After 18 years in the nail industry, it never ceases to amaze me when I have a “first.” It just goes to show that you never stop changing and growing as long as you strive to continue to improve. My first might amaze some of you: It’s my first brand new, self-purchased nail table!

It took me a couple of years to squirrel away some money and then a few months to actually choose a table. I’m really happy with the unique look of it, as well as the size for my space. I added a cute little matching pedicure cart which is actually my nail art storage for the salon.

One thing that amazed me as I shopped was the wide variety of shipping and delivery charges, as well as the companies that threatened to leave your table in the street near the salon unless you paid extra fees on top of freight and handling charges. I was shocked that many companies ended up charging anywhere from $150 to $325 above the cost of the table with two to five extra charges. Luckily, thanks to the magic of Facebook, I found out that Cosmoprof does not charge freight, delivery, or shipping fees, so there weren’t a bunch of random extra costs — only the price of the table.

It might seem crazy, but I’m really proud of my new table. My first table out of school was the usual black pressed wood and plastic you see everywhere. The salon owner had gotten lucky and found a used one. My second table was a Buff & Go that served me well the last seven years. Now I feel like I’ve moved into the next phase of my career, put down deeper roots, and have decided to show my clients my love and respect for them by taking their nail environment up a notch.

Here are some photos for those of you who are curious. I would love to hear your table journeys in the comments and learn at what point in your career you felt like you built or found “the one.”