As a general rule, each client should be required to wash her hands thoroughly before each service, but not everyone does this. If somebody recently applied lotion and then simply rinses her hands without actually scrubbing the hands and nails with soap, there’s a good chance that lotion will still be there when she sits down at your table. You can usually notice right away if a client has recently applied lotion. Her hands may be very soft and smooth, sometimes even a little moist from the lotion, and her cuticles will be shiny or oily.
If you notice any signs of lotion or oil, hand the client a scrub brush and ask her to thoroughly scrub her nails with soap. Let her know that it could cause lifting and she’ll never make that mistake again. — Gina Silvestro is an educator for Akzentz