All the Right Ingredients

Julie Nguyen, owner and founder of Blu Water Day Spa, has plenty of experience in the beauty industry. Coming to the United States when she was 16 and building on the beauty training she received in Vietnam, she worked in hair, then nails and cosmetics, and was quickly able to purchase her own salon.

The Butterfly Effect

Angie Roman of Chicago shows how she makes these marbleized butterfly designs that have fluttered their way into becoming a client favorite.

The Help Desk

Get advice on stress area cracks and removing acrylics. 

The Pricing Problem

Part art, part science, pricing your services is one of the most important and delicate tasks you’ll undertake in the salon. And no two salon owners approach it quite the same. We asked readers: How do you decide how much to charge for a particular service?

Under the Microscope: Onychophagy

Clients who suffer from chronic onychophagy — or severe nail biting — may benefit from the attention of a good nail tech.

The Science of Aromatherapy

The most powerful component in aromatherapy – and the one least understood or acknowledged – is the direct role our sense of smell has on our bodies. Why does ylang-ylang relax and rosemary stimulate? Why do some nail techs become immune to the smell of acrylic? It’s all about smell, memory, and the scientific magic that connects the two.

By the Numbers

The demographics of your typical day spa-goer

Perpetuating the Problem

The problem is, our industry is made up of everyday, ordinary people. Every state in the U.S. has different rules and regulations for regulating the industry and different criteria and requirements for determining who’s “qualified” to

Nails on the ‘Net

What does “surfing the ‘net”mean? What is that “dot com”thing?