Finger Tips : The Manicure Business Is Booming in Southern California, Though Not All Salons Practice Safe Nail Care
EUROPEAN WOMENmay favor fingernails that are short, rounded and buffed, but most Southern California women still seem partial to dramatic nails coated in bright pinks and reds.
Nails like these need regular professional attention. So weekly manicures, once a luxury only for the rich and / or famous, have become as much a part of many L.A. women’s lives as monthly haircuts and facials.
It’s no surprise, then, that professional manicuring has become a booming business. An observer driving along a major street in almost any Los Angeles-area community will probably see one nail-care parlor every couple of miles. According to state Board of Cosmetology statistics, there has been an average annual increase of 15.5% in the number of licensed manicurists since 1983, bringing the total number in the state to more than 37,000 . Of those, 75%, or about 27,000, work in Southern California.
The profession has become so lucrative, says Dana Malpass, founder of Mainly Manicuring, an Oakland-based trade paper, that “some manicurists in Southern California make $100,000 a year.”
Manicures in Southern California typically cost $12. Prices for services such as artificial nails and nail jewelry (14-karat gold trim and jewel-like studs) vary widely. “Many women spend more than $50 per month for artificial nails,” Malpass says.
In upscale salons such as Jessica’s Nail Clinic on Sunset Boulevard, a manicure costs $20. Owner Jessica Vartoughian prefers the term nail-cultivation treatment to manicure and forbids the application of false nails. If a client breaks a nail, a sterilized human nail, saved from employees’ or other clients’ clippings, is glued over the broken one.
No one knows exactly how many nail salons there are in Southern California, but in some areas--such as the West San Fernando Valley--it seems that new salons are opening every few months. To remain competitive, some offer manicures for as low as $5.
Growth in the nail-care field has been a source of concern for government agencies. The number of state inspectors has not increased as rapidly as the number of salons. Health problems have resulted from the use of illegal products, poor sanitation and ventilation, plus a proliferation of unlicensed operators.
Products containing harmful ingredients are used in some nail salons, says Harold P. Jones , executive director of the State Board of Cosmetology. One substance, liquid methyl methacrylate monomer, a fixative that was banned for cosmetic use by the Food and Drug Administration in 1974, was confiscated recently in the L.A. area after inspectors found it being used to apply acrylic nails. Jones urges consumers to “demand ingredient labeling and not be intimidated by anyone providing a service.”
Although the strong fumes that waft from some nail salons may seem dangerous, Jones says the cosmetology board has not handled any cases resulting from inhalation of these fumes. What is harmful, he says, is the dust that flies when acrylic nails are filed. The dust, which can cause allergic reactions, can be drawn away from clients by proper ventilation. “But some salons aren’t willing to make the investment,” he says.
Manicurists are required to have 350 hours of training and to post licenses near their tables, Jones says. He urges consumers to ascertain that their manicurist is licensed but admits that it isn’t always easy to do so. “I’ve asked to see licenses and couldn’t tell if the name belonged to a man or a woman,” he says. “Operators don’t always speak English, so you can have a difficulty communicating.”
Jones suggests these tips for assessing salons: “Look for licenses. Observe sanitation procedures. All implements should be stored in alcohol in sanitized containers. Used implements should be discarded. And you should be able to communicate with the operator.”
Southern California may be considered a center for nail trends--from the inch-long burgundy claws Cher wore in the ‘70s to the bubble-gum pink acrylics that are a Valley Girl trademark. But no matter what color or length a woman prefers, safe manicuring practices are crucial to healthy, well-groomed nails.
