Some of the high-end salons were threatened. There was a lot of animosity that was directed at a lot of the Vietnamese salons, and that's unfortunate. In February, Los Angeles TV station KCBS aired an investigative report on the health risks of nail salons in the area, most of which are owned by Asian Americans. Without washing her hands, she began working on the agent's hands while still chewing her dinner. Efforts to interview the California Department of Health Services about this topic were unsuccessful.
Some students are very successful.
But most manicurists face years of waiting before they have a chance at earning top salaries. On average, manicurists who don't own their own salon can make a living, though not a luxurious one. If statistics at Evergreen Beauty College are any indication, the word is out. About 20 percent of the students at the Evergreen Beauty College in San Jose are men, according to director Tran. Still, men account for only 2.4 percent of licensed manicurists nationwide, according to Nails magazine.