salon services

I Like Big Brushes and I Cannot Lie

I remember, back in my first year as a nail tech, wrestling with my product. I just couldn’t seem to find that sweet spot that allowed me to pick up a bead of acrylic that was

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Reading the Fine Print

When I decided to experiment with online booking, I was wary. Letting other people book services for me has never proven to go smoothly in the past and that was in salons with a professional receptionist,

L.A. Hair: Episode 6 -- Naja Needs Anthony's Help Polishing Toenails

Gaybonics: "GUUURRRLLLL...CHILE...YES GAWD, YES JESUS...HUNTY, FIERCE...WERK...SHADE...REEEEAAAD…" Look, I’m  always down for  a good ol' kiki (butch queens raised me, it’s in my blood), but let’s just get this fashion show done, Anthony!It’s like everything he touches

Giving Up My Million-Dollar Idea

Almost every client I have puts her hands inside my UV lamps. That’s a lot of wiping out and disinfecting the bottoms of the lamps. Today, one of my gel-polish clients asked me what was all

Priced as Marked

How I charge for services has become increasingly varied over the last few years. It’s not a simple matter of “how much is a full set” anymore, now it’s more like, “Well it starts at X

L.A. Hair: Episode 5 -– Naja’s Client Has Down-to-the-Nub Nails

How many times have you met a stranger and been introduced as, “This is blank ______ (Naja in my case). She does nails.” The stranger immediately pulls her hands back in a hiding position and says,

Gel...Like That Stuff You Put in Your Hair

Photo courtesy of Sara Khalaf/NailsbySara (https://www.facebook.com/skhalaf2007) I talk about gel a lot, don’t I? Well, acrylic was the first product for building nail extensions that really took off here in the States. For a couple of decades,

Up For a Challenge

Some days I’m all for a challenge. Bring me a photo of nails you found on Pinterest, bring me a dress you need to match, I’m all over it! The wheels get to turning and I’m

Salon Owners Partner for All Night Nailathon

Two Charlotte, N.C.-based salon owners have joined forces to form QC Nail Squad where they’ll be hosting “Nailathons” every other month. Kianna Baskerville, owner of Siditty Kitty, and Wanda Belk, owner of Zoe Nails at Ayrsley,

On the Other Hand

So I was talking about picking a niche, right? But there are a lot of people out there who are convinced that my own niche — all that clunky acrylic loaded down with glitter and artwork —