Nail tech shares frustration over made up viral nail trends
There are so many things that come across social media news feeds that look really cool. It can be anything from a DIY project that looks really easy to a beautiful painting that was done by someone pouring paint on a taped canvas. The possibilities are endless but sometimes what we see online is hard to explain when talking to a professional about replicating it.
In some cases, it turns out that things trending on social media don't always exist in the professional world so asking for it is essentially like asking for a unicorn if you don't have a picture. Sure, the thing may have a name on whatever app you originally noticed it, but those names don't always translate to the person providing the service.
According to a nail technician, people continue to come into the nail salon asking for nails that don't exist. This can be an issue that will likely cause frustration for all parties involved for obvious reasons.
Nikki, who runs the TikTok account Nails by Nikki took the the internet to confess that she has no idea what some customers are asking for when they come in after seeing trending nails. The trending nail names don't really mean anything, it's just hashtag worthy but the average person seeing them online doesn't know that's not the actual name of the style in many cases.
woman doing manicure
Photo by rashid khreiss on Unsplash
For a while "coffin nails" were big. Everyone wanted them and as the name suggests, the nails are shaped like coffins. Some people were all about "stiletto nails" which, even if you didn't know what they were, you could gather that this means sharp pointed nails. But somewhere along the lines, "duck nails" became a thing, which seems to be part of the confusing nail requests that are sending nail technicians like Nikki into a bit of tizzy.
"I have a confession as a nail tech," Nikki starts off. "I don't know...I don't know what these nail trends that you're saying to me are and I really...I really wish I do. I really wish I knew what cherry cola nails were. I wish I knew what butter nails are but I don't and I'm so confused how it's my job and I'm not seeing these things. So many people have been coming to me and calling a certain color with a chrome a random name and I just don't...I don't know what this is and I'm so sorry, I don't know what butter nails are."
She pleads with people to stop making things up on the internet and then telling people to tell their nail techs that's what they want. Other service industry professionals chimed in to share their own experiences with made up names people learned on the internet.
One person writes, "it’s the same for hair, as a stylist it’s so annoying like wtf is tiramisu hair."
A bartender says it happens with drinks too, "bartender here- SAME. "You know what a Ranch Water isss??" Tequila soda, JUST SAY THAT."
One nail tech admits to telling a little white lie, "as a nail tech…i tell them it’s AI."
"This reminds me of the “secret menu” starbucks drinks on tumblr and the baristas would get mad because that doesn't exist," someone laughs.
One exhausted nail tech shares, "omg someone asked me today for Hailey Bieber nails...like girl I'm so sorry but what does that mean?? That could mean so many different things."
It seems as though the best thing to do to fix the confusion is to bring in a picture of exactly what you're hoping for when it comes to nails or hair. According to the professionals in the comments, doing this will reduce confusion and frustration for both people. A key takeaway is, people make up names for things on social media so if it's a drink, write down the ingredients, if it's hair or nails, bring a picture–it'll save you a headache.