I will answer the qusestions asked but need to let you know I am a manicurist at an upscale salon. #1 No. I don't worry because I know how the manicurists I work with clean not only the spa but their instruments. That being said not everyone cleans according to Government standards. #2 A seal or other sign does not guarantee your salon is clean. I have had customers tell me they went to a "cheapo" salon (her words not mine) and watched the manicurist put a clean sign on a spa tub she had only wiped out with a towel. #3 Now about the web site. You can clean a spa before you have it tested but there is no guarantee it is being done after each client. Where I live I have been in the business for 15 years. I have only one time seen someone from State Board. Not sure there is a straight forward answer to this problem. When you visit the salon look around. What is the general cleanliness of the salon in general? I work on referrals. My clients know table is clean. They see me get clean towels for each client. They see me clean my implements and the spa. We do not take 1 client out of the spa and put another in before it is cleaned properly,which takes a little time. The requirements for cleaning the spa is posted in my salon and after each client we record that it was cleaned and how. This is available for all our clients if they want to see it. As far as contamination from polish if that was true State Board would require a separate bottle for each application. There is nothing in writing about this from State Board. I think we should all be concerned about this situation but I think we can make good choices if we investigate the salon we want to visit.

I actually have pretty good luck with OPI lasting a week (7 days or more) on my natural nails - do you have your hands in water or cleaners a lot? Just curious... I also like Avon polishes - not the cheap stuff in the round plastic bottles (that doesn't last long), but the polish in the square glass bottles with blue caps. "Sinful" brand polishes are probably my favorites. Loreal polishes are pretty good too, but stay away from China Glaze...those barely last 5 days on my nails. A good topcoat is probably the most important part of getting polish to last - I use Loreal 2 in 1 base/top coat or Avon's 2 in 1...both seem to work much better than OPI's top coat for me. Hope this helps - good luck! :-) My nails

Thanks for the good ideas. I think I'll start with Sally Hansen's strengthener in the gold bottle. I got my nails done because my nails start splitting or peeling after they get so long. I love having pretty nails but the cost is such a waste! If I could do it myself (have never tried) I'd do them every week or when needed. Sometimes my nails really looked weird when it got closer to the fill appt two weeks after the last fill. I found a Tweezerman buffer - got it at Bed Bath and Beyond with their 20% off coupon - and gently buffed my nails. They are quite shiny right now but I think the Sally Hansen will help. I also think I have the 7-Day nail grower stuff - or maybe it is up in my daughter's room. Thanks for all of the suggestions! One last question...where do you all buy OPI nail polish? I found a color I really like but when I wanted to buy it at my salon they didn't have any.

I've been a nail tech for over six years and do both gels and acrylics. A lot of nail tech's remove too much of the nail when they buff. It is true that the nail needs to be buffed to remove the shine, but when this is done correctly it should not weaken or damage the nail at all. The natural nail should be prepared the same way no matter what type of enhancement (acrylic, gel, or wraps). It's the preparation of the natural nail that can cause damage, not the enchancement material (ie acrylic or gel). A true gel nail can only be removed by filing and buffing. Only acrylics and wraps can be removed by soaking. Personally, I prefer acrylic nails because they are easier to remove and tend to be more durable. Here is a link that might be useful: Nailphiles