Nail Tech Reveals The One Color She Will 'Never Paint' On A Client (2024)

A nail tech has gone viral after making it very clear why she "point blank refuses" to fulfill a common request from her clients.

While it may be a popular choice, nail tech Catrina Mayfield is adamant, "There is one set of nails that you will never ever ever see me paint"—a full-covered white polish look.

Don't panic, as she's not ruling out a white French manicure, but instead talking about a "stark white" color used to paint the entire nail—a color choice she believes "looks tacky".

Speaking on the color choice, she said, "I can guarantee that you'll have a client, she likes it for all of like two days and then realizes that it looks like Tippex
and it looks cheap and it looks nasty."

Not wanting her own reputation to be at risk, she continued, "And at the end of the day, as a nail tech, I do not want you to be walking around with nails on that. Ultimately I don't like because my name and my reputation is against those set of nails, and I don't want people to think that my nails look cheap and tacky."

To gain some insight into why so many nail techs have a ropey relationship with white polish, Newsweek spoke to award-winning nail artist and founder of Nails by Mets, Metta Francis, based in the U.K. Francis shared, "White nails can be really difficult to paint because sometimes the finish can look chalky, it might be really streaky, and it doesn't provide us with that flawless glossy finish that we want."

While Francis recognizes that white nails can be hard to get right, she doesn't want that to put you off the look completely. Francis shared tips for both at-home and in-salon application, as she continued, "If you're using nail polish or gel, you want to make sure the pigment is thoroughly mixed within the formula. If you're not mixing it properly, you're going to have a streaky finish and won't come together properly."

The way you mix the polish depends on the product type—Francis recommended giving nail polishes a good mix before use. For gel polish, if you don't have a mixing machine available you can either use a spatula or roll the bottle along a surface to ensure the pigment is evenly distributed. Her top secret for nail polish is simple—just give it a good shake!

Another top tip is to make sure you put in your prep work—especially with light and bright colors like a stark white, as Francis said, "If there's any sort of cracks, peeling, dents or grooves in the nail, white polish will really make this show up."

When it comes to painting, Francis recommends 'capping' the nail first (running the polish against the free edge), and 'floating' the nail polish down the nail instead of pushing the product in. Opt for a high-gloss top coat to avoid the matte 'Tippex' effect, and always clean around the nail before drying or curing, as sleek edges elevate your manicure.

What Do the Comments Say?

Mayfield knew she was going to "ruffle a few feathers with this one," and was proven correct by the comments section. One user wrote how, "You can't change my love for white nails and you should do whatever the client wants! They are paying."

"I love all white nail especially matte, if the nail polish is good quality and applied well it doesn't look like Tippex at all," added another.

Despite some not agreeing with her view, others backed up Mayfield's opinion. One user wrote, "I'm a nail tech and I HAAAATE when people ask for all white! I don't mind the look but it's just a faff and so much more work getting it perfect!"

"Absolute same! White is so unforgiving." added another. "Happy to chrome them or milky white, but absolute NO to stark white."

"Legit my only client to complain had a full white set and went 'the look like Tippex' well, they will?!?" said one nail tech.