Recently I started at a local salon as a nail tech, and thought I had it pretty good…HA!….I am 5 months pregnant and went to see my friend who works at a different salon because I can't clip my toenails well anymore….not only is it more modern, open, and friendly, but she doesn't have to fight her boss on getting essential items such as disposable files, lint free wipes, or throw away cups to portion out product….and it made me realize how awful it fucking is to work where I work.
The target demographic at her salon vs mine is night and day. I deal with old geriatric people with major foot problems…she gets to deal with a younger crowd that does more fun nail art/nails in general, and isn't literally fucking dying (had a lady who called because her mother who was also a client at our salon DIED) most people are well into their 70s/80s…they need help getting their socks and shoes off, and getting their coats on because they are so fucking old.
I dealt with an ancient lady who hadnt had her toenails clipped in THREE YEARS…she had literal talons…
I have to fight with my boss, because she wants to cut corners, which is unacceptable when it comes to sanitization practices such as wanting me to reused foam core disposable files for acrylic/hard gel nails, anything porous has the possiblity of retaining fungus or other bad stuff, and spreading from client to client…it's absolutely unacceptable to reuse stuff like that.
I literally don't get paid enough to deal with the clientele. I'm paid 1$ above federal minimum wage(luckily my fiance works an amazing job…I use my paychecks for baby stuff, and groceries) the clients tip like shit, or not at all! And to add to everything I'm a Dem in a sea of red, and deal with the most racist vile people, and since my work area is just separated by a partition wall I hear my ultra conservative coworkers spew, factually incorrect, and borderline (sometimes it actually IS) conspiracy theories. It's IQ lowering, and also Spirit killing. I realized how much I hate working there and it's only been 3 months…..I made a promise to myself today, that every paycheck I get to order 50$ worth of nail stuff, and squirrel it away, so when the time comes I can leave my workplace in a year, and go out on my own.
I won't have a boss price gouging my services(she asked me to come up with price ratings similar to a big city near us, and then took those numbers and fucking cut them in HALF) I can use a self scheduling service such as square, where I can also implement a cancellation fee so I don't get fucked like I currently am with last minute cancellations, and can turn away people I dream rude, or problematic (as an example I had this fucking bitch come in on Friday….she mistakenly scheduled herself for a regular Mani…a 45 minute service, when really she wanted acrylics, which is at least a 2.5 hour service….and she wanted LONG nails(as long as her fucking cocaine pinky nail…and she looked rough so…maybe it was who knows) it was already 3, and I was NOT staying after 5pm for this lady….she got huffy and said “I should have just fucking got this done in (insert big city here)” then got up all pissed off and walked outside even though her mother and child were getting hair services done. Fucking rude bitch not may fault you scheduled wrong.)) I also had this woman ask me to fix her chipped gel polish after she had it on THREE WEEKS ALREADY….JUST GET NEW GEL POLISH. We didn't have any stipulations for scenarios like that, so fucking had to fix her nails…. ironically her name was Karen
I don't get paid enough to deal with these assholes….I am jealous but also happy for my friend, and where she works….time to fucking hustle I guess! I e had to hustle my whole life it just gets really tiring after so many years I guess, but back to it ugh.