I hope I got this in the right location this time. I am posting this in the hopes that someone out there can offer advice or insite as to what I need to say to the Board of Cosmetologists to prove my point here is the story:

I had my nails done about a month ago by a local nail tech who just got out of school. I live in a small town and I believe in supporting small businesses when you can! I had also trained this girl when we worked at the Dairy Queen together in High School. Anyway when she began putting on the tips (a full set) she had the large curve type nails. I later found out the type of curve nail she had was called dragon lady if that gives you an idea of how curved they were. I asked if she had any others than that cause I didn't want a curve in them. She said that was all she had and she could do them w/o the curve - she wouldn't put one in them or something. I had no idea what she was talking about! All I knew is that I did not want to look like I had claws. I called her back either that evening or the evening after and told her we really needed to add some acrylic to them because they looked silly. The bottom was very skinny and the top was very wide. She couldn't get me in that day so I told her I would call her back and we'd set up an appointment. So two days after I had them done (she was out for the weekend and I could not contact her) I had two nails pop off. Initally I paid her $30 for the full set of nails which is pricy for this area. Anyway I called and let the place know where she rents her room that I had problems - she wasn't going to be in until Tuesday so I just so happened to be off on Tuesday and I went to her to show her my nails - she said she could re-do them the following day. We did not discuss money at this time - I assumed it would be free considering she just did them the week before. So she tells me she has to put the curve in them that was the only way to get them to stay and I said whatever you have to do to make them stay then do it. All the while I am thinking - if you couldn't get them to stay like that the last time you should have said so and we wouldn't be going through this mess. So we proceeded to fix 6 of my nails (the others broke off between the time I called and Tuesday). Out of politeness when she was done I asked how much she wanted - she said $20 and I thought ok thats really not fair but I paid it because I knew the girl from high school - so I paid it and left reminding myself that was the last time I was going there. Then 4 days later I had had a nail to break again - sortly there after I had three others come off. I was really upset - I called the place again to let them know - they were supposed to call her at home and she was to call me. I began thinking now why is this situation fair. Especially to me! So I called her since she did not bother to call me back I told her that I felt I should get my $20 back because I have had two flip off again in less than a week I also had others that were getting ready to flip and others that are beginning to lift. I told her that I didn't think I should have to have paid a total of $50 bucks for nails that wouldn't stay on and I would like the 20 that I gave her last week back and I would go my way she would go hers and I would find someone who could do my nails correctly. She replied that she only did what I wanted (not true) and that she didnt' give refunds nor did she offer to fix the nails that are now broken not that I want her to because she clearly can't do them the way I want them (to stay on) and I had given her a chance to fix them...so I told her she'd be hearing from the attorney genrals office and the board of cosmetologsits - she use a smart alec tone and told me to have them to call - i think she thought i was bluffing So I filed a complaint! Turns out the place she was working did not have a shop license! She contents that she only did what I told her to do - I did ask her to leave the arch out but because I didn't want claws and I didn't understand what she was talking about when she mentioned a curve. I have thought it over and I can not come up with a fair solution for this problem I know she spent her time and materials on doing my nails but let's face it I had two sets of nails in less than two weeks and none of them stayed on! She also contends that the places I had them done before used illegal material to make them stay - I have no idea if they did or not but I have since had a new set put on and I have had no problems at all in the 3 weeks I have had them. I also noticed the other day that she has "closed up shop" and I wonder if it is because of me. I am sure she got fined if she was caught without a shop license. Ok so here are my main questions 1) What do you feel would be a fiar solution to this problem. I want my $50 back. But that wouldn't be fair to her....I have had to pay someone else to put on a new set of nails that she should have in the first place! Should I just ask for 50 and be done with it? 2) Any tips, pointers,etc on how I can make my case stronger - I would be happy to share the letters I have written to the Board about it if anyone is truly interested but I don't think most people here are THanks for your advice and help!

all i can think of is that you learnt your lesson and trust no-one

my advice: women spend too much money on nails. grow em yourself, those fancy ones have always turned me off. especially the ones with little palm trees or designs on them.

its kind of like how some guys wear football jerseys all the time... you know what i mean? im assuming women don't find that look particularly appealing. anyways, a guy wearing a football jersey does it so other guys will think he is cool, but women could care less. that's exactly how i feel about acrylic nails

@ DS

lol thank you ds but if i could grow them myself i wouldn't have paid someone to put them on me i just wanted my nails to look nice - nothing fancy i like having nice manicured hands and nails i couldn't quite achieve that with regular ones how about glitter - you got anything against glitter?

You are right fair is fair, and she is not being fair. You paid for a full set of nails to be put on. They were inproperly put on, (nails should not be falling off in less then four weeks). Would you pay for a car in full and have it run for a week and say to heck with ?? I think you deserve your money back, you paid for something you did not get.

I went to cosmetology school and graduated, nothing she said sounds right, and I think you did the right thing by the calling the cos. board. She can seriously hurt somebody practicing without a license. You are made to get that so it proves the knowledge you carry on the field. I cant believe she wasn't kissing your butt when you threatened to call, knowing she had no license!! Good luck, hun!!~~Heather

ok, then. Heather is right. try her suggestion. if that fails try this:

stand outside the nail place with a nice sign saying "one of these biatches ripped me off for 50 bucks!". im sure that will get your money back quickly

glitter is fine, i suppose. when i look at a woman, i certainly am not judging her by her nails

LMAO!!! " One of these biatches ripped me off for fifty bucks" That was classic, LOL....

(Sorry for not qouting, i tried that once and screwed it up terribly, so I do it the "duh" way)

Have you figured out what you are going to do??

That is actually a good plan, I'm sure that any bad publicity would get them to back down and pay up. I'd go in first and tell them your plan first and if no joy Go for it!

Yeah, but I thought she has already closed up shop?? I still love that remark, heheh..

ok. i must have missed that in my first reading of the topic. Sabrina, you are simply out 50 bucks. im sorry, but it happens to all of us in life. sheez, ive been screwed out of 3400 bucks before by a landlord, so 50 bucks is pretty much nothing.

you could take her to small claims court but the court costs are around 50 bucks anyways. either way, you will lose the 50 bucks so its pretty much pointless unless you really want to teach her a lesson. in my experience, people don't learn until you sue them for the big bucks. 50 bucks she would just shrug off and go back to screwing her customers.

Hopefully though, once someone has been sued, it's on permanent record, so others will know about her shoddy business practice (without standing outside waving a sign)
It's sweet of you to be concerned for her Sabrina, but she's got a business, and if she did that to you, well, how many other people might have been treated the same way? That's not how to run a business, imho.

Thank you all for replying Lil - she did have a nail tech license just not a shop licence like - to open a place of business and state that it is a cosmetologist place type thing DS- I aint gonna take her to court I am just gonna make her life hell til she gives it back - I am not afraid to challenge a company or a person on this crap I don't like getting screwed without my permission The sign thing would be fun but shes not in business anymore - my tought is because she got fined so much she couldn't afford to stay open I just don't want to be taken advantage of - and I don't want to take advantage of her but I do want a fair deal