I show this documentary to my cosmetology students each quarter around the same time I have them do their service pricing menu project. As licensed cosmetologists my students are able to perform an array of natural nail services.
Part of the reason is that in this documentary the students realize how much nails use to cost in comparison to today.
$150 for a full set in the 80's.
Oh yea baby. It's a far cry from the $40-$60 average today. Which BTW is not a livable wage (at least in WA).
This isn't unique to nails though the whole of the beauty industry has failed to keep up with inflation. Most personal service providers are too afraid of losing clients to increase their prices. This is typical of a female dominated industry. Putting relationships over profits.
As a professional I can relate to the manicuring instructor. I can't imagine all of a sudden there are 2,000 people in Tacoma cutting curly hair extremely well and having to continue to cut my prices.
As a consumer I remember getting my nails done for $25 when I was 15. It seemed normal. That was what almost everyone else was paying all over Tacoma. Now I understand that it was not sustainable. This is ultimately what led to the manicuring program at CPTC closing.
This documentary shows the impact of war and how it changes culture globally. It also shows how we as a nation have not grown much in the way of empathy and compassion.
I cry every time I watch this doc and I also learn something I didn't catch the time before. I love how she shines light on the importance of trust and relationships with black people in the hood and how that helped to make this billion dollar industry what it is today.
My late grandfather was in the Vietnam war, I was born in 1985 & this documentary was made in 2018. History is not that far away and if we do not remember we are doomed to repeat it.
I am planning to get my manicuring license next year, I am falling in love with the art and it is also nice to sit down for a change. As a cosmetologist I'm licensed to perform natural nail services an I just want to expand on that. You can read more about my journey here.
Please watch the doc and let me know in the comments what you learned or thought overall. Or, even better make an appointment and we can chat about it in person!
See you soon Curly!