An Eastend MMA Story lol

[Nailsinlondon1]

Well guys and gals,
This had me in fits today............
As I had a day off, I thought, well lets go to Stratford in East London and get some bits and bobs for the Competition...................
Well we have InShops there, a market community under one roof so to speak............
Well there is a nice little beauty Salon and it has been there since day one.........
Well when I passed this, I noticed Nail Desks...so I thought hmmmmm this looks nice..............not as big as the other one just round the corner (cnd Salon I have to add)..........but ok lets have a look............
So in I went, 2 Korean or Chinese Technician working away........hmmmmm monomer smell...bit pungent, even with the air con in there................e-file being wizzed over a little old ladies nails.......... mask on the two Techs......well they prob. don't want to inhale the micro fine dust I thought..............
Well so I ask the nice chappie , who spoke perfect english, could he help me please........ sure he said no problem...........So I thought here it goes, little white lie to get to the truth.....................

I said I am allergic to MMA and does his monomer contain this ????
So he said, now I have to add , he all of a sudden lost the ability to speak english...................
"MMA no understand, we have good liquid, it is purple"..This nearly made me collapse in a giggling heap on the floor.......

He then showed me a bottle that looked like an airbrush fluid cleaning bottle, no manufacturers label on there, just in big red hand written letters, the word "Nail Liquid"..................

but no I thought lets get to the truth.............
He said they refill this bottle, when it's empty..........So I said ok, have a look out the back then and see what it says on the lable..................
He said no lable on drum.........Ok I thought, this is just not good enough.......What happened to the legal stuff here........ Salon health and safety.......Ok, so no more Mrs Nice Tech.............So as a last effort I said......"oh ok, just check your MSDS then and it will tell you on there for sure"...................
He then lost all his ability to speak english, chatted like mad to the other Technician and got so edgy..................
So I said, well obviously you don't know what you are using and I only have 4 words to say to you...he looked over his mask and frowned and I just left with these 4 words.............WATCH DOG<> GOOD BYE..................

Well I just had to share this with you all....As it is my favorite subject lol

love Ruth xxxxxx

 

[LayStar]

well ruthy you had me& faye in chuckles after you rang about this!! "its purple so its ok!!!!"

LOL!!

xxlaylaxx

 

[Debs]

Good on you Ruth, I`m impressed.
I don`t know if I`d have the nerve to do that here!
Purple liquid, must be ok then........
Isn`t meths that colour too? we wouldn`t drink that just cos its the same colour as vodka blue

 

[gracy]

hahahaha i really liked that, good one ruth !!!!!!!!!!

 

[UltraViolet]

"...we have good liquid, it is purple". What a funny story, Ruth.
Similar things have happened to me. I've guessed a lot of the budget nail bars here in Sydney, Australia are probably using MMA. Just like the salon you walked into, they also have unmarked bottles for their liquid and are hesitant to talk about the product(s) they use. I've contacted our state Dept. Health as well as Occupational Health and Safety who keep on saying they are looking into the use of MMA here, but I won't hold my breath that the stuff will be prohibited any time soon. I used to use Vertex liquid when I first started doing nails in the '70s because that's all that was available to us then. I've been contacting the relevant departments for the past 5 years or so because I was surprised to find these products were still being used in our industry. All I can do is educate all of my clients about MMA and keep on explaining the No MMA stickers throughout the salon.
Keep up the good work, Ruth (aka MMA watchgog).

 

[mui]

Sawadee ka

I no understand why someone use mma it not cost much money to make nail with number 1 products and ca have profit for work .

Why some body do this them stupid .

Kop khu ka mui

 

[mui]

Ruth sawadee ka

I think maybe them from vietnam you have in your country many them go england i sorry if i not have right .

Them not Thai england not let thai people your country for work .

Kop khun ka mui

 

[scratchmyback]

is a dead giveaway. Since when do we purchase monomer in drums? I am picturing a big barrel-sized container. And funny how he knew nothing about MMA yet he knew that the correct liquid should be purple in colour.

 

[FatalAttraction]

Good on ya girl!!!

I might do that in my town in Sudbury ha ha

Cazza

 

[Nailsinlondon1]

Well Mui you might be right there, they could be vietnamese, the could be chinese, they could be Korean...........
We have a large chinese community in London and also Korean and Vietnamese..........
But also German, Polish, Jewish and many more other nations, thats what makes London so much fun to be living in.........very Cosmopolitan.....

So it doesn't matter where Technicians are from, if they are using MMA, then they are doing our industry no favours..............
It is just sad , when someone obviously speaks english, then pretends not to speak english, because they know, that they are using a bad product........

I am German and I can't pretend not to speak English, if I have a client that asks me about my products............ or maybe even isn't happy.......
I have to deal with it.... Because if I used my German language, first she wouldn't understand me and secondly she would never come back to my shop................And after, all we all want are happy clients, not angry ones

love Ruth xxx

 

[mui]

i sorry i said stupid thing last time i not understand i not know before have many people live england i have learn now ..

i Sorry kop khun ka mui .

 

[nail_star2003]

Well done Ruthie!!!

I did the same sort of thing with the salon in South Ockendon!!! An old client of mine who clearly had damaged nails before I went anywhere near them (she had cancer for years and the chemo had ruined her nails) went to them as I no longer wanted her as a client as nothing was good enough for her. She wanted one nail replacing which they wouldn't do so they soaked the whole lot off (Retention used so not a long time for them to soak!) and did her a new set. When they soaked her nails off they told her that I had damaged her nails without bothering to ask her if her nails were like that before (as no consultation carried out!).

I found out about this so I took all my certificates over there and asked to speak to the manager. Out came a little woman who spoke fairly good english. I then, very calmly, asked her what qualifications she and her staff held to make such a diagnosis and where these qualifications were as they were clearly not being displayed. She then got very nasty so I asked her if I could look at the ingredients of her liquid bottle to which she and another member of staff replied "NO, You have no right". I told them they were correct but if they didn't show me then I would have to assume that they had something to hide and then I would assume they were using MMA!!!! I asked where they got their products from and they told me they got it all from America! I told they couldn't as it is illegal in most states over there and that if they were using excellent products then they could get it from Creative here and save on the shipping costs!!!!! They then told me to report it to the council - so I did!!!!

I then walked right up to two ladies who were having their nails done and showed them the two articles that were in Nails magazine. One of them was shouting at me saying "This is their business - you've got no right to come in here having a go at them" to which I replied "And it's my business AND reputation their trying to destroy". The other lady just asked them to stop what they were doing and she walked out of the shop!!! Well at least it's another educated person.

I then decided to let everyone in the salon know why MMA is dangerous and why the technicians were all wearing dust masks!!!! The owner then told me that she would call the police if I didn't leave the shop so I stayed!!! She then got a mobile phone and shouted down it "POLICE, POLICE" and then preceeded to talk in her own language. I don't what police station you can call where you immediately get some that talks another language other than english. At this point I decided to leave as I didn't know who had been called.

Now, I'm not saying this approach is the best - I merely went over there to let them know what I knew about the salon and that the technicians just can't go around saying what they like about reputable technicians. They themselves then turned nasty on me at which point I thought 'OK, let's see how much they'll co-operate'. We all know the truth and that is that NSS will never co-operate with anyone. Sorry this was a long one but I thought I'd share it with you all!!!

 

[geeg]

Why Kelly!!! Looking at that sweet little avatar of yours I would never have thought you'd have it in you!!! Only kidding of course, but it does take some nerve to stand up to people like that ... or a lot of anger!! Perhaps both.

The fact is they can get MMA liquid monomer from the States. Although it is supposed to be 'illegal' to use the product on nails, it is not illegal to use it in the manufacture of other types of plastics such as dental plastics --- see? No one cares why or for what purpose they are importing it!

The real issue here is that they were very uninformed and extremely unprofessional in their treatment of you ... and you had every right to stand up for yourself and show them your credentials etc. AND to inform their clients about what they were using. Are they taking you to court?? I don't think so.

 

[mui]

Sawadee ka

The thing i no understand about people use mma is why them use if them know its no good for customer .

And liquid with have no mma not expensive .

Or maybe them not know that mma no good because before i come geek i not know if mma anything .

I think if lady do nail and after she learn mma she not use mma i think and good for her customer and shop .

When lady talk about mma is in big and cheap but i not buy shampoo big and cheap buy good and good for customer hair.

I think many them not know them do wrong maybe ,

Kop khun ka mui

 

[geeg]

You are right Mui (again). May of the young girls who work in these shops have no idea that what they are doing is not right.

But the owners do know ... that is why they try to hide it. They buy in huge quantities and it is dirt cheap .... really dirt cheap compared to advanced technology liquid monomers.

A lot of the girls and boys who work in the NS salons are very talented, but do not speak English so they are in the hands of their masters. They have no education about sanitation or how to deal with the public ... only what is told to them by their masters.

One day they will get smart and learn their own value and get educated and own some of the finest salons -- that is what has happened in the USA.

 

[nail_star2003]

Geeg - I was extremely angry and riled :gun: My avatar maybe be sweet but it's something I'm not!!!! I'm very honest and to the point and if people don't like it then don't talk to me - simple!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a nasty person but I am passionate about what I do which is the reason I'm in this industry. It is that passion that makes me strive to be the best technician I can be. Now I'm not saying I'm ever going to be a Jacqui Jefford or Liza Smith or our very own Samantha Sweet but I want to be the best Kelly Smith I can be and I don't see why these 'cheap' so-called salon owners should put my reputation at risk which I have sweated buckets to build for myself.

I am a very nervy girl - I'm the sort of person that would go up and pinch a stranger's backside if dared to!!! (Be careful at the PB awards Sam!! ) So come on girls - who dares me?!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Nailsinlondon1]

this is the sort of thing i would have expected from the Kelly Smith that I know lol..................
You work speaks for itself, you are the best Kelly Smith there is !!!!!!!!!!
You are not frightnd to stand up for what you believe in.......you work hard , so why should someone...who obviously only cares for the £££££, rubbish your profession and babe your new gained NVQ..........

Thats the way I see it, and yes we might never get to be, where all the other Top Technicians are, but we care, we do our best and we do it beautifully and we do it without risking clients health and well being.........
This gives us a good reputation and that is something, that has to be treasured and defended if need be..............
So babe, good on you and keep up the fab work.......

love Ruth xxx

 

[geeg]

Hey maybe you need someone to tell you.

You are the top technicians

Some of the technicians who have their names up in lights are not top technicians... trust me on this one ... they have just found a niche in many cases. I have seen some of their everyday solon work and you wouldn't be seen dead in it.

It is you guys who look after the public and who care who are the top technicians ... and don't you forget it. Winning a competition doesn't make you tops, it just makes you a good competition winner ... means you can work to a formula .... doesn't make you the best salon tech ... unless you are that already!!!

 

[nail_star2003]

Thanks Ruth and Geeg.

Geeg, I think what you say about being a competition winner doesn't automatically and/or necessarily make you a top technician it just makes you a good competition winner is very true. My mum was reading that post with me and as a hairdresser who used to compete in the L'Oreal competitions (years ago!!) she said to me "she obviously knows what she's talking about!!!". I then went on for about 20 minutes explaining to her what a top lady you are! She also told me that some men and women used to do these fantastic 'competition hair styles' but when it came down to their everyday cutting and tinting they were useless!!!!