7 red flags to look out for when getting a manicure, according to salon owners
By Saghir Hussain ·
Salon owners have warned clients to watch for dirty tools, unlicensed technicians, and pressure to buy add-ons — red flags that expose a wider crisis in an industry where small businesses are squeezed by platform fees and patchy enforcement.
The seven warnings
Business Insider spoke to salon owners across the US who identified seven recurring problems: visibly unclean implements, technicians who cannot produce a licence, strong chemical odours signalling poor ventilation, reused single-use files and buffers, rushed appointments booked back-to-back, aggressive upselling of treatments the client did not ask for, and a refusal to show product labels or ingredient lists.
While the reporting is US-based, the picture mirrors what Trading Standards officers and industry bodies such as the British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology (BABTAC) have flagged in UK high streets from Manchester to Margate. A 2023 BABTAC survey found one in five nail bars inspected by local councils failed basic hygiene checks — yet enforcement remains postcode-dependent, with some authorities conducting routine visits and others reacting only to complaints.
Platforms take a cut, salons take the risk
The pressure on independent salons has sharpened since booking platforms and review sites became gatekeepers for new clients. A typical London nail bar pays 15–25 per cent commission per appointment to the major apps, plus a monthly subscription. For a £35 gel manicure, that can mean £8–£9 lost before rent, rates, and product costs are covered.
“Big tech decides who gets seen, but it’s the salon owner who carries the liability if something goes wrong,” says a salon manager in Birmingham who asked not to be named. “We’re expected to maintain clinical standards on margins that don’t cover the autoclave servicing.”
Some platforms now algorithmically prioritise salons that offer instant booking and dynamic pricing — features that favour larger chains with dedicated admin staff over the one- or two-tech operations that still make up the majority of UK nail businesses.
Regulation lagging behind the high street
The UK has no single mandatory licensing scheme for nail technicians. Voluntary registers exist, but a client walking into a salon in Leeds or Cardiff has no legal guarantee the person holding the file has completed a recognised qualification. Local authority environmental health teams inspect for general hygiene, not technical competence.
Meanwhile, the Office for Product Safety and Standards has issued alerts on banned substances — including methyl methacrylate (MMA) in acrylic systems — yet test purchases by consumer groups continue to find non-compliant products in use.
The bottom line
Customers can protect themselves by asking to see sterilisation logs, checking for a displayed local authority hygiene rating, and walking away if the technician resists questions. But the burden should not fall entirely on the person paying £40 for a lunch-break manicure.
If the government wants to support the high street it talks about, it could start by giving Trading Standards the resources to enforce existing rules — and by asking why the platforms that profit from every booking bear none of the responsibility when standards slip.