Ideal for - cloudfront.net

NAILARTPRODUCTS&IDEAS
F
Courtesy of NSI www.nsinails.com / www.nsinails.co.uk
rom an early age, art plays an
important part in all of our lives.
Whether you were glued to your TV
screen to watch Art Attack, or busy
foraging in your bin for yoghurt pots for
the latest Blue Peter creation, everyone
is sure to have dabbled in a dose of design,
arts and crafts.
The beauty of the nail industry is in its limitless
opportunity for techs to now flex their creative
muscles, with a superb selection of paints,
effects, tools and techniques. Celebrities such as
Rihanna and Lily Allen have helped promote the
work of nail professionals and the possibilities of
nail design, and now we see a variety of clients
clambering to adorn their nails with everything
from a small crystal on the ring finger to a
glittering enhancement with 3D sassy stripes and
extravagant illustrations.
State
of the
Art
Embrace your inner artist with ideas and
tools to aid your nail designs and help
create masterpieces – whatever your skillset
BY MELANIE MACLEOD
“Nail art is important as the ability to create it
improves your relationship with your products and
your control of them,” asserts Frank Schäberle,
artistic director at Alessandro International.
Nail art acts as a walking advertisement; treat
nails as mini canvasses for creating mani
masterpieces and your clients’ friends and
family will be asking where they got it before
hot-footing to fit into your appointment book.
If you have a more traditional client base that
tends to opt for classic looks such as French
manicures, consider repackaging nail art as
nail ‘styling’ or slowly introduce it, starting with a
statement ring finger or pretty one stroke design.
“For clients new to nail art, it’s a nice gesture to
offer them complimentary nail art on a couple
of their fingernails to introduce them to the
opportunities,” suggests Annamaria Farkas,
international master educator at Crystal Nails.
There are nail art solutions to suit all skillsets; from
stamping plates, nail stickers and diamantés
for the less creative or time-poor techs among
us, to super enhancements and hand painted
designs or intriguing sculpts for patient techs
bursting with ideas. Don’t be afraid to dabble
in design, and consider investing in a nail art
course to expand your repertoire and increase
your revenue in the long run.
Don’t forget to show off your creations to your
clients – both new and existing – to admire.
In between clients, practice on tips and pop
in a frame, changing frequently, such as when
you have new nail art products or creations for
special or seasonal events like Easter, summer
or Valentine’s Day.
SCRATCH 47
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NAILARTPRODUCTS&IDEAS
NAILARTPRODUCTS&IDEAS
CHARGING FOR CREATIVITY
Karla Powell Nail Charts
£11.50 inc. VAT
Put your art skills to practice on
Karla Powell’s Nail Charts. The
A5 travel-size pad is perfectly
prepped for the application of
nail varnishes and pens, and
will reflect the true hue of every
polish, allowing your designs to
come to life.
www.karla-cosmetics.com
Adding fun fashions to fingernails will see
revenue rolling in, but it pays to think about
how you plan to charge for the services, as
this avoids nasty surprises for your clients and
stops you from losing hard-earned profit.
Time: “If you’re creating an intricate design, I
would recommend charging by time,” advises
OPI educator, Bryony McMillan. “There is a fine
line between charging too little that you lose
out on profit, and charging too much that you
could put clients off having nail art. Try to be
competitive with other professionals in your area.”
“In my salon I offer five, 10 and 15-minute
design options as a quick and easy way to
charge for nail art,” explains Belinda Price,
Palms Extra educator and Scratch Stars
Educator of the Year 2014. “This ensures that
the client is aware of how much they will be
charged and gives you a timeframe so you
don’t spend too long creating a design and
then either undercharge or have to charge
clients an additional fee they don’t expect.”
Product use: “I take a flexible approach with
pricing and charge by the intricacy of my
work,” explains Palms Extra educator, Linda
Hill. “The price reflects whether the client wants
simple diamantés added or 3D acrylic designs
or gel embellishment.”
Per nail: “I charge clients per fingernail, starting
from 50p per nail for a simple design, with
more detailed work charged at £1 to £1.50 per
nail,” shares Nubar educator, Abbie James.
“The price of designs also depends on the
length of the nail, as this affects how much
product is used, so for example, on a long
fingernail I would charge more for a full nail
encrusted with diamantés than a shorter nail.”
“Charge according to the complexity of the
design and materials used,” suggests Salon
System educator, Rachel Gribble. “I would
suggest less for a simple design and then
adding onto the cost for more complex
designs with embellishment.”
“We’re finding that more and more clients
request nail art on just one finger, such as a
statement nail, so charging per finger is a
fair payment system that is easy to explain to
clients and enables them to create a bespoke
design, which suits their budget and time
frame,” says Jade Rogers, salon manager at
Poize, Liverpool.
Skill level: “Bear in mind the level of your
nail art when charging,” advises Crystal Nails
international master educator Annamaria
Farkas. “If you’ve won competitions and are
recognised in the industry, you’re within your
rights to charge extra. If you’re a salon owner
it’s a good idea to have a price list with
different fees for newly qualified techs, or those
less experienced in nail art, to the pros.”
48 SCRATCH
Are you feeling uninspired and tired
of painting the same designs?
Glance over the selection of sources
top techs and industry experts go to
for their inspiration…
“My staff use a number of different avenues
to seek inspiration for nail art. Catwalk
images fresh from Fashion Week are the
most obvious option, but inspiration is also
sought from art exhibitions, especially
those which specialise in graphic prints,
to ensure some really striking designs.
“It’s also important to look at the world
around you for ideas; I find fresh fruit
market stalls really inspiring for colours
and shading, as well as fashion prints,
Nail Art Ring £2.55 + VAT
Use this handy tool to practice
new designs and showcase
your skills to your clients.
www.sweetsquared.com
QUICKSTART
KITS
SEEKING INSPIRATION
comics and architecture for bolder,
geometric designs.”
Jade Rogers, salon manager at
Poize, Liverpool
“Looking on fashion and beauty blogging
sites is a great way to find inspiration.
Also, watching fashion shows and taking
designs from fabrics and even textures
can give some great ideas for nail art.”
Bryony McMillan, OPI educator
“All Crystal Nails educators have pages on
social media where they post their latest
art, which is a great source of inspiration
for other techs. Always keep an eye on
the nail art creations of competition
winners, as these can be very inspiring.”
Annamaria Farkas, Crystal Nails
Nails by Fereida Lydiate using NSI
international master educator
While you’re probably a pro at polishing and a dab-hand at
filing, you may lack the confidence to tackle nail art.
Don’t let it put you off; there are solutions for all, so if
you’re not ready for freehand painting or sculpting
designs there are countless products on the market
aimed at introducing nail art to the uninitiated.
ART
IN AN
INSTANT
IBD Gel Art Kit £49.75 + VAT
The IBD Gel Art Kit contains a
double-ended dotting tool and
six classic colours each with a
thicker viscosity. In developing a
thicker gel and built-in detailer
brush for intricate nail art, this
kit allows you to perfect unique
nail designs.
www.graftons.co.uk
“If you’re new to nail art, keep it simple,” advises Salon
System educator, Rachel Gribble. “Some of the best nail
art is the easiest to do. Marbling is really effective, yet so quick and easy
to do. I would also recommend using a dotting tool; they are perfect for
creating floral designs or your classic polka dot.”
VPP Hydro Gel £89.99 + VAT (starter kit)
Ideal for nail art novices, Hydro Gel colours
transform into water-like effects, creating
unique patterns at a super fast speed.
Hydro Gel is also perfect for creating
animal print designs and flawless roses.
www.palmsextra.com
Also consider products that do the hard work for you, such as effects top
coats and colour changing formulas.
Perfect Match Mood gel polishes £POA
Shade-shifting polishes for a forever
changing nail look.
www.asunailandbeauty.ie
www.transfromnailandbeauty.co.uk
Orly Instant Artist Water Based Starter Kit
£15 + VAT
Orly’s water-based formula allows for
more time to create designs and means
mistakes can be easily rectified. The
specialised striper brush gives increased
precision to create unique nail art looks.
Kit contains one Dotter Duo tool and five
opaque paints in Hot Pink, Crisp White,
Jet Black, Hot Yellow and Fiery Red.
www.graftons.co.uk
Gel II Reaction Gel Polish in
Aloha Bay Bay £15.45 + VAT
This colour-changing polish
creates an eye-catching arty look
in as long as it takes to perform
a gel polish manicure thanks to
its heat-reacting formula.
www.thecreativebeautygroup.co.uk
VPP Mosaic Gel
£89.99 + VAT (starter kit)
Dubbed ‘art in a bottle’,
stunning nail art can be
created in seconds with
the Mosaic colours; just
layer the colours
up and watch the
shades transform into
different tones.
www.palmsextra.com
The Edge Nail Art Kit £37 + VAT
This kit from The Edge includes
everything you need to get
started experimenting with nail
art, including multiple brushes,
nail art pens, nail paint,
striping tape, gold foil leaf
and much more.
www.edgenails.co.uk
LCN Nail Cuticle Tattoo Set
£1.40 + VAT
Cuticle tattoos are ideal
for clients who want a little
temporary art to feature on
their fingers, but don’t feel
inclined to commit to a
design on their nails.
www.bcitrade.com
Gelish Magneto £27.95 + VAT
Create a trio of different
designs with just the swipe of a
magnet. Available in a variety
of metallic colours, including
green, blue and red.
www.nailharmonyuk.com
SCRATCH 49
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NAILARTPRODUCTS&IDEAS
INSPIRING
IDEAS
NAILARTPRODUCTS&IDEAS
:
Ideal for
:
Ideal for
Techs just getting started with nail art, that
know their way around a dotting tool.
With a plethora of handy
supplies and tools available,
nail art possibilities are endless.
Be inspired by the work of fellow
techs and recreate the looks – or
elements of the design; ideal
whether you’re full of artistic
flair or a nail newbie.
Seasoned artists with a steady hand and
impeccable attention to detail.
Dotting Tools
£2.95 + VAT (set of five)
www.sweetsquared.com
Nails by
Morena Sanguigni
Be Creative Needle
Pen £7.70 + VAT
www.sambiddle.co.uk
Bio Sculpture Gel Crystal
Teardrops £5.67 + VAT (240 pk)
www.biosculpture.co.uk
Cuccio Pronto Soak
Off Color Gel Kit
from £4.99 + VAT
www.cuccio.co.uk
Jessica Time to Sparkle
glitter in Diamond
£3.75 + VAT
www.gerrardinternational.com
Nails by Annalise
Greenhalgh of
Darling Digits, Bolton
:
Ideal for
Color Club Art Striper in
Solid Silver £2.99 + VAT
www.salon-services.com
Gellux in Silver Crystal
£11.95 + VAT
Available from
wholesalers nationwide
NSI HD Detailer Brush £12.95 + VAT
www.nsinails.co.uk
NSI Secrets Prism Paints
£2.35 + VAT each
www.nsinails.co.uk
Clients booked for a long appointment, and techs who
are comfortable working with multiple media.
:
Ideal for
Techs experienced in the one stroke technique with a
keen eye for detail and a flair for mixing colours.
ASP Prism Glitter Acrylic
Powder Kit £6.99 + VAT
www.salon-services.com
Nails by Morena Sanguigni
EZ Art Artistic Gem Heart
Shaped Rhinestones
£1.50 + VAT
www.americannails.com
Alessandro
International
Rhinestones (100pk)
£6.50 + VAT
www.alessandrointernational.co.uk
Nubar Design Acrylic in
Pastel Teal £7.30 + VAT
www.palmsextra.com
:
Ideal for
Orly Detailer Brush £7.40 + VAT
www.graftons.co.uk
:
Ideal for
Techs looking to create a striking nail style for adventurous
clients but who are less skilled with painting freehand designs.
Lecenté Pure Pink
Nail Art Foil £3.99 + VAT
www.sweetsquared.com
Nails by Nikki Drury
52 SCRATCH
Mosaic Foil Gel
£41.99 inc. VAT
www.susansnailstore.co.uk
Nail art novices who are keen to try a variety of
simple techniques in one design.
IZ Beauty of London Mirror
Flakes & Glass Bricks
(available as part of the
Shatter It Kit) £22.50 + VAT
www.izabellehammon.com
NSI Secrets HD 3D Brush £19.95 + VAT
www.nsinails.co.uk
Nail Gaga sticker
embellishments
£2.50 + VAT
www.nailgaga.co.uk
Crystal Nails One Move Acrylic
Paints £3 inc. VAT each
www.crystalnails4u.co.uk
Nails by
Rebecca Isaac
Mosaic 6-piece One Stroke
Brush Set £19.46 inc. VAT
www.susansnailstore.co.uk
Nubar Nail Art Striper in
Hot Fuchsia £2.99 + VAT
www.palmsextra.com
Lecenté Antique Nail
Art Foil £3.99 + VAT
www.sweetsquared.com
TOP
APPLICATION TIP
Prepare the back of
the foils using a cleanser
and a lint-free pad
to remove any
debris or oils.
Cina Pro Diamond Crystal
Nail Art Pack £7.99 + VAT
www.salon-services.com
Nails by Nicola Coleman
DTPro Nails Glitters
£3.50 + VAT each
www.dtpronails.com
Orly Dotter Duo £3.70 + VAT
www.graftons.co.uk
Bio Sculpture Gel Spot and Swirl Tool £3.92 + VAT
www.biosculpture.co.uk
>>
SCRATCH 53
NAILARTPRODUCTS&IDEAS
:
Ideal for
Techs proficient with gel polish, looking for a
simple yet effective design.
Gellux Gel Polish in Purely
White £11.95 + VAT
Available from
wholesalers nationwide
Chroma Gel 1- Step
Gel Polish in Diamonds
For Me £18 inc. VAT
www.chromagel.co.uk
Artistic Marbling Tool Kit
£14.95 + VAT
www.louellabelle.co.uk
Nails by Malwina Wieszczecinska
:
Ideal for
Intermediate level techs. Try the Aquarelle technique - with
patience and practice the effects can be simply stunning.
Sam Biddle Water Based
Paint £2.50 inc. VAT
Nail Art Pen £7.50 inc. VAT
www.sambiddle.co.uk
Crystal Nails Aquarelle
paints £5 inc. VAT each
www.crystalnails4u.co.uk
Nails by
Alexandra Mehesz
Crystal Nails Aquarelle
Brush £12.60 inc. VAT
www.crystalnails4u.co.uk
:
Ideal for
Techs that like to add a bit of sparkle to designs and
clients who aren’t too hardwearing on their nails.
LCN Nail Charms
£7.50 + VAT
www.bcitrade.com
Nazila Nail Glitz Nail Art
Wheel in Ladybird Bow
£7.99 + VAT
www.salon-services.com
Nails courtesy of
The Sunshine Studio
54 SCRATCH
Cina Pro Charms &
Chains £6.99 + VAT
www.salon-services.com
Bio Sculpture Gel Pocket
Size Tweezers 96p + VAT
www.biosculpture.co.uk
Nubar Professional
Brush Set £11.95 + VAT
www.palmsextra.com
>>
NAILARTPRODUCTS&IDEAS
FUNKY
FINISHES
Sam Biddle Velveteen
£3.50 inc. VAT
www.sambiddle.co.uk
Add a touch of
texture or a special effect
to nails for an eye-catching
fix and see clients skip out
of the salon as a walking
advertisement for your
creative services.
ASP Signature Match-Ups in
Spellbound £11.95 + VAT
www.salon-services.com
CND™ Flora and Fauna
Additives Kit £25.50 + VAT
www.sweetsquared.com
China Glaze Matte Magic
£2.60 + VAT/RRP £5.50
www.thebeautypartnership.com
Gellux Gel Polish in
Gold Rush £11.95 + VAT
Available from
wholesalers nationwide
Artistic Colour Gloss in
Illusion £15.95 + VAT
www.louellabelle.co.uk
essie Luxeffects in
Set In Stones £4.45
+ VAT/RRP £8.95
T: 0800 012 1784
NAIL ART IDEAS
All That Jazz nail polish
in Live For the Applause
£5.83 + VAT/RRP £9.99
www.allthatjazzuk.com
Cheeky Stamping
Plates £5.99 + VAT
www.nailsand.co.uk
• Foil or wrap desig
ns
& encapsulations
• Marbling
• Ombré
• Freehand and hand
painted
• Textured
• Colour changing
• Dotted and stripe
d
• Decal additions
• One stroke
• Aquarelle
• Stickers
• Stamping
• Nail charms
• Fantasy
Don’t Speak pure 18k
Gold Top Coat £14.50
+ VAT/RRP £29.98
www.opiuk.com
Morgan Taylor Mattes
a Wrap £5.50 + VAT
www.louellabelle.co.uk
56 SCRATCH
Minx Nail Wraps in Summer
Hippy and Golden Lightning
Cheetah £6.95 + VAT
www.sweetsquared.com
See the work of fellow professionals and further
ideas for design by purchasing the Nail Art and Nail
Style books by Scratch’s deputy editor, Helena Biggs,
available from the www.scratchmagazine.co.uk
web store priced at £7.99 each plus P&P.