Nail Structure & Application

Many techs are familiar with the issue of under-curing gel but not so aware of the issues of over-curing gel.  How many techs have been baffled by returning clients with what looks like a completely different colour to the one...

Do you ever look at your nail enhancements once you’ve finished filing and feel disheartened that there isn’t something quite right, but you can’t quite pinpoint it or don’t know how to fix it?Do you feel that your sets aren’t...

One of the most important yet surpassed elements of a nail enhancement is the convex and concave. Firstly, lets explain what the convex and concave is: Convex: The exterior curve of the nail enhancement. Concave: The interior curve or “the tunnel”...

Did you know that each nail is naturally a different length and grows at different rates, meaning it is unlikely that they will be exactly the same length at any time? Have you ever experienced a client return after their...

There are many different nail shapes that clients request and it is important to ensure that you are providing a structurally sound and durable enhancement with the correct form fit and apex for each shape. Learn how to decide the...

One of the most common mistakes a tech can make is over filing the lower arch of the nail, especially if the form or tip fit was incorrect in the first place. Want to master your form fit? grab our...

A straight line measures the distance between two locations. It measures one point to another without deviating. We use straight lines and angles regularly when creating nails including form fitting, smile lines, filing techniques and nail art. It doesn’t have...

TYPES OF TIPS Most nail tips are manufactured out of plastic such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene monomers (ABS), a durable yet flexible material that can be shaped into a smooth surface that resists yellowing. When purchasing tips, seek virgin plastic...

Achieving a close and neat cuticle application with gel polish can be a nail tech’s nemesis but with just a few simple steps you can master a photo perfect cuticle application your clients will love. To achieve this with the...

A crisp, neat smile line that flatters the client’s nail and creates an elongated look can really set your work apart from other nail techs in both salon and competition work. However, achieving this perfect smile line can worry many...

  The word ‘Gel’ lends itself to confusion because it actually describes the product’s physical state, but over the years it has become a generic name of the product category. Whereas ‘acrylic’ is a two-part system of liquid and powder...

To get the best out of your nail products and make them work for you, it is important to understand the chemistry behind them. Let's look into the chemistry of acrylic. Monomer More commonly known as ‘Liquid’.  A monomer is a molecule, which...

I loved creating this front cover for Scratch Magazine. Not only was I the nail artist but also the make up artist, hair stylist and model! My inspiration for this was 'lollipop lady'. I was originally planning on entering this...

Prep nail and fit a stiletto form. If the form doesn’t fit snuggly under the free edge, cut this to fit using KB Form Tailoring Kit.  The form should be fitted straight from the side.  Make sure this is snuggly...

Nails come in a variety of shapes and sizes and everyone has fingers and nails of different lengths and shapes. Some have long, slim fingers while others have short fingers with short nail beds and every combination in between. A...

How to deal with clients wanting to remove their nails at home Any damage to the natural nail is usually the result of improper application or removal, overly aggressive filing, or client abuse such as picking or biting. When both...

Since gel polish came onto the nail scene, it has influenced bookings and revenue and means that clients can’t smudge their fresh nails. However, this technique comes with its own issues, especially since home kits have become so readily available...

This sound can be likened to the postmans knock (or Hermes!). You know the one, you don't hear it, yet you receive a 'sorry we missed you card'!

As a nail tech, we can be first to blame the client or ourselves when a client returns with a problem. One of the key issues for nail techs appears to be the lifting of enhancements. What is lifting? An enhancement...

Nailing the grit There are so many types of nail files, how do you know which one to use? All files are coated in a material similar to sandpaper, which creates a grit-like coarse surface. Like sandpaper, nail files are...

In shapes where the apex comes straight down from the highest point such as almond and stiletto, the apex is often known as the balance point.  There can be confusion as to how wide the apex is, with many techs under the impression that it needs to run across the whole body of the nail from one sidewall to the other.