Essential Supplies When Opening a Nail Salon

Opening your own business has always been a way to become more independent, choose the people you work with and follow your passion. A lot of young entrepreneurs are choosing to open up a business in the beauty industry, especially hair salons, spas and nail salons. This has proven to be a growing industry, with an increasing demand on the daily. People love taking care of themselves mentally and physically, and the beauty industry can provide them with both of these perks.

Manicures and pedicures have always been popular, so if you decide on opening a nail salon, here are the essential supplies you’ll need.

Pedicure Supplies

A pedicure is a therapeutic treatment for your feet that removes dead skin, softens hard skin and of course, shapes and treats your toenails. It’s a great way to look after your feet, and it’s basically a manicure for your toes.

Foot Scrub

Our feet are exposed to dirt and dust and can get dehydrated, making our skin hard and dry. This dryness can cause calluses that can become very painful and cause other health issues, so taking care of your feet is important.

Using a foot scrub can be very beneficial if applied the right way. The main ingredient in it is usually Epsom salt and pumice. There could be variations of the ingredients depending on the manufacturer and the consumer’s preferences. Sugar may be added and some nourishing essential oils, botanical oils, or in some cases ground exfoliate seeds and clays. What’s more, buying the right foot scrub can help your clients in many ways. It prevents cracked heels and promotes healthy skin, boosts blood circulation, relieves pain, prevents infections and stops the formation of corns and calluses.

Foot Soak

Just as our face needs proper care to maintain it clean and healthy, so do our feet. And a foot soak is one way to do it. This is a crucial thing to have when you’re opening a nail salon. It’s something you can relax your client’s feet with. You start by adding the main two ingredients, Epsom salt and vinegar, in warm or hot water. Epsom salt will relieve stress, ease pain and muscle cramps, prevent blood clots and boost nerve function. And the vinegar with its natural antibacterial properties will take care of the bacteria and odours that the skin may have.

Callus Removers

Callus removers are liquid formulas that help in softening heavy callus areas. It increases the moisture amount in the skin and dissolves the substance that causes the skin cells to stick together. By doing this, it helps with the shedding of the skin. The three most common ingredients in callus removers are:

1. Urea: helps with moisturizing
2. Salicylic Acid: has anti-inflammatory properties
3. Potassium Hydroxide: softens the skin

This is a must-have, considering that you’ll have different types of customers with different needs and feet situations.

Massage Oil

This would be a great plus to have and start your business with. These massage oils are a combination of carrier oils that are plant-based (sweet almond, coconut, grapeseed, jojoba, olive oil), and essential oils extracted from aromatic leaves. This type of massage can improve blood circulation, promote sleep, ease pain and PMS symptoms, alleviate oedema and lower blood pressure.

There is plenty to choose from nowadays on the market for different purposes. For a calming effect, you can get a massage oil with chamomile, basil, rosemary, sandalwood and geranium. For circulation a blend from cypress, ginger and black pepper oils. For pain management ginger, lavender, rosemary and peppermint. Whichever you choose, we’re sure you can make your customers happy.

Nail Kit

What does a pedicure kit include? This is a combination of a few products that will help you cut, trim and shape the toenails of your customers. This includes:

• Cuticle pushers;
• Cuticle removers;
• Cuticle nippers;
• Orangewood sticks;
• Nail clippers;
• Shaping tools;
• Buffers;
• Nail toe separators.

When you buy this kind of equipment be sure to get materials that are of high quality, rust-resistant and strong. But you need to know that this is something you need to replace every 2-3 months and always clean them properly with disinfectant.

Manicure Supplies

A manicure is a hand treatment that involves cutting, filing and shaping of the nails, pushing and tiding the cuticles, hand massage and painting the nails. Different customers will have different desires for shape and colour and you should be able to meet their needs. Here are the essentials you need for a manicure.

Nail Polish

Although there are many types of manicures, nail polish is something you’ll need for all of them. There are 7 types of nail polish that you should have in your salon.

• Gel: This is one of the most popular nail polishes. Always in a combination with UV light, it can give you many colour options to offer. It can last up to 2 weeks, or sometimes even longer than that.
• Acrylic: This nail polish is a combination of liquid and powder that can be applied to the nail according to the client’s desire. It can be extended and shaped and can last for a couple of weeks.
• Breathable: Breathable nail polish is probably the best option for the healthiness of the nails. It allows for oxygen to pass through the polish and into the nails and doesn’t create a barrier between them. It usually lasts for one week.
• PolyGel: This is a combination of acrylic and gel nail polish. Created by nail technicians, this nail polish gives out the perfect manicure. It has a gel-like consistency, it’s applied with an acrylic brush and cured with LED or UV light. By far this is the most long-lasting manicure, it can last up to 21 days.
• Dip Powder: To use dip powder you’ll need to first apply a base coat, then a layer of pigmented powder. This process will be repeated until you get the proper colour. But it’s worth it because it can last up to 1 month. A layer of clear powder and a sealant is applied to finish it off.
• Shellac: This version will last for about two weeks and it’s also a hybrid. A combination of gel and basic formulas that lets you shape the nails and cured with UV light.

Nail Polish Remover

There are two types of nail polish removers: acetone and non-acetone. They both contain a solvent that helps remove the hard film left on the nails from the nail polish.

Acetone polish removers are powerful and most effective but the downside is, they can be harsh on your skin and dry it out. It’s best to use it when there is dark nail polish when removing shellac manicures and with customers that don’t get manicures that often.

Non-acetone polish removers are less aggressive because they are acetone-free. Glycerin, panthenol and soy may be added to them to minimize the drying of the skin. This polish remover requires more effort to take the polish off and doesn’t work on every manicure. The best way to use it is with frequent polish removing, light colours and customers with dry and damaged skin.

Manicure Tables

Manicure tables are designed to make your job easier. It has all the features you need to make you and your customer comfortable. It will give your customer a professional appearance and gain their respect. The organization of your supplies will be much easier. With its drawers and shelves, you’ll have everything within your reach and be ready to work without interruption. With its wrist rests and adjusted height, it will make your customer comfortable and you’ll be able to work without an issue.

Oftentimes, manicure tables have built-in lighting that will give you the best visualization possible. And the best part probably is the way they can be cleaned. Their design makes them acetone and polish-proof which makes them easy to clean and more durable.

In Summary

Before you open your nail salon, do your research and be sure to pick the best quality products for your customers. Starting from the foot scrub to your manicure table, everything needs to be user friendly and of high quality. That will make sure your business blossoms and happy customers keep coming back.