The state of nail education is a mess...

I chose the name Pointed & Polished as a play on words. I’m a somewhat outspoken individual and let’s just say my choice of words aren't always the most eloquent or tactful.  I am nothing but honest in my writings and importantly my opinions about the state of the nail industry. But in this little world, I feel like it’s almost cool to to jaded. I know my own social feed contains many posts of nail techs making fun of clients' bad habits or reminding us how many F’s they do or don’t give about your opinions of their work.  I should fit right in. But what I’ve learned over these last few years taking all your questions is that it will always be best to come from a compassionate, educated and understanding approach

When the Nail Allergy Support group was really gaining traction, reading all the same posts again and again -  I quickly learned that I cannot become exasperated. Sure, there are still  times where I want to virtually shake folks by the shoulders while shouting in their face about what a mess they are making of their nails and health and just PLEASE STOP IT NOW!   But ultimately the issues and questions I receive all stem from a larger issue with the state of nail education - so as much as I try to remain calm and empathetic, there are still instances where I’m just angry at the system.  

In my latest podcast episode, I recapped just one instance that happened to a nail client and group member.  But is certainly not an outlier.
A lack of basic due diligence on the part of the nail tech left this poor client in  a worst state than she walked in with. It was heartbreaking to read.

Why couldn’t this nail tech do the bare minimum in getting the information she needed before performing a very unsafe service for this client? 

I spend a lot of time reading about others' experiences with their nail education and frankly, I’m getting kind of sick of licensing being deemed as this useless thing that no one really needs. Sure, being licensed doesn't necessarily mean you can do great nails. But it does mean that an individual has taken the time to learn infection control and proper cleaning in a salon setting.  They’ve learned the basics of nail product chemistry and how to identify nail diseases and disorders to determine if a nail can be serviced.  This should be the bare minimum nail technicians learn and be tested on before being allowed to offer services to clients.  After that, your specialty will be up to you.

It appears to me that many have chosen to not retain much of this information, or choose to skirt around it as they’ve been told it’s less important than learning to sculpt great nails.  My own early educators also stressed that shaping that acrylic nail was more important than all that dust it was creating was falling on the communal nail tables, in a room without windows…  So each time that I leaned my elbow on one of those tables, my allergy developed harder and faster. 

These basic licensure practices are not always being met. And I believe the standards need to be set higher and should become universal and mandatory. Anyone who fails to meet these standards deserves to have that license revoked and shouldn’t be seeing clients until they can prove they know how to keep clients safe. 

It’s about time we reshape nail education and set higher standards for nail techs. Join me in this learning journey so we may set the bar higher and transform how clients view a specialized nail tech.

I am committed to growing The Polished Nail Pro Community. If you would like to participate as a dedicated member, please help by growing this group.

I want to hear from you. Are you in school? What are some things you feel are missing from your education? What courses are you aiming to take next?