Season’s Greetings from all of us at Manhattan Nails and best wishes for the New Year!

The festive season is a great for us to have some downtime and getting together for some quality time with family and friends. Manhattan Nails and staff will be doing the same when Christmas and New Year come.

In the meantime, we are remaining opened until Christmas eve, closing on 25th and 26th of December. Manhattan Nails salon will be back to get everyone ready for the 2009 New Year Eve party!

Wishing everyone a safe holiday and remember to keep your nails healthy and beautiful for this party season!

Thank you to all our wonderful clients for your generous support. This year’s Pink Ribbon Day was on the 27th of October and we managed to raised $1000 from selling the Cancer Council Merchandise to the ladies in Mosman and Crows Nest, plus putting in our own share to make it a nice round sum. In addition, we donated vouchers for Pink Breakfast events ran by our own clients and it was wonderful to hear of their success as well!

Being a predominantly feminine oriented service business, we came across many people and our friends who are affected by breast cancer, either directly or indirectly, and we feel the need to take part in fighting this disease. We can’t wait to take part again next year for the Pink Ribbon Day 2009 and raise even more money for breast cancer research and cancer patient supports!

So you’ve spent months on end to grow out your nails, perhaps after you’d spent years wearing nail enhancements  but decided to take them off, using the perfect nail strengthener regime until you nails are now longer, stronger, and guess what … it’s about to snap?  It’s true and it is very common.

Once your nails have reached optimum strength, continuing to harden them can actually make them brittle.  And after all that effort! Well, too much of a good thing is not always a healthy thing.

But don’t despair though, there is an answer and it’s the new Maintenance Formula Nail Envy from OPI. That’s what the product rep from OPI distributor told us when she last visited our salon and we raised our common concern brought to our attention from clients. According to OPI, this newest addition to the Nail Envy Natural Nail Strengthener line, new Maintenance Formula has just the right balance of strengthening and protecting ingredients to help strong nails stay that way.   If nails are weak, start with one of the five Nail Envy custom formulas designed to get them strong — Original, Matte, Dry & Brittle, Soft & Thin, or Sensitive & Peeling.  Follow the directions carefully, and once your nails are beautifully strong, switch over to Maintenance Nail Envy to keep nails at their best.  Finally, you can now have strong nails that are your own, and keep them, too.

With so much negative energy around during this financial and economic downturn, and the media isn’t helping the case either, by bombarding the mass with more fear using their huge paper-selling headlines, we spent our spare time on this inspirational book, Lessons In Leadership from a spinster in a brown cardigan. Take a look for yourself!

Lessons in leadership from a spinster in a brown cardigan is a unique book that innovatively uses the print and online mediums.

Want to know more about the history of Save the Children organisation? This is a place to start!

You could call it a biography, because it tells the remarkable story of Eglantyne Jebb ‘the unsung heroine’, founder of Save the Children, and one of the greatest leaders you’ve probably never heard of.

You could call it a picture book, because it uses striking illustrations and images. Or you could call it a motivational book, because it has been purposely written to inspire people. It sure has inspired many of us here. Enjoy!

Many times we have been asked by clients and even other nail professionals if switching from one product line or type to another will alleviate skin allergy symptoms for those who opted for artificial nail enhancements.  Since we’d been trained and taught at Nails and Beauty Schools that all artificial nail related products ’share’ many of the common chemicals, we always tell them ‘no‘.  Once an allergic, we are allergic for life, sobering but true, so the best way to alleviate the problem of allergic reaction, is to soak off the enhancements in an approved remover, perform a good natural nail manicure, and prescribe a Nail Toughener/Strengthener (such as Toughen Up by Creative Nail Design, Nail Strengthener by OPI or Revitalnails Strengthener) that will help to give the nail plate more strength by revitalising the nail plate until it grows out naturally.

We notice that this is not a very popular answer and not at all pleasing to hear for clients, who insist that they had always wear enhancements in the past without such allergy or symptom. But consider the following technical notes from Doug Schoon, M.S., Vice President of Science and Technology, Creative Nail Design. 

Allergic reactions to many types of cosmetics may occur when the skin is repeatedly exposed to small amounts of allergy causing ingredients.  Dermatologists have a special name for allergy causing substances; they are called allergens.  For example, pollen is a common allergen.  In fact, most allergens are natural substances, (i.e. poison ivy, ragweed).  Some ingredients used in cosmetics may also be allergens.  Usually these ingredients are beneficial for the vast majority of people.  However, just as there are people sensitive to pollens, some people are sensitive to cosmetic ingredients.  Of course, the great majority never experience any problems.  But, a smaller number of people may develop skin allergies when exposed over a period of time.  Allergic skin reactions usually occur after several months (or years) of exposure to the ingredient’s.  It is important to understand that cosmetic related skin allergies usually don’t happen right away.

Fragrance ingredients are the most common cosmetic allergens.  In fact, sensitivity to preservatives (necessary for proper shelf-life) and fragrances account for most cosmetic-related skin allergies.  Of course, other types of ingredients may also cause sensitive clients to develop symptoms such as redness, itching or other signs of irritation.  Simple irritations usually reverse themselves when exposure is discontinued.  However, symptoms may worsen with repeated exposure or could develop into skin allergies.  Once skin develops an allergic sensitivity to an ingredient, the allergy will be permanent!  When the skin’s immune system recognizes an ingredient as an allergen, it never forgets and will always react negatively upon exposure. Clearly, all nail professionals such as ours should and do understand the importance of avoiding product overexposure.

Skin allergies can occur with any type of artificial nail enhancement.  Often, the allergy begins as a slight itch or reddish area, or a spot that feels ‘warm’.  On the fingernails, if ignored and overexposure continues, these symptoms can become an annoying itch of the nail beds or water blisters around the cuticle area, sidewalls or fingertips.  If ignored still, the symptoms might spread to hand or wrist.  Luckily, all of this is easy to avoid - if your nail technician understand the products and use them wisely and safely.

Which type of enhancement products can cause skin allergies?  All of them can!  But remember that “can” is different than “will” — in most cases, these allergies can be avoided and the right nail professional is the key! And one should take advise if you are deemed unsuitable of wearing any kind of enhancement. UV gels, liquid monomers acrylic or gel, wraps and tip adhesives share several ingredients capable of causing skin allergies.  What’s the reason for these skin reactions?  In a nutshell, the culprit is overexposure caused by prolonged or repeated skin contact and usually many months, sometimes years of exposure.

It is worth having a rest or break after many months of wearing these nail enhancement. Get a good manicure treatment and listen to your good nail technician and you will love your nails more and for longer.

Since the recent TV current affair program reporting an unfortunate incident of a lady client who had her toe nails badly damaged and infected, allegedly caused by getting her TOE NAILS done at a cheap and unprofessional salon, naturally we were concerned and our clients had also raised their fears with us here at Manhattan Nails.

Here are what we think and like to reassure the points of difference between Manhattan Nails and other nail places:

Such a story tend to generate undesirable impact to similar business because the story generalised every other salon businesses in a negative light and failed to point out the good quality nail salon from the bad. This is not the first time such a story was aired. There were others with similar tone, whether in healthcare field, hairdressing cases and more. And the impacts were almost always the same. These stories supposedly meant to keep the public informed about malpractices and/or unsafe products and treatments. But somehow most of the times all we get were FEARS.

These sorts of stories are understandable, as often the media tend to only sensationalise the issue and do not examine the full story, from both sides in terms of cause and affect. We hope and wish that they researched their story professionally. Journalism is a profession with ethics and proper conducts right?
In any case, here at our salon, first and foremost, we take our customer’s safety and health issue extremely seriously. We take no compromises when health and safety are concerned, both for our clients and our nail technicians. Hygienic sanitisation and safe practice are of paramount importance. Even if that means turning away clients who have unsuitable nails condition, which we must ask to get medical treatment first before we offer any nail care services. Our loyal customers can attest to this. We called such practice professionalism and quality care. Every technician here is trained and well aware of this practice.

Secondly, we have never advised and/or done acrylic or gel enhancements on toenails for any clients ever. In fact, we very often advise against doing so when customer ask for or had them done from elsewhere.

Why? Well the current affair program mentioned above is one of the many reasons.

Without wearing acrylic or gel toenails, one is already prone to fungal infection naturally if personal hygiene are not observed sufficiently or neglected. If you have acrylic covering your toenails, this will increase the chance for infection ten folds because moistures and dirt will be easily trapped between the acrylic and the toenail plate, especially if the acrylic was not sealed properly during the enhancement process. This will become a place of breeding ground for bacteria. And you know how bad the feet can get since they go many places we rather not mention, particular in public showers in the gyms or pools etc, unlike your finger nails where you look after them much better than your feet, a very important part of the body but often a neglected area.

Foot care, whether from regular pedicure treatments or from your local podiatrist are essential. And remember to stay correctly informed and get the right treatments for them. If you are unsure, always ask the pros, not the TV reporters ! (only joking , apology to our TV reporter clients).

Now, here is a story that you don’t hear everyday. Except if you are an obsessed nail technician and all you do is “talk-eat-sleep” and yes “also read” about nails. It comes with the profession I guess.  Check out this story about Newton Faulkner and his nails - We just became his biggest fan after reading this story at The Age web site. Although this story had been printed a few weeks ago. See below for the interesting nailsy-bitsy.

Some guitarists are rewarded for their six-string notoriety by being asked to endorse signature strings or customised picks. Yet English singer-songwriter Newton Faulkner would be happy with his own range of fake acrylic nails.”I have a very different use for them, so I need them as thick as I can convince someone to do them,” says the personable musician, whose debut album Hand Built By Robots is built on a virtuosic finger-picking playing style on the acoustic guitar.”It’s pretty weird finding somewhere to get them done. I have to go to nail salons, so I usually sit between two middle-aged women who are just looking at me with complete bewilderment. Sometimes I wear fingerless military surplus gloves, which adds to the confusion.”The 23-year-old, born and raised in Surrey, has been on the road for a year, visiting increasingly large concert venues - and nail salons - on several continents.  

At Manhattan Nails, we do not recommend our clients using their finger nails as tools, especially after they just got them beautifully enhanced. But hey, we wouldn’t do that to Newton would we. Acrylic nails prove to be very useful in this instance obviously. and Newton is not unique as a guitarist wearing acrylic nails. We happen to know quite a few.

Check out the video here -> Mosman Nail Salon

We’ve written about this product before but we just couldn’t help but to share with our clients again how wonderful this Mango Mend cream is. It really works for a lot of people and it is inexpensive. You do not have to just use it on your hands and cuticles. People used them on their heels, their elbows basically any part where there is persistent skin irritation.

Below is the copy of product literature from California Mango, the company that make this product, for your information.

A product designed to treat and prevent maladies common to the skin, hands or feet. Use both as treatment or preventative to combat dry skin, cracked heels, inflamed or dry cuticles and skin irritations. This unique blend of Natural oils, emollients & vitamins in this proprietary formula, specifically targets problem skin areas.

In an age of product cost reductions by using less costly grade ingredients, Mango Mend does just the opposite. Using the highest pharmaceutical grade raw maters, Mango Mend GUARANTEES the best possible results.

Skin: Dry Skin Areas, Rash, Sunburn, Dry Scalp, Abrasions & Scars, Elbows & Knees
Hands: Extremely Dry Skin, Cuticles, Nail Treatment, Abrasions & Scars, Rough Callus
Feet: Cracked heels, Calluses, Prevents blisters/chafing, Skin irritation/itching

BENEFITS
Seals in Moisture & Conditions Skin
All Natural Ingredients
USP Pharmaceutical Grade

Specialty Oils: Jojoba, Mango Seed, Kukui, Makadamia Nut, Soy & Saflower (hi-oleic)
Specialty Vitamins: Vitamin E USP, Lecithin USP
Specialties: Aloe, Mango Butter
Specialty Organic Extract Oils: Mango, Orange, Grapefruit & Tangerine

and yes, we do stock them at our salon in Mosman.

Some of our friends pointed us to this article entitled “Fake fingernails sum up weird modern femininity” written By Claire Harvey, 24th August 2008, over at news.com.au. Here is the link for the full story and people’s comments

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,24232394-5007146,00.html

It starts off something like this …

IF THERE’S one accoutrement that sums up the weirdness of modern femininity, it’s the fake fingernail.
In the pared-back grunge of the 1990s, when even lipstick faded to beige, it seemed safe to assume false talons were on the way out.

Soon, they’d be a boomer relic, reserved for ageing suburbanites, the odd transvestite and Flo-Jo, using one curved claw to stir her Bovril in the nursing home dining room. But now the whiff of polymer resin wafts through every mall.

Tiny nail sweatshops line the shopping strips, full of little Asian ladies with their heads bent over the plump pink paws of young middle-class women, using a potent chemical clag to attach gel or acrylic nails.

A very good read I must say as there are a mirage of such opinion everywhere. And we do acknowledge the pros and cons of having your nails done. No doubt about it. We don’t find it offensive or anything but rather amusing when we read between the lines. Obviously Claire is entitled to her own opinion and so is everybody else. We are living in a free democratic country after all. Freedom of choice and freedom of speech are extremely important and we certainly subscribe to that. If you don’t like fake, go for a natural care. If you don’t like to pay for it then you can do it yourself at home. This is what we love about a country such as Australia :-). You have choices!

Although we must say that the story is rather incomplete because Claire did not quite touch on many other reasons why people want or need fake nails. Equally important also are the quality of artificial nail enhancements which looks so natural that people cannot tell they are fake. That is another point of difference between the so called “sweatshops” but we prefer to call it “nail salons” .