According to a major investigation by The New York Times, that cheap manicure you get using cheap and fake nail polish is not such a good deal after all. The low price might end up hurting workers, who often face harsh working conditions and very little pay.
Reporter Sarah Maslin Nir found that many nail salon workers are crammed in cockroach-infested apartments. They work up to 12 hours a day and make very little money, sometimes no money at all if they’re in an introductory “training” period, and many have to fork over a $100 to $200 fee to pay for that training.
Only 25 out of more than 100 workers interviewed said they made minimum wage. And even though many are considered “tipped workers” who can make lower than minimum wage, many of them get their tips taken away for minor infractions like spilling nail polish.
So do you really care about the welfare of the makers of the nail polish you wear? Buy and use only genuine products.
