So one of my clients recently had her insurance changed and now she has to travel to another town to go to the Kaiser clinic.

This particular client is one of my pink-and-white-backfill-every-other-week clients. She wears a natural white tip and a natural pink nail bed acrylic. Every fill. Every other week. Forever. Without deviation. It’s a very professional look for her and her nails always look nice.

So she comes in today and we do the whole catching up on the last few weeks routine. So I ask her about the new clinic — since I knew she had some appointments coming up — and she tells me that one of the receptionists for one of her doctors was absolutely fascinated by her nails.

The receptionist was very curious about what my client had on her nails. My client explained they were just “boring” pink-and-whites.

The receptionist apparently put up quite an argument: No. They couldn’t be “pink-and-whites” because pink-and-whites are REALLY REALLY white. So whatever my client is wearing couldn’t be pink-and-white.

She wanted to know what my client’s nail tech used. My client, at this point, is starting to second guess what she knows. She assures the lady that she has pink-and-white acrylic on.

The receptionist informs my client that she “does nails” also and has her license and she has never seen pink-and-whites like this. She wanted my client to be sure to tell her nail lady (that’d be me) that she (me) is really good.

[eye roll] Y’think?

I mean, I’m not the best, but at least I can do a backfill, I know how many different colors acrylic powder is available in, and I don’t lecture people on their nails while I’m working in a job other than doing nails. [snarky smirk]

I understand if you’re new at this and have a lot left to learn — but if that’s the case, stay humble. Don’t argue with someone who does know about something you don’t.

My client and I had a good laugh about it. I gave her an extra business card and told her to pass it along and tell the receptionist that her nail lady would love to talk with her and answer her questions. But mostly, I want to know: If the nails are pink and white, how can they not be “pink-and-whites?” I mean, the nails are PINK. and. WHITE. Even if the white is a soft one, it’s white.

I offered my client the option of calling it a “French” or “American” manicure... but it’s still just pink-and-white. Now even I’m confused.