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What are your best time-saving tips?

June 1, 2002

I ask my clients to come to their appointment with their polish removed. If they forget I supply nail polish remover and swabs in the waiting room so they can remove it while they wait. This saves me five to 10 minutes and also saves my nails.-Diana Milkovich, Catty Cuts, Catasauqua, Pa.

I have a client put on her jewelry, pay, put her coat on, and get her keys out before we polish. -- Deb Blowars, Artistic Trends Salon, Perkasie, Pa.

If my polish caps tend to stick, I wrap rubber bands around the caps. The rubber bands create a strong grip and let you open the bottles quickly.-Barbara Banyas, Nails on Wheels, Murrieta, Calif.

I do gel nails and I work with two hand lamps at my station-one for each hand. This is more comfortable for the client, saves me time waiting for one hand to finish curing before curing the other, and prevents me from having to move the light around. Also, I keep my gels in a drawer with a lint-free towel. This saves time opening and closing the sticky gel jars.-Barb Wetzel, LaGrange, Ill.

I keep a small hair dryer at my station and use a cool setting to dry polish in between coats. This is especially beneficial when doing a French manicure since the white tip does not dry as quickly as the other coats.-Evelyn Coviello, Nails Exclusive, Goshen, N.Y.

When removing artificial nails, I put acetone-soaked cotton balls on the nails and wrap them in tinfoil. Next I dip my client’s hands in paraffin and put them in heated mitts. I let her sit comfortably for 30 minutes and work on another client at the same time.-Heather Rhoades, A Class Act, North Wilkesboro, N.C.

The absolute best timesaving tip you can implement is to be organized. I have a place for everything, and everything in its place. That way you don’t waste time searching for your supplies or risk seeming unprofessional in the eyes of the client.-Jill S. Wright,  Angel’s Salon,  Bowling Green, Ky.


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