Insider nails

As nail techs, you know the customer is king, but sometimes their demands can leave you a little lost for words. Among the dreaded phrases you hate to hear from clients, “It’s cheaper at the salon down the street” and “Can you go a bit quicker? I need to be out of here ASAP” came out top, with 28% of the vote each.

Other annoying things clients have said to you include: “You don’t mind me eating or playing on my phone, do you?” (25%) and “Can you paint my kids’ nails for free while they wait for me?” With summer fast approaching, a third (33%) of you are predicting that pretty corals will be the hottest nail trend, followed closely by ice-cream inspired pastels (28%), neon brights (19%), barely-there nudes (9%) and colour chromes (5%). For the latest nail news, turn to page 101.

On the spot

What’s the most annoying thing a client has said to you?

1. It’s cheaper at the salon down the street

2. Can you go a bit quicker? I need to be out of here ASAP

3. You don’t mind me eating or playing on my phone, do you?

4. I’m not sure about that colour now it’s finished

11% use a bespoke business hashtag when posting “nailfies” on social media

Which nail trend is going to be big for summer?

1. Pretty corals

2. Ice-cream inspired pastels

3. Neon brights

4. Barely-there nudes

METHODOLOGY Insider is compiled from a monthly survey of spas and beauty salons. The people who participated represent a crosssection of the industry and were polled by email from March 29–April 5, regarding business for the month to March 31. Nail business for the Insider Nails page was calculated from data provided by spas and salons that offer nail services among other treatments. The figures given represent the average score for each answer. Brands are ranked when mentioned by several respondents.

March 2019 in numbers

HOW DID TREATMENT BUSINESS IN MARCH 2019 COMPARE WITH MARCH 2018?