This time, things were different. After walking into over 20 Manhattan and Brooklyn salons, we found willing participants hard to come by.
“Not interested,” a manager said at a Chelsea salon.
“How much can you pay?” asked another in Midtown.
Perhaps their hesitance had something to do with the recent New York Times piece, which details the dark costs of giving a manicure: unsafe work environments, little-to-no pay, and health hazards, to name a few. The article incited immediate outrage, including Governor Andrew Cuomo's order for emergency measures to protect manicurists.
“The only thing that shocked me about the article was the fact that it took this long for the greater public to know about it,” said Helen Ke, a Williamsburg salon owner. “On her first day, one of our technicians didn't drink any water. When I asked if she was thirsty, she responded that she wasn't sure if she could drink the water. I'm not sure how some people can sleep at night doing what they are doing."
Fortunately, we did track down eight nail artists to speak with, and we were pleasantly surprised by the stories we found. Yes, dangers and prejudice exist, but these women show that there is another side to the industry that isn't so dark. If anything, it's quite inspiring — a working mom who makes sure her salon stays toxin-free for fellow mothers, a student turned celebrity nail artist, and a neurology worker who moonlights as a manicurist.
Ahead, you'll find eight moving tales of what working in the beauty industry can be like.
Raquel
"I never thought I’d be a nail artist. I thought I’d work with animals. I love them. I was taking vet tech classes, and there was this weird procedure you had to perform that required steady hands. My hands were too shaky; I couldn’t do it. Someone from a class ahead of me suggested I paint my nails and got me into YouTube tutorials. I fell in love with it. I’ve only worked in two salons, but I hated it. So, now I freelance.
"That article about nails from The New York Times was awful. The first salon I worked at was called Vanity Projects, and it was actually great. I didn’t have to deal with that kind of treatment. But, at salons in my neighborhood [East New York], people don’t want to pay more than $5 for a manicure. Isn’t that ridiculous? My mom is one of them. She won’t pay more than $15 for her nails. She doesn’t understand why it costs more. Getting a pedicure is so personal; someone is up close with your feet! I don’t think I’ve ever paid less than $30. They should be paid well, but having a salon in New York is so competitive.
"Where I grew up, people treat those who work in a nail salons like crap. My earliest memory of being in a salon when I was a kid was a woman who didn’t like the way the paint on her nails looked. She walked away with a complete set of nails for free because she was angry. The woman in the salon lost her wages for the day; she didn’t get paid. It’s awful what salon owners do to employees. I haven’t had to deal with anything like that, fortunately.
"My favorite part of my job is that you meet so many interesting people. I actually painted Tyra Banks’ nails; she wasn’t what I expected at all. She was my first celebrity client, and she was really calm, really sweet, and tipped well. I’ve also met people from all over the world — Africa, Australia, London — and it’s been wonderful to see how we’ve connected. I’ve had so many people tell me things they won’t even tell their friends, things like abusive husbands, broken relationships, or crazy stories from college. They open up.
"I have a client who recently broke up with her husband, and she just broke down while I was doing her nails. But, she said it actually made her feel better. It’s like therapy. That’s what I love about doing nails — it has the capacity to make you feel better. I know when I’m having a bad day, if I look down at my nails and they look great, I feel like a million bucks."
Jessica
"I came to New York in 2002 to go to college. I didn’t love the city at first; it was a little overwhelming, and it was difficult to make friends.
"I became a graphic designer after graduating from school, and I worked in accessories and fashion for many years. I did nails at the same time, because it was something I loved. Two years ago, when my husband and I got married, I got a job offer from Hello Beautiful, a salon in Williamsburg. I went straight to nail school and started working there right afterwards.
"Our salon has been around for 16 years. You can’t say that about a lot of businesses in New York, especially in Williamsburg. It’s survived because our owner, Rebecca, has created this beautiful, unique place. She treats everyone who walks in the door like family. It’s a very special place, and I don’t think there’s anywhere like it in the world. I never wake up and am like, 'Oh my god, I have to go to work.' Every day is different.
"Recently, I had a client with a really special request. She wanted me to tell her the sex of her baby by painting her nails. She came in with her best friend, who had the envelope with the sex of her baby inside. She was like, 'I want you to do a blue color story if it’s a boy, and a pink color story if it’s a girl.' We blindfolded her, got to work on it, and at the end, her husband came in. The took the other's blindfold off at the same time to reveal it, and she was like 'Oh my gosh! It’s a girl!' I felt so honored to be included in that. It was amazing."
Teresa
"The very first [nail] company I worked for was Butter London. Nonie Creme, one of their founders, would refer me to her clients in New York. Now, I’ve worked with Deborah Lippmann and have given manicures to people like Margot Robbie and Lupita Nyong’o. I’ve also partnered with several services, like Manicube, and taught New York safety and health standards for them. I’m a big advocate of being properly licensed, because there’s a whole gamut of things we don't learn in school that are super-important. It’s not just about painting nails.
"The nail salon industry is kind of like the mafia. It’s pretty corrupt. That’s why I freelance. I saw exploitation happening firsthand. I worked for two days at a very trendy, well-known nail salon, and I actually quit because they were employing all illegal immigrants. They weren’t giving them breaks, and they were treating them like garbage, so I left. Thankfully, I don’t have to work in a salon now, but I feel so bad for that manicurist who comes out of school with their license and has to go work for one and is treated that way. It’s ridiculous.
"It’s something the state needs to take more of an interest in; they need to be more proactive about monitoring salons. Since customers aren’t educated, they also don’t know what’s legal and what’s not — cutting cuticles, for example, is completely illegal. New York State considers it surgery. The blade used to cut calluses is totally illegal. Your calluses will grow back harder because your body is responding to being scarred. And, because nobody knows about these things, these places get away with murder.
"Nails are kind of at the bottom of the beauty totem pole; it goes hair, makeup, then nails. The biggest problem I’ve run into being a nail tech is that certain brands don’t want to work with you if you have tattoos. They’ll tell me things like, 'Our brand doesn’t want to present that image.' I’ve been told to cover up by another. Friends have gone through the same thing.
"A corporate company I was working for planned to send me to South Africa for training, but then sat me down and said I was too overweight and unattractive to represent the company. Those have been the most shocking moments. This isn’t something that should be going on in this industry. We’re there on the strength of our work, and as long as we’re doing what we’ve been hired for, our physical appearance shouldn’t be in the mix. It’s the same as ageism or racism. It’s discrimination, and it shouldn't be happening."
Kelly
"I was born and raised in New York. New York is rough, but it definitely builds who you are.
"I got into nails as a hobby. I remember doing an event at Adidas that really put me and a bunch of girls on the map. As time progressed, people would Instagram nails, and it blew up from there. I do all types of nail art. Some people like the extreme, and some people just want a plain manicure. I was working in a salon on the weekends, but it became boring to me. So, I went freelance.
"I haven’t experienced anything awful in a salon, but the abuse and being taken advantage of is terrible. It’s basically like nail trafficking. They pick up these women, who are basically paid nothing, and put their health at risk. It’s not worth it. It makes me really sad.
"I started working in a hospital straight out of high school, and got into nail art later on. It’s been 17 years now. I like to keep it as a hobby, though. I tend to believe that if I do it as a job, it will turn into a job, and I won’t enjoy it anymore."
Fleury Rose
"I only do nails and nail art, but I work in the editorial industry. I remember being a kid and loving nail art, trying out different designs over and over again [with a toothpick]. When I moved to New York is when I really started blogging about beauty, learning about nail artists all over the world, and putting my work online…it showed me it was an industry I could really work in where I could do all the things I loved.
"I love being able to take care of someone and make them feel good as well. Even if you had a bad day, after you’re done doing nails, you’re in a better mood. You feel good. I couldn’t picture myself, at this stage of my life, doing anything else. It fulfills me on so many different levels. A few months ago, I was shooting Julianne Moore at the Plaza Hotel, and I remember being like, 'Wow, I grew up loving Eloise as a kid.' If I didn’t have this job, would I ever get to see what those suites looked like? Probably not.
"I’m really fortunate. I became really good friends with two girls, Rita of Vanity Projects, and Chantal of Tomahawk Salon. They helped me become the person I am now. Five years ago, Rita and I did a party together, and it ended up on Italian Vogue's blog. I used to work in a bar, and I remember when that came out, I totally freaked out. I was so excited. Shortly after that, Teen Vogue did a story about me. It felt like a rockstar moment.
"Last year, Fast Company named me as one of the top creative people in business — I was on the same list as Jerry Seinfeld, which was surreal. I come from a really humble background; growing up, I didn’t really have that much, and I didn’t know what I was doing with my life.
"A lot of people feel like the New York dream is over, but I feel like I accomplished New York dream. I came here with nothing and knowing nobody. But, the momentum’s kept going, and I’m extremely grateful. Now I’m doing things to give back to the community. I’ve started working with Beauty Changes Lives, which helps young people afford paying for education in the beauty industry who couldn’t otherwise. I’m also working with Youth at The Door, a great youth center in Soho. I do nail art classes there, and I’m hoping I can encourage some of my students to go to school and get their licenses.
"I think a lot of people don’t know these sort of scholarships exist when they live on the streets or don’t know what their options are. Just to have a conversation with them while we’re doing nails, sitting around talking…where they have a safe space to dream, to put into words what they want to do. A lot of people I work with have never even had someone ask them that before. Every time I go there, I feel touched by the stories I hear and the people I meet. When you come from a difficult background like myself, I feel like it’s my duty to go and help others find something they love to do as well."
Cici (with her daughter, Bella)
"I originally came to New York for school, and I've been here for six years now. I’m from Shenyang in Northeast China. My city is not that big, and the pollution is very bad. It was a very hard decision for me to come to the United States. I’m the only child in my family, so my parents didn’t like me coming here, but I still decided to finish my MBA here.
"It was hard to find a good job; I really needed a job to support my life, and I had a friend who had been doing nails for many years. She told me, 'You can try doing nails. It’s a pretty good job.' I said, 'Why not? I need something to support me.' So, I started doing nails, and I really liked it. It was fun. It wasn't boring work, you know, like office work, where you have to do the same thing every day.
"Now, I manage Ph7 Couture in Williamsburg. I did nails for four years, and the owner of the salon trusted me. She traveled back to her home country and asked if I could look after it as a manager. So, I did. I’m starting to learn how to manage a nail salon now. It’s very different. When you manage a salon, you have so many things to think about — how to do better service and how to communicate.
"I love my job. When my customers love their nails, it makes me really happy. I love that we have so many moms here; we end up trading baby advice, and they’ll bring in their new babies for me to meet. It’s a little community. We use nontoxic ingredients that are safe for moms and our workers. Sure, it means the manicure will be more expensive, but it’s for a good reason. We protect those around us."
Shirley
"I was born and raised in Queens. I started doing nails after a few years in college. I was studying criminal justice and decided to take a break to save some money. I got a professional manicure when I was 19 or 20, and it was awful; it chipped within an hour. I was like, 'why would I be paying for this when it’s something I can do myself?'
"Living in Flushing, I’ve seen those women waiting for vans to work in nail salons. I had no idea they were being paid so little, if at all. I’ve worked in a lot of high-end salons, and they don’t pay much more. I’ve had a lot of conversations with my nail tech friends over this in other states. I think the problem is that the rent is so high in New York; you have to compete. It can cost $550-a-week to rent even a little booth. All the salons I’ve worked in have been American-owned, but I’ve put up with pretty crappy treatment from most of them. The hardest part for me has been finding the balance between working in a salon and doing my own thing.
"It's also difficult to live and work in New York and get a fair wage. Photo shoots don’t pay a lot. You’re expected to be there all day, and they’re only paying you like $100 or $200 for a day’s worth of work. It’s tough because New York City is so expensive, and I’m always chasing down invoices, like 'Where’s my check?'
"As a nail artist, people sometimes treat you like you’re beneath them. They treat you like you’re entitled to serve them. They don’t treat you like a human being. I haven’t dealt with anyone crazy terrible, because I usually stop them before I get to that point. I’m always appreciative of great clients who come to me regularly and are appreciative of my work. They enjoy the service. They enjoy seeing me as much as they enjoy getting their nails done.
"The thing that surprised me the most is how often we have to work for free to get into the industry. You’re expected to do unpaid internships, especially in fashion."
Candice
"Originally, I thought I’d be a doctor. I ended up going to nail school my final semester of college and opened my own salon at the end of school. It’s called Bed of Nails.
"At first, my parents were like, 'I didn’t pay all this money for school so you could do nails!' People didn’t get it; they’d assume something bad had happened, which was why I had opened a salon. It made me more motivated to prove them wrong. I was also 22. You don’t have a lot of money or business sense at that age. You mostly just have a lot of student loans. It was really difficult, but I did have the support of my family, who were able to finance me. I’m incredibly grateful for that.
"Lately, I’ve been looking at this concept of never having time, especially in New York. I've learned that time is a luxury, and you should use it to better the world. We have a fundraiser coming up to help the parents of children with special needs. One of my clients has a son with severe special needs. He’s 13 years old, and she hadn't gotten her nails done since he was born. One day, she had a gala to go to, so she came into the salon. She loved the service so much she bought a gift certificate for her friend. She told me that, because she spent so much time with her son, she hadn’t been able to take care of herself. That sparked this idea of giving back to people who aren’t able to take care of themselves — to tell them they matter, that what they’re doing is important, that they're allowed to let themselves feel beautiful."
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