r/TheNailCrew

When I first started this community I honestly did not know what to expect. Going up against the bigger established nail subs felt very much like a David and Goliath type situation. Who would find us? Who was going to care?
You did. And then some.
This space was built for everyone. The DIYers figuring it out at home, the students just starting out, the seasoned techs who have seen it all, and everyone in between. That was always the vision and watching it actually come to life has been really cool.
Thank you for being here, for posting, for commenting, for asking questions, and for trusting this community with your nail journeys. Every single one of you helped build this.
This sub was created for you so I want to hear from you directly. How can r/TheNailCrew be better? Is there something more you want to see, something less, a topic we have not covered, or something that is not working for you? Drop it below your feedback is what shapes where we go next.
Here is to the next 500 and beyond!! 🙌🏼🩷

If you are sensitive to real talk keep scrolling. This one is necessary because I’m tired. 🖤
I have been a nail tech for 15 years and I need to talk about something I see constantly and have seen throughout my entire career.
I had a client this past weekend whose feet were scraped raw with an illegal foot file. You know the ones. The cheese grater style files that are actually banned in most states because of the damage and infection risk they carry. I also recently watched a video where a tech rinsed one of those files in the pedicure water while the client’s feet were still in it and then put it back in the drawer for the next client. No sanitizing. No sterilizing. Just rinse and reuse.
This is not just gross. This is dangerous. People have gotten bacterial infections, sepsis, and in at least one documented case a woman lost her foot from an infection that started at a nail salon.
And before anyone comes for me, no it is not all of those salons and not every tech working in them is doing harm. But let’s be real. It is enough that we need to talk about it.
What makes this harder is that because of the sheer volume and dominance of these types of salons they have fundamentally changed the standard of what people expect from nail services. Clients now push back on an $80 set from a skilled independent tech who uses proper sanitation and quality products. But those same clients will drop $200 on a hairstyle or $130 on a massage without blinking.
We would not go to Walmart, pay full price for groceries, and accept getting half of what we came for. So why do we keep accepting that at the nail salon? When you pay for a service you deserve for that service to be done properly, safely, and with full effort. Not half done, sloppy, and rushed.
We need to start standing up for ourselves. And this is no shade to the client I have been there. It’s what made me go and get licensed. So I can now educate on what and what not to accept. Stop accepting dangerous and substandard service just because it feels uncomfortable to speak up. And if you experience unsanitary conditions report it to your state board. That is what they are there for. Force accountability. It is the only way things change.
Nails should never hurt. You deserve better and so does this industry. 🖤