SHANCES
In The Media
BUSINESS READINESS & SOCIAL ETIQUETTE
July 15, 2022
Don't let a headache over how much to tip at the nail salon ruin the fun of getting your next manicure. We've done the math for you!
Getting a mani-pedi is a great way to lift your mood and practice self-care. Add in a little hand and foot massage, and it’s also an ideal way to relax and de-stress—that is, until it comes time to pay the bill and figure out how much to tip. Trying to figure out how much to tip at the nail salon can be really confusing, and instead of focusing on how to make your manicure last longer, you’re stuck trying to do mental math.
It’s OK—we’ve got you! We asked etiquette experts, nail techs and salon owners to share exactly when, who and how much to tip at nail salons. Once you’re up to speed, make sure you know the proper tipping etiquette in other situations, from how much to tip your hairdresser to how much to tip hotel housekeeping.
How much should you tip at the nail salon?
Fifteen to 20% of the total bill is the industry standard for how much to tip a nail tech, but this can vary between countries, regions and salons, says Sharon-Frances Moore, president of Shances, a New York–based etiquette company. Not only that, but tipping amounts have changed drastically over the past two years. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, to help ease the financial strain of workers, there was an increase of people over-tipping for services in industries across the board,” says Moore. “We are now seeing an adjustment back to standard tipping, which for a nail technician, [regardless] of the service, is around 15 to 20%.”
Face-to-face interviews are sometimes replaced with automated interviews — A “one-way” interview is a common employer request these days, says Sharon-Frances Moore, president of Shances, an etiquette and corporate conduct coaching business in New York. “One-way interviews that use pre-taped questions and webcams to record answers places the interviewee at a disadvantage,” Moore says. “This method of interviewing does not allow the interviewee to read the interviewer’s reactions to their questions. Interviewer cues such as body language and tone changes can help the interviewee determine how they can adjust their answers to get a better outcome. Simply put, one-way interviews make it impossible to “vibe with the interviewer.”
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Ask a flight attendant for help
If a baby doesn’t stop screaming, you can ask the parent to intervene (usually a terrible idea since the parents are already doing everything they can to make the baby stop), or you can appeal to a flight attendant. “Flight attendants are trained to assess in-flight issues and problem-solve,” says Sharon-Frances Moore, who runs a social etiquette company. The best solution may be to move you to a different seat, if available.
Anti-American sentiment is a growing concern in 2025
Tourists are growing increasingly worried that they’ll get a less than enthusiastic welcome when they cross the border. Even the professionals, the platinum-card-carrying corporate travelers, are hitting the panic button.
“They’re expecting a drastic increase in anti-American sentiment this year,” says etiquette expert Sharon-Frances Moore.
Although my would-be assailants made references to my nationality, that wasn’t the real problem. I didn’t have a clue where I was going and ended up in the wrong part of town. So let’s start with a small disclaimer: Many, if not most, incidents of anti-American behavior are the result of ignorance. There are places foreign visitors should avoid, and knowing where those places are is more important than ever.
