Is. your nail salon using modern slavery? Here are 12 signs to look out for
By Chere Di Boscio
I’m sure by now, if you’ve been reading Eluxe for awhile, you’ll know that many garments are made by modern slavery. That’s to say, mainly women who are paid next to nothing for their work. Plus, their working conditions are precarious, uncomfortable, and often, downright dangerous. Take Rana Plaza, for example.
We’ve also spoken out on how the modelling industry can sometimes be a front for prostitution and exploitation. And how child labour is used to mine ingredients of colour cosmetics.
But what we didn’t know about was modern day slavery in nail salons.
Image below and main image: Hailey Beiber
We Had Our Suspicions
To be honest, learning about this issue wasn’t hugely surprising. Because after all, we humans can be pretty awful. As we’ve learned from the fast fashion industry, diamond mining, and lithium mining for EVs, for example.
But we didn’t know just how bad modern slavery in nail salons can be.
I personally noticed that sometimes, the women doing my nails wouldn’t make eye contact. But I put that down to cultural differences. Or maybe shyness. And frankly, I didn’t really mind, since I was usually immersed in some kind of magazine, or was maybe on my phone. But the feeling was still…uncomfortable. And it turns out those women might not be making eye contact for more sinister reasons.
The Scene In The UK
Let’s take a look at how modern slavery has taken hold of nail salons in the UK.
There are now almost 5,000 nail bars now in operation in the UK – an increase of ten percent in just a year. Unfortunately, the nation has also seen a rise in criminal-operated salons exploiting vulnerable migrants, reported to being subjected to harsh working conditions and physical and emotional abuse.
In efforts to tackle the problem head on, shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper recently announced the launch of an initiative to combat illegal immigration and labour exploitation, coordinating a 1,000-strong team to work to abolish the criminal networks profiting from these industries and most importantly, protect vulnerable workers.
One organisation that has long campaigned against modern slavery in the beauty industry is the British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology (BABTAC). This organisation offers insurance and membership association for beauty professionals who tirelessly campaign for safer beauty standards.
How Bad Is The Problem?
Accurately quantifying the scale of illegal nail bars or the number of exploited individuals is challenging. That’s mainly because these businesses often operate under the radar.
In 2016, Operation Magnify—a cross-government initiative targeting illegal workers in high-risk industries, including beauty—resulted in 280 nail bar raids and 97 arrests.
If you’re a Brit, you might remember the 2019 Essex Lorry Tragedy. This incident claimed 39 lives – 31 men and eight women. We later learned that some of the female victims had been assigned to work in nail bars.
And yes, it’s mainly Vietnamese migrants who are targeted by human traffickers to work in nail salons. They’re also targeted to work as prostitutes, drug dealers, and are the largest national group crossing the Channel illegally.
With virtually no regulation in the beauty industry, it is alarmingly easy to set up a nail bar with trafficked employees.
One Sad Example
UK children’s charity Barnardo’s cited one sad case. It involves a 15-year-old girl called Linh. She was separated from her mother and trafficked across Europe, forced to work long hours in a nail shop for free. Linh did so to pay off the debt her family accumulated for being smuggled illegally into the UK.
She was beaten daily and not allowed to move without permission from the adult men who supervised her. She survived on rice and water.
Barnardo’s stated: “This form of ‘debt bondage’ is a very common way in which children and adults who have been trafficked are controlled by traffickers.”
The number of Vietnamese citizens identified as victims of slave labour has hit record levels, according to Home Office figures.
Andrew Wallis, CEO of anti-slavery charity Unseen, says: “The Modern Slavery & Exploitation Helpline continues to receive numerous reports of nail bars being involved not just in labour and sexual exploitation, but also in criminal activities such as money laundering and drug trafficking.
“Customers visiting these nail bars, which are often cash-only operations and cheap, may unknowingly be supporting these practices.”
Way back in 2016, police arrested nearly 100 people working in 280 nail shops in Edinburgh, London and Cardiff, as part of the Government’s Operation Magnify. This targets “at risk” industries. Most of the 97 people held were Vietnamese nationals. And the problem has only gotten worse since then.
How Can You Tell If Your Nail Technician Is A Slave?
So, if you want to avoid modern slavery in nail salons, what should you do?
Well, there are 12 tips Unseen recommends you look out for.
They are:
- Technicians always seem tired, withdrawn, or don’t take breaks
- They look particularly young
- They seem to be on edge or afraid, particularly around the boss
- Technicians don’t speak any English
- They might live above or in the nail salon
- They become distressed when handling money
- Technicians do not engage/don’t seem friendly with other staff
- Workers look unkempt, with poor personal hygiene
- You can only pay in cash
- Prices are very low
- Staff don’t appear properly trained, and reluctant to build a relationship with you
- You don’t recognise any of the nail brands used
If you notice more than one of these signs, and you’re in the UK, you should report the salon to Unseen’s modern slavery helpline at 08000 121 700.
Further Impacts
Modern slavery in nail bars harms vulnerable workers, obviously. But there are broader implications, too. Professional therapists and nail technicians struggle to compete with cheap, sub-standard services.
And of course, we clients can often experience issues such as allergies to products like HEMA, long-term nail damage, and sub-par manicures that don’t last, all due to untrained technicians and cost-cutting on products and equipment.
As always, education is key. If you see something suspicious, speak out. At the very least, you’ll raise the standards of a substandard nail bar. And at the very best, you might save a life.
Have you had any experience of modern slavery at a nail bar? Let us know in the comments, below!
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