Nail Services FAQ

How to Care for Your New Nails

Be Gentle with your New Nails…

For the first day the polish, acrylic or gel can still be curing, so be extra cautious to not bump, slam or scrape your nails against anything. 

Nails are Not Tools…

Do not open cans or use your new nails to scratch or open items.  Your nails are jewels not tools!

Chemical Affects on the Nails…

Avoid chemicals, particularly acetone.  Don’t change your toe polish at home and use your unprotected nails to hold the swab.  This will dissolve your top coat and compromise your bond!

What happens if I pick my nails?

Do not pick around the cuticles or the edges of the build or polish.  Do not chew at them.  Doing either of these things can release the seal on the bond and also potentially introduce bacteria or fungus to the nail bed. 

Washing your hands and avoiding infections….

Keep them clean by washing them gently twice a day with antibacterial soap.  Do not over-wash (submerge or soak).  A gentle quick cleanse should keep the nails bacteria and fungus free.  

Can I oil my nails?

You can use a small amount of nail oil made specifically for nails.  The right types of oil (different oils have different consistencies) will soften the cuticles but also provide a water-tight seal around the edge.  Do not oil your nails within 24 hours of your next appointment.  Only cleanse.

Can I use lotions on my nails?

Keep lotions for your hands off your nails.  Do not saturate your nails with nail oil or lotions.  If the oil seeps under the bond, the polish, gel or acrylic may lift.

How do I protect my nails daily?

Put on gloves for cooking, cleaning and gardening.  Thick oils from cooking can saturate the nails or washing your hands too frequently can over-saturate the nails with moisture.  Submerging your nails in water filled with cleaning chemicals can also affect the bond.

What do I do if I chip or break a nail?

If your nails does chip, lift or break, keep a fine edge file on hand in your house or purse to smooth the edge, this will prevent further snagging.  Repeated damage could result in pulling the complete artificial nail off and potentially damage your natural nail.  If this happens, cover with a band-aid.  Text us if it is bad enough you might not be able to make it to your next appointment.  Always send a picture so our nail technicians can evaluate the damage.  Blurry, dark or foggy pictures are hard to evaluate so please do it in good light and with your phone camera focused.

Staying Healthy for Healthy Nails…

Eat well and drink enough water!  You may not think about it but internal nutrition is essential to keeping your nails healthy, as well as your skin and hair.  Eating the proper nutrition and getting your daily recommended amount of minerals and vitamins strengthens your nail bed.  

How long should I get my nails?

Consider your lifestyle and choose a length and shape that is right for you.  Long stiletto nails require more care and maintenance.  If you don’t have the time or work a job that doesn’t allow you to be careful with your new nails, it may be best to choose a more conservative size and shape.  Consult with your nail technician if you’re not sure.

How long are appointments and will I be taken back for my service on time?

Nail appointment times depend on how long it’s been since you last maintained your nails, how many add-ons you choose and how skilled your nail technician is.  If you’re getting a lot of art or have not maintenance your fingernails or toenails in some time, your appointment may run over.  We try to avoid this as it affects the customer after you.  However if you select the correct add-ons when booking your service there should be plenty of time for all you have requested.  Please don’t ask to add things during your service.  Our providers want you to be happy so it is hard to say no and then they end up upsetting the next client by going over time.  

Occasionally we do run over.  It is always our best intention to be right on time, however there are variables that upset the schedule.  If this happens, we will come out to greet you at your appointment time and let you know how long we are running over.  Please allow some flexibility as there are times when this is out of our control.  You may have the option at that time to reschedule if it doesn’t work for you, however, canceling altogether may incur a late cancellation fee.  We do our best to keep you informed and apprised of the situation.

Why is my gel polish peeling off my nails?

Everyone’s nail beds are different, much like their skin or hair.  To bond to a surface, gel nail polish, which provides the longest lasting manicure, needs to have a roughened and completely dry, non-oily surface to bond correctly.  Ten years ago, when regular polish was more popular, the nails would be buffed to be smooth and regular polish could absorb oils from the nails and tolerate it better.  However, that is not the case with Gel Polish.  If your natural nails excrete more oil, the polish can lift and start to peel off.  If you have more oily skin, nails or hair, you are better suited to regular polish.  Our nail services come with gel polish automatically, this is because gel polish is actually faster to apply and far more durable so our nail technicians prefer gel polish over regular, however we do have an extensive regular polish selection so you may ask to change to regular polish if you have a hard time with gel lifting.  However, because gel is more durable and long lasting, regular is not going to provide the long-lasting results.

Why do my acrylic nails keep popping off?

Much like gel polish, acrylic nails require a roughened, completely dry, non-oily surface to bond to.  Even though your nails may look dry, they are made of many layers and oils and moisture can reside within those layers.  It is important that before you come to your service you thoroughly and completely wash your hands multiple times, getting the natural oils and cooking oils from underneath your nails and avoid using lotions for 24-48 hours before your appointment to ensure your nails are free of anything that can affect the bond of your acrylics or polish.  Doing this increases the length of time your acrylics will hold to the nails, even if you’re just getting a back fill or rebalance.  It is also important that you avoid submerging your nails in water for long lengths of time.  Particularly when taking a bath or cleaning.  Submerging causes your nails to swell with moisture and then when drying, shrink, which will cause more lifting.  Please wear gloves when cleaning as the solvents in cleaning products can also affect your nails.

When do you refuse service for health risks?

It is important to remember we are beauticians and not medical professionals.  We can not diagnose you as that would be considered out of our scope of practice.  However we are trained to recognize and identify signs of infection or situations that could lead to infection.  An example of this is if you come in and it’s clear you have been running around outside barefoot and have dirt, grass, or any kind of debris clogging around your nail bed, this is potentially dangerous as providing your service could result in an infection.  Or if there are signs of an infection, we will automatically refuse service for your safety and our safety.  If you are diabetic, please consider that any infections could have catastrophic results, such as amputation, and we will refuse service in those instances.  Do not put yourself or our providers at risk.  If you know you have a condition, disclose that or do not book with us.  We are here to make customers feel beautiful, not treat infections or disease.  Consult with your medical professional if you are not sure.

Why are your services more expensive than (“Another Nail Salon”)?

Nails is a highly popular service and with it comes steep differences in quality and attainability.  At Bella Mer, we provide an elevated service by using high quality salon products made sustainably, highly trained providers with legitimate licenses and years of experience, and we don’t treat customers as if they are on an assembly line.  There are many salons in the valley to choose from and a levels of service to fit each individual.  In all our services at Bella Mer, we strive to appeal to a more discerning clientele.  If you’re looking for cheap and fast, that’s not us, and that’s okay.

Finding properly licensed and experienced providers is difficult right now.  The “greats” are fully booked everywhere and our providers are getting there as well.  We strive to keep open slots available on our website while also constantly searching for talent.  To bring talented providers in, we need to be able to pay them well.  For that reason, our prices are elevated to provide careers for our beauticians and therapists so they can afford to live on their income.  Remember that beauticians rarely get paid time off, healthcare benefits, retirement benefits, or dental/vision.  That is an industry standard across the cosmetology industry.  So remember when you get sticker shock, you’re not paying for some CEO’s second yacht, you’re paying for that provider’s child to play baseball.  Most of what you’re paying for goes to paying our providers and the rest goes to overhead.  Beauticians don’t get rich in this industry!  It’s a career of love and passion for all of us.

The products we use in services are also elevated in quality.  For our manicures and pedicures we use a wide variety of products.  The skin care products are from Moor Spa, Skin Script and Spa Ritual.  We do not use cheap bulk lotions, scrubs and masks from the local nail supply.  We find that they cause allergic reactions or have ingredients that are harmful for the skin and the environment.  Our products are vegan, Clean Certified (meaning they won’t mess with your internal hormones), and sustainably sourced/healthy for the environment.  Cost to use these products is higher but is in line with our commitment to better quality of services.

Cheap nail services are available far and wide.  However you may find that cheap salons don’t take appointments or pretend to book you an appointment and then leave you waiting for an hour or more even when you show at the correct time.  You may also find that they rush the service, are being instructed by another provider, refuse to make eye contact with you, talk amongst themselves, and when you get home you may find that your acrylic or polish is lifted, uneven or flooded into the side walls.  To provide a service that appeals to the perfectionist takes more time, so we book more time and use our time appropriately.  Our providers focus on you, care about you as a person, and look forward to seeing you come in. 

Finding providers that are professional, courteous, kind, talented, educated, and reliable is our mission and they do not come cheap.  Unlike many other salons we do not employ students, or pay them less than minimum wage, or let them work under another person’s license or house them illegally.  Those things are done frequently at many salons, and it has affected the market on nails for many years.  If you want proof of this, look on the State Boards website at all the judgements against nail salons in our area.  Or read this New York Times expose on the massive human trafficking practices being committed in nail salons (https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/10/nyregion/at-nail-salons-in-nyc-manicurists-are-underpaid-and-unprotected.html).  As the saying goes, cheap nails are not nice nails and nice nails are not cheap and we are committed to the latter.