Should clients tell you up front they’re displeased with your service?
This was the question prompted when makeup artist Emily Mosby took to TikTok to show her nail fail.
In her TikTok video, Mosby explained that she requested brown French-tip nails dotted with jewels. However, according to Mosby, her nail tech refused to apply the gems, stating that they would snag and interfere with Mosby’s ability to handle daily parental tasks. Mosby said she agreed to just have the gems applied only to her ring finger. The compromise turned out a far cry from Mosby’s original concept for her nail design.
Mosby presented her bubbly, lumpy and peeling brown nail polish on TikTok and explained that she felt too uncomfortable to say anything about the service to her nail tech. She went on to add that she still tipped her tech $20.
When Clients Should Speak Up
Some commenters shared Mosby’s trepidation at the thought of confronting their nail techs. User @itsjustashleyb wrote, "I have a hard time saying something in the moment because I freeze in situations of confrontation." Other users questioned why clients fail to stick up for themselves when they pay good money for services.
The Laq Lab Owner Owner Lawren Lee told Byrdie clients should communicate any concerns with their nail tech as soon as they have them. "The moment you are not happy, you should let the nail tech know and be clear about your concerns [and] give them an opportunity to fix it," Lee states.
Jin Soon Choi, editorial manicurist and JinSoon founder, added that clients should set expectations before their service begins. "It's best to make clear upfront the nature of the work you would like (think: how short your nails should be, what shape, if you are pressed for time.)"
Back on TikTok, user @tamlynartistry offered a possible reason for Mosby's bubbly polish, theorizing that it might have resulted from improper curing and warning Mosby that she might suffer an allergic reaction from under-cured gel. “Gel can appear fully cured at only 50%,” they wrote. “Your nail tech's lamp may be broken."
Mosby eventually returned to the same salon where her nails were fixed for free, but she told her TikTok audience she won't return.
Although proper curing might have prevented this nail fail, we can’t help but wonder how things would have resulted had Mosby communicated her displeasure upfront. What can you do to prevent a client from posting their nail fails, and when should your clients let you know they’re unhappy? Join the discussion in our Instagram post below.
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