth under our feet. This energy is called chi. The study and practice of feng shui involves promoting chi in its most spontaneous, harmonized, peaceful, and productive form. This form of chi is referred to as good chi. Obtaining good chi and avoiding bad chi is the optimum goal of practicing feng shui. Stagnant, fierce water and air, dying and fading objects, sharp and pointed edges, and clustered and dusty areas are all examples of bad chi.

Another set of energies that work in balance are yin and yang. Yin is female and dark; yang is male and bright. Yin and yang make up the whole universe — one can’t exist without the other. When there is harmony and good balance between yin and yang, happiness, health, and well-being are present. A place that is “too yang” is said to be damaging due to too much energy that leads to accidents, mistakes, and losses. A place that is “too yin” is said to be inauspicious due to not having enough energy to bring happiness and prosperity.

Feng shui proponents believe everything in the universe belongs to one of the five elements — Water, Wood, Fire, Earth, and Metal.

• The colors black and blue, water objects, and a wavy shape represent Water.

• The colors green and purple, plants, trees, and a standing rectangular shape represent Wood.

• The colors red, orange, and pink, lights, the flame of candles, and a triangular shape represent Fire.

• The colors yellow and brown, crystals, stones, marble, and a lying rectangular shape represent Earth.

• The colors white, gold, and silver, metal objects, and a round shape represent Metal.

  There are productive and destructive cycles. Water grows Wood, Wood makes Fire, Fire forms Earth, Earth contains Metal, and Metal becomes Water when heated. This encompasses the productive cycle, meaning one is supporting another. On the other hand, Fire burns Wood, Wood grows on top of Earth, Earth blocks the flow of Water, and Water ceases Fire. This encompasses the destructive cycle, meaning one is destroying another. Feng shui is about enhancing the productive cycle and minimizing the destructive cycle to make good chi.

  Since nail businesses provide services such as manicures, pedicures, facials, and spa treatments, they belong to the element water. As you can see, water, chemicals, and other fluids — including nail polish — are involved in most services. Following is a list of dos and don’ts that a nail salon can implement to enhance its business, increasing the number of customers and boosting sales.

  10 Donts
  1. Don’t use red or yellow as the dominant color.
  2. Don’t estimate the directions without a compass because items placed in the wrong sector would bring loss to the business instead of gain.
  3. Don’t expose the cash register or credit card machine. These machines should not be seen easily from outside the front door. Move them to the side or use a screen to cover them.
  4. The front door and the back door should not fall in a straight line. This creates bad feng shui as chi entering the shop would rush right out the back door. Place a screen in between the doors to slow down the chi, thus giving it time to wander and nurture the salon.
  5. Don’t use plants with pointy and sharp leaves (such as cactus) or deformed plants (such as bonsai trees) to decorate since they do not represent lush, abundant growth.
  6. Don’t fill the salon with old and broken objects since they bring bad chi. Clean up the salon frequently, replacing old objects with new ones to let the chi be fresh and spontaneous.
  7. Don’t let the water display become dirty or stop moving; this is very bad feng shui and would bring loss to the business.
  8. Don’t keep dead plants and flowers around as they created bad chi. Along the same lines, don’t use dried plants or flowers for decoration. If you can’t keep live plants healthy, use silk plants, though they are not as powerful as real ones.
  9. Don’t have mirrors that directly reflect the front door. Instead, have mirrors installed on the side walls. If a mirror reflects the cash register, it’s even better.
  10.Do not have water features or paintings, or your collection of nail polishes displayed at the South sector as it will damage the reputation of your store. The same rule applies to the Northwest sector as it will draw away your best partners and/or your best manicurists.

  10 Dos
  1. Decorate the salon with a water motif. Use curvy, wavy images. Make sure the color of water (which is blue) and the colors of metal (such as white, gold and silver) dominate, but also use other colors to balance out the yin and yang and bring out the harmony of the five elements.
  2. The North sector belongs to the water element which is very important to a nail salon. This sector also bears on the success of the salon. Make sure to have a water object in this sector. A moving water fountain or a bubbling aquarium would do an excellent job. Make sure the water is always clean and moving. The North is also the good sector to display your collection of nail polishes.
  3. The South brings fame to the business, thus bringing in more customers. Decorate this sector with the color red, such as red chairs or a red couch. You also need good lighting in this sector. Hang a painting of a horse or horses to attract fame. Any number of horses is fine except four, because it rhymes with the word “death” in Chinese.
  4. The Southeast is the wealth sector and it brings in prosperity. Place a nice, lush, green plant here. Make sure the plant has round, broad leaves. Using the colors blue and green here is also a great idea.
  5. The Northwest is for mentorship, partnership, and relationships among coworkers, which are very important to any business. Place metal objects such as a silver vase or metal statue in this sector. Objects made from earth elements, such as ceramic, crystals, and clay, are also good for this sector.
  6. Hang a small chime or bell (electronic is okay too) at the entrance so it sounds when a customer walks in to bring in good chi, thus enhancing luck with more customers, especially when the front door faces North.
  7. If possible, install mirrors along opposing walls to enhance the chi of the store.
  8. Decorate the shop with nice, colorful flowers to bring in the good chi.
  9. Keep the salon free of clutter and dust.
  10. Everyone who works in the salon should dress nicely and wear makeup and polish on their fingers and toes. This brings good chi to the person as well as inspiring the customers. Make sure you always smile and say thanks to even the toughest client.