Sandal Season is upon us: here’s what you need to know!
The sun is coming out and it is officially SANDAL SEASON! Can I get an amen for that?! Aaaa-mennn! Washington’s weather can be a little underwhelming -- unless you’re into endless dreary days -- but our Spring and Summer are to die for. As you get ready to celebrate the warmer months, and likely take your toes out of hiding, there’s a few things you should keep in mind when heading to a nail shop…
Signs that you should be shopping for a new nail salon:
Nail techs are running around, no one seems to be taking their time on the clients
Gloves are put to the side and saved to be used on another client, or simply kept on for the next customer
Buffers or nail files used on you have been previously used
Nail tools aren’t coming out of sealed packages
You see the water being emptied from a pedicure tub and then refilled for another client’s feet to slip into without proper sterilization
All the baggies with paraffin wax appear to be meticulously put into the same “garbage”
Towels are simply flipped over after one client leaves so they’re “clean” for the next client
Not to alarm you… but it turns out, in 2017 over 100 nail shops in this state were flagged by the Department of Licensing for unsanitary practices, and sadly, most were in Western Washington. There’s tons of factors -- the list above names a few -- looked at when being inspected. Shops are graded on a scale of 0 - 100. 86 is considered passing and anything less receives a fine. Let me say that again, receives A FINE. Like… how many shop owners do you think care about a silly fine when they’re making ridiculous amounts of money by choosing to ignore health and safety regulations?? If your guess is, “none,” or “very few,” I’d assume you’re correct! Once a salon is put on probation they have to complete a safety training, pay a fine, and may have more frequent inspections. If the shop passes inspection two times in a row, they will be taken off probation. To me, none of this sounds like enough is being done to protect clients.
Restaurants -- another area where the public’s health is of utmost concern -- are inspected by the Washington State Health Department, and therefore are required to post health and safety warnings; nail salons are not which means customers need to do their own research to know what constitutes safe practices. So I beg you, please heed these warnings! The list above is only a start. If you go into a nail salon and it appears to be dirty or even messy, you notice activities are being done to cut corners, or you watch a nail tech prep their station for the next customer with little to no effort to clean the area or bring in new tools, STOP going there. Politely excuse yourself from the situation because I promise you’ll regret ignoring the signs when your toenail falls off… and there goes your sweet Summer sandal vibes!
Safety is always of the highest importance at Charme Studio so schedule an appointment online -- without all the worries -- to get your feet in tip top shape! Please remember to bring your sandals with you. Unlike many studios that provide those disposable foam sandal contraptions, we do NOT… and here’s why: they’re very slippery and become a slip, trip, and/or fall hazard; from a sustainability perspective, they’re not recyclable and we’re over here trying to do less harm to our planet; and lastly, though we would never, other salons often reuse them which isn’t sanitary. We do sell plain black flip flops for $4 if you do forget.
We hope to see you in our shop soon (with a pair of your favorite sandals!) A seasonal tip for all our customers ready to rock those open-toe shoes: consider “Rockstar Toes!” We use gel polish and pack on loose glitter. The pedicure lasts and toes will shine like diamonds in the sunshine. And remember, even if you don’t come to us, at any salon you should pay attention to red flags… because a simple cuticle cut could mean years of hidden toes (which is just so sad especially during Sandal Season).