Two years after The New York Times’ widely circulated investigation into New York City’s nail salon industry, one Long Islander is doing her part to raise awareness of safety and abuse concerns.
And she’s doing it by opening her own nail place that offers an alternative — right here in Patchogue Village.
Danielle Miller’s All Nailtural was approved last week by the village Planning Board and will open this spring at 61 North Ocean Avenue.
This will be an organic, chemical-free nail salon, she told the board.
“A chemical-free mani pedi is sort of our slogan,” she said. “That’s what makes us different from an ordinary nail salon. You wouldn’t walk into my nail salon and experience [the smell of chemicals], because none can be found there.”
Instead, All Nailtural will use products from Karma Organic.
“It’s a three-part process,” Miller explained. “Soak. Scrub. Polish. Our soaks are all vinegar based. Our scrubs are sugar based. So, really we’re trying to get the public to choose an alternative …”
“Also, no tools that touch one individual touch another individual,” she noted during Tuesday night’s public hearing in Village Hall.. “The first time you come, you but a kit for $5 and it goes with you. And it includes everything you need.
“Cleanliness has big a big issue in these nail salons with fungus, and blood; we’re dealing with a lot of stuff.”
All Nailtural will not be offering any acrylic services, she said.
She pointed to pregnant women and cancer patients as people that could benefit from a chemical-free experience.
“People looking to protect their bodies,” she said.
Miller said this is her first foray into the nail salon industry.
Through All Nailtural, she also plans to offer a free treatment once a month for anyone undergoing any chemotherapy or radiation.
“A lot of women and men don’t know these polishes are toxic,” she said.
Miller said there are nail salons in New York City that offer natural options, but none that she’s visited that don’t participate at all in acrylics.
“More people are not getting their nails done because they’re starting to wake up,” she said.
All Nailtural will be open seven days a week immediately south of Catch Oyster Bar, in the storefront last occupied by Floral Designs by Raphael.
Read: A Response to ‘The Price of Nice Nails.’
Photo: All Nailtural will be located at 61 North Ocean Avenue between Catch Oyster bar and the Nationwide Insurance/Parente Agency. (Credit: Michael White)
Editor’s note: In response to a reader question, what appears below is a quote from Danielle Miller during Tuesday’s Planning Board meeting, at which she mentions the shop’s cleaning materials:
“The chemical that we’re using to clean, we get from a company in Medford, and he also provided me a full list [of components]. It’s a plant-based chemical, but it’s strong enough to kill blood pathogens.”
