About Us

An ex once told me that it’s okay to undercompensate people, because “they chose to take those jobs.” A business school classmate once told me that it’s okay to cut corners if “it increases shareholder value.” My former boss at a nail salon once told me that prolonged exposure to harsh nail supplies caused her “to develop severe acne and PCOS.” 

OTOH was started to challenge the idea of a zero-sum world, where livelihoods are sacrificed for cheap services, quality for profits, and health for beauty. It is built on the belief that you can have everything: looking good, doing good, and feeling good. It’s our responsibility to maintain high health and hygiene standards, durable “better for you” polishes, and a living wage for our team. 

Because, on one hand, OTOH could be a traditional salon in a zero-sum world. On the Other Hand, we could aspire to be so much more.

OTOH’s physical and digital spaces were created and are operated by people of color and of the LGBTQIA+ community. If you're interested in joining our team, please email hello@otohnails.com.