“This Can Never Be in Africa”: Nail Technician Delivers Service to Corpse at Mortuary, SA Astonished

“This Can Never Be in Africa”: Nail Technician Delivers Service to Corpse at Mortuary, SA Astonished

  • A video of a nail technician working on a corpse in a mortuary went viral, giving viewers a glimpse into a surprising and emotional career path
  • The video, shared on TikTok, showcased the woman's commitment and care as she provided a final act of beauty for the deceased
  • Social media users reacted with a mix of shock and admiration, praising her courage and compassion while also raising questions about her profession

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She carefully removed her chipped burgundy nail polish while in full protective gear
A woman who works with nails had an appointment at the mortuary to do a manicure on a deceased person. Image: @upyourslay
Source: Instagram

An emotional and eye-opening video on a deceased person's pamper session gave viewers a rare look into a beautiful and final act of care.

The clip, shared on TikTok by @upyourslay, was met with a flood of emotional comments from social media users.

The video featured @upyourslay, the Miami-based nail technician who invited her viewers to watch her as she prepared to work on a deceased woman. Dressed in full protective gear, including a mask and surgical gloves, she approached the covered corpse with a respectful and professional demeanour. She began her work by carefully removing the late woman's burgundy nail polish, which had started to chip.

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Beauty beyond life

The technician then started the process of applying a fresh set of acrylic nails, shaping and filing them before finishing with a new coat of the same burgundy polish. She then finished the nails by decorating them with diamantes as a final touch. The woman's preference for this specific colour was clear, given that she had the same shade on when she passed away.

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The technician's unique work, which is not a common practice, is a part of a larger field called mortuary cosmetology, a branch of funeral services that focuses on preparing the deceased for viewings and burials.

Others wondered what the point of doing nails was, saying they would have been scared
The woman's video went viral, with many users asking if she was using the same equipment for both the deceased and the living. Image: @upyourslay
Source: TikTok

Netizens react with shock to the mortuary's final touch

The clip gained massive views online, reaching over 11 million and thousands of comments from social media users who were shocked to see such a service. Many were curious about @upyourslay's work and asked if she uses the same equipment for the living and the deceased.

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She responded, confirming that she has two separate sets to maintain proper hygiene. Some asked if the funeral parlour would be responsible for paying for her or if it was the family's responsibility. Others thanked her for her courage to do such a job, with many admitting they would be too scared to do the same.

User @DeviliciousAngel added:

"Thank you for doing this."

User @Onankie shared:

"Can I ask? Does the family pay for the nails, or is it the mortuary? And is the pricing the same for the dead and the living?"

User @katertots commented:

"I'm not a nail technician, but I painted my big sister's nails. She was the first person to do my nails, I was the last to do hers ❤️."

User @Mandy1709 joked:

"Once a baddie, always a baddie."

User @best girl asked:

"Don’t you get nightmares 😳? What if she comes back at night to you,😳all because she didn’t like the colour of the nails?"

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User @Mabina said:

"This can never be anywhere in Africa."

Watch the TikTok video below:

3 Briefly News articles about funerals

  • A little was filmed delivering an update to his late mother's grave on how his first day at school was, and finished off by telling her how much he loved her.
  • A woman went from bride to widow the same day after her husband was shot while returning to the wedding reception venue after dropping off relatives who were at the wedding.
  • A pastor proposed to a widow at her husband's funeral, infront of her family, her late husband's family, and his church congregation.

Source: Briefly News

Authors:
Bongiwe Mati avatar

Bongiwe Mati (Human Interest Editor) Bongiwe Mati is a Human Interest reporter who joined Briefly News in August 2024. She holds a Bachelor of Arts Honours degree from the University of the Western Cape. Her journalism journey began in 2005 at the university newspaper. She later transitioned to marketing and sales at Leadership Magazine under Cape Media (2007-2009). In 2023, she joined BONA magazine as an Editorial Assistant, contributing to digital and print platforms across current news, entertainment, and human interest categories. Bongiwe can be reached at bongiwe.mati@briefly.co.za

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