Equipment and products every nail business needs

Whether you’ve just started or plan on starting your journey to becoming a nail tech, bear in mind that running a nail business can be just as demanding as running any hair salon or spa. Being a nail technician isn’t just a hobby - it requires the same amount of passion, expertise and dedication as any other hair or beauty business, and it isn’t just about painting nails. Once you have your VTCT diploma in nail technology and all of your insurances taken care of, it’s time to do some shopping - and make sure you have the right budget, as you’re going to have a rather extensive list of nail business equipment to purchase!

Your type of nail business

Before heading out on your shopping spree, you need to take an important factor into consideration - your business model. Are you planning on going big and investing in a multi-station nail salon? Or are considering going mobile? Perhaps being home-based? The nail salon tools you need depend on your type of business and what treatments you're planning to provide. Obviously, you’re not going to be offering mobile pedicures from a large and elaborate pedicure spa chair. But no matter whether your business is going to be gargantuan or a one-man band, there are fundamental tools every business should have, and these include:

• Basic nail tools and products: everything from cuticle scissors, a nail file, nail clippers, nail polish remover, cotton swabs, a nail pusher, nail polish, nail buffer and tweezers should be available in every nail business.
• Specialised nail business tools and products: these depend on your type of business and what treatments you provide, and they range from a UV lamp or LED lamp, callus remover, a pumice stone, nail art brushes, a foot basin, nail tips, nail dust collectors, manicure tables, towel steamers and a sanitising autoclave.

Where should you shop?

When it comes to shopping for your nail business equipment and products, there are a few rules you should take into account in order to avoid having a disaster.

• Buy new equipment - like most people, you love finding steals on Facebook Marketplace. However, you should avoid purchasing certain used equipment, no matter their condition. Used foot basins, nail drill bits, dust collectors and towel steamers can house large quantities of fungi and bacteria which can cause inflammation of the skin surrounding the nail (paronychia). Instead, shop at businesses that sell new equipment.
• Buy from reputable businesses - be wary of where you buy from, especially when it comes to your products. Avoid shopping at discount stores and grabbing items from the discount shelves. The product quality should be up to par with your business as a whole - utilising the cheapest products doesn’t say much about the quality of your work. A manicure and pedicure made using bottom-shelf nail polish and acrylics can be seen from a mile away - and they don’t look good. As for buying from the discount rack, make sure the products aren’t expired, as they may entirely ruin a treatment.
• Buy from local sellers (but only certain items) - let’s be real here, not every up-and-coming nail tech can afford new equipment and furniture, especially if they’ve invested a huge chunk of their budget into insurance, courses, space renting, etc. To cut corners, many technicians resort to purchasing second-hand items - and that’s fine! However, it is important not to buy things that are used in direct contact with the customer or are meant to be single-use. Things such as a UV lamp or LED lamp, pedicure chairs, nail polish racks, accessory carts and manicure desks are fine, just as long as they’re properly cleaned before use.

Advanced equipment

Now that you have your basic equipment, furniture and products purchased, you’re almost ready to bring your nail business to life! But before doing so, there’s one more piece of equipment you should consider getting - a reliable software for nail technicians. Although manicures and pedicures are a no-brainer for you, things like dealing with no-shows, collecting business statistics, storing client information and managing bookings can make you quickly regret picking up nail polish in the first place. However, a reliable nail business system can do all of this for you. Booksy is the ideal digital business manager for solo nail techs, mobile and home-based businesses and for large, multi-station salons too. While you’re working on a client, Booksy manages your incoming bookings, automatically sends appointment reminders and review requests and even launches your scheduled marketing campaigns. Try Booksy for free today - no credit card required, no hidden fees, just pure love!