How to choose a nail, brow or lash master

Look at five things: real photos of their work, how tools are sterilized, reviews on outside sites, a clear price list and how the master answers questions. If even one of them raises a doubt, it is better to ask before you book than to find out in the chair. Below is what exactly to check and which red flags not to miss.

Photos are the fastest way to understand a master's style and skill. Pay attention to a few things:

• The work is shot in daylight and close up, so you can see the cuticle, the coating line, brow symmetry or lash direction.
• There is work similar to what you want: short nails, natural brows, a light lash effect, not only elaborate designs.
• The photos vary: different hands, faces, days. Identical shots with a perfect background may have been taken from someone else's page.
• There is recent work, not only old posts.

If in doubt, ask to see a few more examples of the exact service you need. A master who works regularly usually has them at hand.

For a manicure this is the main safety question, because tools can touch broken skin. In Ukraine, the sanitary requirements for hairdressers and beauty salons are set out in the State Sanitary Rules and Norms for hairdressing salons of various types, DSanPiN 2.2.2.022-99. A clarification from the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection dated June 2021 says that tools that touch a client's skin or mucous membranes go through disinfection, mechanical cleaning and sterilization after every use - in exactly that order, and these steps do not replace one another. The same source says staff must have at least two sets of tools so they can be decontaminated in turn, and that ultraviolet, thermal, ultrasonic or combined sterilizers are allowed. A publication by the same service dated January 2023 also reminds that only disinfectants registered with the Ministry of Health of Ukraine are allowed.

What this means in practice:

• You can calmly ask how exactly the tools are sterilized. A normal reaction is a short, specific answer, not offence.
• Metal manicure tools are usually taken out of a sealed sterilization pouch in front of you.
• Files, buffers and other items that cannot be sterilized are better single-use or your own.
• The workplace is clean, and surfaces you touch are wiped between clients.

Sources: https://dpss.gov.ua/news/fahivci-golovnogo-upravlinnya-derzhprodspozhivsluzhbi-v-kirovogradskij-oblasti-proveli-zustrich-z-predstavnikami-perukaren-ta-saloniv-krasi and https://dpss.gov.ua/news/sumshchyna-vidbuvsia-seminar-narada-shchodo-dotrymannia-vymoh-sanitarnoho-zakonodavstva-u-zakladakh-krasy (viewed in November 2026).

Reviews a master publishes on their own profile are a selection of the best, and that is normal. But for an honest picture, look for what people write without the master's involvement:

• reviews of the salon or studio on maps and in directories;
• mentions in local groups and chats in your area;
• clients tagging the master in their own posts;
• the opinion of people you know who already go to this master.

Be wary when all the reviews sound the same, appeared within a few days and contain no details. A useful review tells you what exactly was done, how long the coating or lashes lasted and how the master handled it when something went wrong.

A clear price list is a sign that the master respects your time and money. It shows the service name, price and duration, plus what the base price includes and what costs extra: design, removal of the old coating, a touch-up. If a price reads "from" with no explanation, ask what the final amount depends on. A surprise at the till is a question not for you but for the price list.

The first exchange of messages says a lot about how the work will go. A good sign is when questions get straight answers, the master suggests which service suits you, says honestly if they do not do something, and explains how to prepare for the procedure. Separately, check the rules for rescheduling and cancelling: it is worth knowing them in advance, not finding out at the last minute.

• Tools come out of a drawer or a glass rather than a pouch, or a question about sterilization gets an irritated answer.
• The procedure hurts or there is bleeding, and the master tells you to put up with it.
• There are no real photos of the work, or all the photos look like someone else's.
• The price changes after the procedure without warning.
• Pressure: "book right now, there are no slots left", without answering your questions.
• The workplace is dirty, and single-use materials are reused.

If any of this happens, it is fine to stop the procedure and leave. Your health matters more than an awkward moment.

If the master works with Beauty Booking, the master has their own page on https://www.beauty-booking.biz with services, prices, photos of work, the address and free time. You pick a service and a convenient time and send a request, and the master confirms it or offers another time. You can also book in the Beauty Booking Telegram bot without installing anything. Booking is free for clients. Beauty Booking has no ratings or reviews yet, so look for reviews on outside sites, as described above.