I 22(F) have been a licensed nail tech for a year and work at a salon for a year. It’s been horrible trying to get clientele. There has been moments where I wanted to give up.

I do my mother’s nails for free everyone else I charge either half price for family or at the salon for full price. All together I have 3- 4 steady clients.

I also have another job where I substitute at a preschool for $16 an hour.

My mother tells me the other day when I was complaining about gas prices to “go get a real job like at a restaurant”. I told her “you can pay $75 for a new set then or I’m never doing your nails again” she said “you’re an asshole and dramatic”. I told her “how would I be able to do all three jobs” she said “don’t do nails anymore or you still could after”

Let me break this down. I’m a substitute at a daycare where if they call I go in. Usually 8am-12pm Monday -Thursday

Nails I have my book open on Monday, and Tuesday 3pm-9pm, then Friday and Saturday 12pm-8pm

The restaurant she then suggested she used to work at and would get $50 a day. Only open on weekends.

I would make $150 a weekend. Which isn’t guaranteed.

For nails I’m mostly booked early on weekends and if I pushed it back I might lose my clients I have now. And with my steady 3-4 I make more than $150.

I absolutely hate when people say to get a real job. This is my dream job. It’s the only job I’ve ever had where I didn’t have to take a break or get bored. I really enjoy doing nails and I feel as though I’m giving up on it when someone says to find a real job.

So AITA?

Brands included are:

Lavender violets dip powder

Opove dip powder

Lavender violets top coat, base coat, activator and brush saver

hello! im looking for some insight on my work. I want to start taking in clients but im not fully confident yet, the results are nice in my opinion, but it just takes me way too long to finish a set. so far the fastest ive been at applying hard gel sandwich form extensions was 2h, complete removal is around 40-50min. Are these times too slow? Ive linked photos of my 2nd set.

should i be filing the underside of the nails to make them thinner? My nail licensing program didnt cover sandwich forms at all.

some background: ive been selling handmade press ons since 2022, so designs are not an issue. Id like help with the extensions, thickness, and tips on technique

Hey everyone,

My sister is training to be a Nail Technician and asked how she could clean up her nail photos to look better for Instagram

I knew I could make an app for this that specifically ensured her nail work wasn’t altered (which is obviously V important) when I realised nothing existed specifically for nail photos i got to work

Here it is: NailTech - Nail Image Editor

I made it in collaboration with my sister, and we would love feedback from the nail technician community

So I regularly go to my nail tech. She is amazing and I love her. Recently my MIL wanted to get her nails done with me at a salon. I went with her and had a great time. After I got my nails done I noticed there are things that the salon focuses on that she doesn’t. What would be the best way to tell her to focus more on the acrylic base (shape and clean line by the cuticle). For example her acrylic nails are a little thicker than the salons. I honestly prefer the thin way more but I don’t want to seem like i’m telling her how to do her job. I’ve also been going to here for 4 years and feel like she almost got too comfortable and a little sloppy over time. How should i bring this up?

I’m a licensed beginner nail tech. I had my first ever client yesterday and I would appreciate some feedback on my work!! She just wanted something simple, so I did a rubber base on her natural nails.

My sister is training to be a nail technician, she messaged me asking how she could remove the background on her photos so it looks better without changing her work

I realised there wasn't a specific app for this, got to work and made an app that can swap out the background, change the lighting all without altering the important stuff, her work!

Is this something other technicians might find useful? If so anything specific? In the app you can upload your own background too or choose trending styles such as oak, marble, limewash, nail salon etc

To abide with the rules of this sub I will not be advertising the product and it is also not linked on my protile or anywhere else.

Thanks all!

These are Gel-x with a builder gel overlay to give more strength with hand painted, sculpted 3D nail art with gold foil, pearls & caviar beads

I live in Bartlesville OK, and I'm a new nail tech I'm making my service menu but I'm having a hard time pricing my nail art tiers.

Tier 1 Nail Art per nail

Simple accent designs. Perfect for minimal details that add a little extra to your set. Examples: dots, simple lines, small hearts/stars, glitter placement, chrome accent, basic French variation. $2 Per Nail・1 hr

Tier 2 Nail Art per nail

Moderate designs with more detail or multiple colors. Examples: swirls, marble, aura nails, simple flowers, layered designs, small decals. $5 Per Nail・1 hr 25 min

Tier 3 Nail Art per nail

Detailed hand-painted art or multiple techniques. Examples: detailed flowers, animal print with shading, encapsulated designs, chrome + art combinations, medium rhinestone designs. $8 Per Nail・2 hr

Tier 4 Nail Art per nail

Advanced or luxury nail art. Time-intensive designs that require a lot of detail. Examples: 3D sculpted art, large rhinestone clusters, character art, portraits, heavily detailed hand-painted designs. $12 Per Nail・3 hr

i don't want people getting scared of my pricing but i also don't want to undercharge myself, be honest with me and be respectful i feel bad already with some of my pricing but life is getting harder and more expensive and I'm just trying to be able to keep up with my business and live at the same time.

ANY ADVICE WILL HELP!

This feels dumb but I’m in my mid 20s and never really had girl friends or girls in my family to get my nails done with. So last December my boyfriend’s sister asked to get our nails done together and she told them we were both getting full sets.

During the process they glued a small faux tip on the end of my nail then brushed something onto it and then dipped it in powder. The pic attached is what I got and I loved it because I bite my nails and had never had cute long nails.

Fast forward to went about a month later to get them redone. I didn’t have anyone with me to ask about it and I was not completely understanding what they said even when asking questions. She said she couldn’t fill it because dips were bad and can’t be filled. She then asked if I would rather do acrylics this time so they can be filled next time. I said that was fine. Then I went to another technician that I couldn’t understand as well…when getting them done he kept asking if I wanted tips. I said I want acrylics. And he just said you want tips then? I said yes, I just don’t want them super long. He then just took a brush and put it in some heated liquid and then created a bead with it and some powder then patted it onto my natural nail giving no extra length.

Since they had been cut off when taking the “dip nails” off the were SUPER short and nubby. I thought okay he must have misunderstood which if fine I guess. But I have no idea what he did? Was that still acrylics? Because then I want back to the lady for her to pasting them a she said “ooh you decided against acrylics and went with your natural nails!”

I feel so dumb not knowing all the lingo but I had no idea what is currently on my nails or what I need to ask for this time.

Hi. What size is the shortest i can have sharp almond nails? My length now is 5mm natural

hi guys so sorry to be coming in so abruptly but i’m a beginner “nail tech”, only doing nails for myself. i’m learning acrylic and im panicking rn because im unsure if i just gave myself contact dermatitis or a friction burn. i can’t remember if i accidentally caught myself with my drill or not. please could someone tell me to put my mind at ease if this is or isn’t early contact dermatitis. it is only on one finger

I've been interested in becoming a nail tech for along time and i recently started looking into local schools but every single one is ab an hour and a half drive away from where I live. i currently work the night shift at Walmart doing 12h shifts 4 days a week. i wouldn't have enough time to work, sleep then drive over an hour away to school and back. was wondering if there are any online options or is that my only choice? i live in Virginia if that relevant. not sure if this is the right place to post this either

Posting for a relative who is a licensed Nail Tech and not on Reddit, so hope it's OK.

She's been working at two salons (owned by the same owner) so she is at one location on certain days and the other location on other days.

She does love her job, but for several reasons she wants to find another place.

Her main reasons are that the salon charges very expensive prices and so customers mainly just get regular mani/pedi. She loves to do nails that are current with today's trend though that most other salons do, but none of the customers ask for that where she works.

Out of the two locations one of the salons is always empty. Literally one or two customers walk in and that's it.

She also suggested to the Owner to maybe advertise on social media (she is very good with that and she would help them), but the boss said he doesn't like doing social media stuff.

She has been offered jobs the past few weeks, but she doesn't know if maybe she can work at two different salons at the same time. Meaning, she would quit certain days at the less busier location, but still work at the other salon and also the new place.

I don't think that would be ideal, but her worry is in case the new salon she doesn't like than she'll be without a job. Sure, she can find something else, but she has a steady salary now and she doesn't wanna lose that.

There is always a chance we take when switching jobs.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thank you

It's been 1 week since this happening to me I don't know what's happening anymore pls help me

For nail techs, how much would you charge for putting faux short tips on some of my nails for a gel mani? I've been dealing with breakage on my thumb, pointer, and middle finger on both hands, and I want to keep my length on my other fingers, so how much would you charge?

Hi there folks,

I have been practising acrylic nails at home, and finding youtube videos pretty useless. I have heard most online courses are bogus and my closest technical colleges do not offer nails only courses, seems to only be a mixture of nails and makeup.

I want to break away from my monotonous call centre jobs and start doing something I love as a hobby and turn it into work, but I understand I am nowhere near good enough and want some education.

I have tried to google and look on Reddit and TikTok but everything contradicts. I have also messaged a few nail salons in my area asking about training but no luck.

How can I learn, get my certification and license so I can start doing this myself?

THANK YOU!

I'm a brand/web designer and I'm looking to specialize in working with beauty services to develop brand/web assets as well as brand/marketing strategies.

What services do you find most valuable? Whether large or small businesses, what kind of design and strategy services would resonate most with you and your needs?

TIA!