Women are turning to robot manicures so they don't have to TIP their nail techs

As the tipping debate rages on, some women have found a quick and convenient way to avoid paying out extra cash at the nail salon.

Enter, robots! 

The TikTokers, whose handles are @foxymamabailey and @getalifesarah, posted separate videos on their TikTok accounts of them getting their nails done by the robot.

User @getalifesarah got her robotic manicure in November 2023 at her school for only $10.

The other woman spent only $8 on her robotic manicure at Target that she showed off in a February 28 TikTok video.

The robot saved the women from having to tip a manicurist, and they both were able to spend less than the average cost of a standard manicure at a nail salon.

Women have begun using robotic manicurists in order to not tip a nail technician. Two women posted TikTok videos to show off the process of getting the manicure

User @getalifesarah got her robotic manicure in November 2023 at her school for only $10. The other woman spent only $8 on her robotic manicure at Target

A lot of nationwide robotic manicurists were created by Clockwork - a California-based nail technology company that launched in 2021.

The machines are meant to provide 'self-care that's fast and affordable' for anyone hoping to get a manicure.

There are currently more than 10 Clockwork locations nationwide and shoppers can also get a robotic manicure at six Target stores.

User @foxymamabailey was one of the many customers who decided to get her robotic manicure at Target.

The machine she was at successfully painted her thumbnail blue yesterday and the TikToker revealed that the manicure only took 10 minutes to complete.

A negative side to the Clockwork machine is the possibility of a technical malfunction like the one @getalifesarah had.

The machine did eventually begin to work again and she went on to have a 10-minute manicure that only cost her $10. 

The Clockwork manicure robots have proven to be successful, but another startup company is looking to ‘radically transform the manicure market.'

Both of the women got their nails done by robots that were created by Clockwork - a California-based nail technology company that launched in 2021

There are currently more than 10 Clockwork locations nationwide and shoppers can also get a robotic manicure at six Target stores

A total of 35 engineers spent more than four years developing a robot that can remove old nail polish, shape a nail and paint multiple coats.

According to Fast Company, the robot is the size of a large shoebox and it’s big enough to fit the entire hand inside the machine.

‘Nail technicians work intuitively and based on their experiences,’ said 10Beauty co-founder Alex Shashou.

‘We translated all of that into numbers, so we can identify the optimal amount of paint to put on the brush and paint to 0.2 millimeters of the nail’s edge.’

The robot is currently in production in Malaysia, and the company has partnered with hotel chains and large retailers to release their product in stores.

The product is expected to be available at 1,000 locations worldwide this fall.

Manicure lovers who are hoping to get their hands on a 10Beauty robot without having to go into the store can join the waitlist online for 2025.

Until then, individuals can continue to use the Clockwork machine at various stores and airports in the US. 

TikTok users have written good and bad reviews about the Clockwork machines at various Target locations and airports

Not all TikTok users are confident in the Clockwork machines due to their own or their friend's experiences with the machine.

'My coworker got it done at an airport and said it did not turn out well lol,' one user wrote.