Contessa Winners 2006 - 2009 [Canada’s Nail Art Awards]

The Contessas are an annual beauty award program that shows off the best Canada’s salon professionals have to offer.

2009 - Nail Art Tech of the Year: Angela Fuhrer (Impressions Hair Group, Sherwood Park, Alberta), and Nail Enhancement Artist of the Year: Jennifer Mather (Polished Nail Design Group Inc., Burlington, Ontario).

2008 -

2007 - Nail Art Technician of the Year: Janis Tecson (Vault Salon & Spa, Winnipeg, Manitoba), Nail Enhancement Artist of the Year: Jennifer Bennett (Hair Factory, St. John’s, Newfoundland)

2006 - Nail Tech Artist of the Year: Jessica-Marie Ellison (Yorkville School of Makeup and Esthetics, Toronto) and Nail Enhancement Artist of the Year: Rheanne Thackeray (Kenneth Blair Salon & Spa, Lloydminster, Alberta)

To see other award-winning nails, visit these galleries:

NAILS Cover Tech Contest 2009

NAILS’ Nail Art Mural Contest (from 2003 to present)

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Tags: CHRISTRIO, CND, COLORED ACRYLICS, COLORED GELS, CONTESTS, Doing Nails for Photo Shoots, ENHANCEMENT SERVICES, INTERNATIONAL, NAIL ART, PHOTOGRAPHING NAILS

Spring 2009 Polish Preview

Looking to find out what colors are going to be hot this spring? Well look no further. We've got more than 100 colors for you to choose from.

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Tags: CHI, CHINA GLAZE, CND, COLOR CLUB, DURI COSMETICS, ESSIE COSMETICS, JESSICA COSMETICS, LAMOON, NAILITE, NUBAR, OPI PRODUCTS, ORLY, SPARITUAL

“Year of the Ox” Nail Art

Celebrate the Vietnamese new year — which runs from Jan. 26, 2009 through Feb. 14, 2010 — with “Year of the Ox” nail art. This gallery showcases bonus art not published in NAILS Magazine.

To view more multicultural designs, look at these other nail art galleries:

Multi [Nail] Denominational Nail Art

International Sensations: Swedish Nail Art

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Toes in Pastels

Ah, spring. The snow is finally melting, flowers are beginning to bloom, and toes are emerging from the dark depths of boots and socks, signaling the start of the hotly anticipated sandal season. Get your clients in a pedicure mood by adding a touch of pastel on their toes. Not only do light shades of green, pink, peach, and blue go hand in hand with the season, they also help liven up toes with a soft dose of color. To get you inspired, we asked a few nail artists to come up with charming designs using pastel colors you can recreate on your clients.

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Tags: FLORAL, HAND-PAINTED, NAIL ART, SPRING

Rainbow Connection: Colored Gels

Looking to add even more color options for your clients? Why not consider an easy-to-apply color gel application? From soft pastels to solid bolds, color gels can be a longer-lasting alternative to traditional nail polish. Adding them as a service can be an easy way to impress your clients and increase your revenue.

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Tags: BACKSCRATCHERS, CND, COLORED GELS, EN VOGUE, IBD, LECHAT, NAILITE, NSI, STAR NAIL PRODUCTS, YOUNG NAILS

Oh, Cupid! [A Valentine’s Day Nail Art Gallery]

With bonus nail art not printed in NAILS Magazine, this gallery showcases stylish, salon-friendly Valentine’s Day designs.

To look at more romance-ready designs, look at these other nail art galleries:

Rhinestones Are a Girl’s Best Friend

Here Comes the Bridal Nail Art

Photography by Kelly Bracken

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Tags: 3D NAIL ART, COLORED ACRYLICS, COLORED GELS, EMBEDDED ACRYLIC, EMBELLISHMENTS, ENHANCEMENT SERVICES, FRENCH MANICURES, GELS, GLITTER ACRYLICS, MULTI-MEDIA NAIL ART, NAIL ART, RHINESTONES, SEASONAL STYLES, SPECIAL OCCASION NAILS

It's Your Birthday Nail Art

How’s this for special birthday nail art customized for each month? Michele Baker of Van Goe’s Salon and Day Spa in Cumming, Ga., is developing a year’s worth of nail art based on each month’s birth flower and birthstone to share with NAILS readers. All products listed are from EZ Flow Nail Systems’ Boogie Nights and Color Powder Collections. This gallery will be updated throughout the year.

Photography by Kelly Bracken

To view other embellished nail art designs, look at these other galleries:

Rhinestones Are a Girl’s Best Friend

Iron Techs: Creative Techs Work With What They’re Given

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Tags: 3D NAIL ART, COLORED ACRYLICS, COMPETITION PRODUCTS, EMBELLISHMENTS, ENHANCEMENT SERVICES, EZ FLOW, MULTI-MEDIA NAIL ART, NAIL ART, RHINESTONES, SEASONAL STYLES, SPECIAL OCCASION NAILS

NAILS Cover Tech Contest - 2009

In the year 2000, the editors of NAILS decided it would be fun to have a nail technician reader create the cover for one issue and so we started the Cover Tech Contest. Every year, we get hundreds of beautiful entries, creative concepts, and astonishing photographs. Browse through the best of the contests through the years. If you're interested in learning how to submit material for the next Cover Tech Contest, contact Judy.Lessin@bobit.com for details. 

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