“Pay attention, I mean literally,” said self-proclaimed cookie monster and TikTok user Seyk (@mseyk_s) in a short and helpful video. In it, she encouraged viewers to protect their health while getting nails done.
She said how “you might be, I mean you probably are, getting your nails done sometimes with a used nail file.”
Seyk continues that she didn’t experience this at one nail salon, but “multiple nail salons.”
Aside from the shudder-inducing thought of stranger-nail-dust settling into your own fresh cuticles, the practice is unsanitary and possibly illegal.
What happened at this nail salon?
Anger–served with a side of cheapness–that’s what Seyk said her most recent experience came with.
“Oh, do I have a story for you,” she exclaimed in the video. “Last time I got my nails done, the girl went to file my nails and I could tell that it was just a dirty nail file, it’s been used before.”
So Seyk said she very nicely asked if her tech could get a new nail file. That’s when more than acrylic dust went flying.
“After I asked if she could use a new nail file, she (the tech) storms away and then she comes back and says, ‘I can’t use a new file because it costs too much,” she said.
According to the site Expressnailsupply.com a “premium zebra file, 120/120 grit” goes for about thirteen cents. A lesser product (that includes a buffer too) goes for about seven cents.
Yet a few pennies were still too much for Seyk’s tech. After returning from her tantrum, she “grabbed my hands very quickly–like it was nothing–as if I’m just going to comply with what she just said.”
Seyk then reiterated how unsanitary it is to use old nail files. The tech restated that “it costs too much.” However, Seyk held her ground, refusing to hand over her hands, and the end result is indeed the less-than-a-dollar new file.
More than just a money issue
While profit margins (greed) are surely a factor, it’s also worth considering legalities: according to the site DashboardBeauty.com, in America, all states generally require a nail technician license and salon license. Why? Because “Maintaining a hygienic environment in a nail salon is non-negotiable.” And techs should be able to “know how to properly clean and sterilize equipment, ensuring all tools are free from contaminants before each use.” So it stands to reason that if a tool cannot be cleaned, it should be replaced.
One user Nanz, a nail tech herself, (@fancynancy182) commented, “Every customer should get a new file, buffer, etc. The files are not expensive because they buy them in bulk. And please ask them for a new band when using the drill, IDGAF if they get mad, it’s better than getting an infection/fungus.”
Not everyone on the TikTok thread has had a horrifying experience.
One viewer, Dani (@danielamtzs), reported, “My nail girl gives me my nail file to take home and I was like really? And she said yeah I throw them away after every client anyways! [smiley face heart emoji] Love her!”
Either through good customer service, or hygienic and ethical requirements, it seems that at an assumed max of $1.30 per day (assuming 10 clients in a day) is a reasonable anti-infectious investment.
Nonetheless, as Seyk said, “I highly encourage you guys to always pay attention.”
The Mary Sue reached out to Seyk for further comment.
@mseyk_s PSA TO ANYONE WHO GETS THEIR NAILS DONE AT A SALON #nailsalon #psa ♬ original sound – Seyk
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