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Expressions for Nail Shop Visits


Are you interested in creating artwork on your plain fingernails? Time to jazz up your boring nails? I believe that most of you love neat, tidy, and sometimes wild or colorful set of fingernails. Quite a lot of ESL students might want to learn about nail shop expressions/ terms in English to get their beautiful ideas about nail artwork across. Let us explore and nail the expressions to be used in nail shops. 😊 



1.   What is the official name for a nail expert who will take care of your fingernails/ toenails at nail salons? …………… manicurist/ pedicurist/nail technicians or nail art designers



   
   2.   What do you say at a nail salon (or book an appointment) if your fingernails or toenails need some attention? ………..

“I’d like to get my nails done.” or “I’d like to get my toenails done./ I’d like spa manicure/pedicure/ feet massage.”

“I’d like to get my nails cut short.”

“I’d just like get nail polish. Do you have sample colors?”

“Can I get a full set of ombré nails?/ French tip acrylic nails?/ gel nails?”  *Most ombré nails start out vertically (fading from the tips to cuticles

When is your earliest availability?”/ “Are you available at the moment?/ Can I walk in now?”

“Could I possibly put off my appointment until coming Saturday?” or “Can I move my appointment to next Tuesday?”

“I need a refill on my French nails. It’s already been three weeks.”

“I happened to nick/ break one of the tips. Could you fix it?”



   3.   If you want to remove the existing artificial nails (created by acrylic powder), you can say……”I need to soak-off my gel manicure. / shellac manicure/ acrylic manicure.”


   
   4.   If you are asked to choose a specific nail shape, you can say “I’d like the tips to be straight square/ squoval (=squared oval)/ rounded / oval /  almond /  coffin-shaped or ballerina /  stiletto/ lipstick-shaped.”

   


   5.   Nail art techniques ……… Painting nails with a brush/ Sponging nails to get gradient type of styles or colors/ Stamping nails/ Airbrushing nails

   

   6.   When checking out and leave, you are supposed to ask “How much do I owe you?” / “So all together, how much does all that cost or add up to?” ( in case you got several different services)


   
   7.   Tipping etiquette: Offering gratuity is common at a beauty parlor or a nail salon in the US. Customers normally pay 15% (of the amount) of the service they got. If the service was great, you can pay 20% (of the amount) or more as gratuity. If you offer your tip in cash, you might say “This is for your great service. Thank you.”


*picture source: https://preply.com/en/blog/2015/09/01/visiting-a-beauty-salon-the-most-important-english-words/#scroll-to-heading-2 and https://favim.com/image/6555067/ and https://ub-sessed.tumblr.com/post/47130925600/heres-a-nail-shape-i-didnt-know-about-lipstick )  

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