Photo Galleries

<p>Kristine Lee Howell of North Ogden, Utah, illustrates a holiday beyond a child’s wildest wishes in these two mural designs.</p>

Be of Good Cheer - Holiday Nail Art

A funny thing happens during the holidays. Stress levels and spirits soar simultaneously. Lines are longer, but smiles are broader. And everyone hopes to feel young again and experience the holidays like they did when they were kids. Help clients capture a little holiday magic with a touch of flair on their fingertips. Holiday nail art can be silly or sophisticated, bold or demure. Your clients are sure to find something right for them in these designs.

To view more holiday themed nail art, visit these other nail art galleries:

Our Favorite Reader Nail Art for the Winter Holidays

Multi[Nail] Denominational

View Photos

Tags: CHRISTMAS, HOLIDAYS, NAIL ART, SEASONAL STYLES

<p>2009 1ST PLACE: Kimberly Connolly Preston, Kenton, Ohio</p>

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

Spectacular. Amazing. Impressive. You can take your pick of adjectives, since all of them describe the quality and range of entries to NAILS' annual Nail Mural Contest. Beginning in 2003 with winners Sue Tumblety, Kazuko Tomiyama and Lorena Marquez, through 2009 when Kimberly Connolly Preston, Jessica Valasek, and Rachel Ouellette took the top prizes, these diminutive works of art continue to enchant us all.

View Photos

Tags: NAIL ART, NAIL ART CONTESTS

<p>Show ‘em you’re a tiger, show ‘em what you can do… Some gels have a paint-like consistency, making them easier to control. Here Christie Lovett shows off her steady hand with this tiger-print design.</p>

Nail Art Designs Created with Colored Gels

Colored gels are poised to make a splash in nail art. Different formulations allow techs to create unique nail art or build beautifully colored enhancements. Some colored gels are for sculpting, others have been designed to act as paint. Some colored gels are transparent, some are non-translucent.

Some collections feature a multitude of shades, others leave the mixing to the techs. Now more than ever nail techs really can have it their way when it comes to colored gels. Here are some designs from other nail techs to give you some ideas of gel's versatility.

View Photos

Tags: COLORED GELS, NAIL ART

<p>2006 Mixed Media - Junior First place and Best of Stuff [pictured]: Tanya Sisson, Aloha, Ore.</p>
<p>Second place: Theresa Dickson, Surrey, England</p>
<p>Third place: Daresa Hosonitz, Swansea, S.C.</p>

Strut Your Stuff Nail Art Contest 2002-2008

Started in 2002, the Beautytech Strut Your Stuff online nail art and enhancement contest has truly become an international event, with entrants from such far-flung locales as Tokyo, Singapore, Poland, and the Netherlands.

View Photos

Tags: 3D NAIL ART, COMPETING, HAND-PAINTED, INTERNATIONAL, NAIL ART

<p>2002 1ST PLACE: Vicki Benner of Chazio's Hair Salons in Lake in the Hills, Ill.</p>

NAILS Cover Tech Contest - Years 2001 to 2003

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.

View Photos

Tags: NAIL ART

<p>2008 1ST PLACE: Tokyo-based Nobuko Inagaki attempted to capture a typical morning for a working woman. Despite her hectic schedule, Inagaki’s working woman still has time for picture-perfect nails. “I want to be like her — a woman who cares about health and beauty even if she’s busy,” she says. A tech for 11 years, Inagaki served as her own model for the photo. It took her an hour to create this pretty gel set using Calgel.</p>

NAILS Cover Tech Contest - Years 2007 & 2008

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.

View Photos

Tags: COMPETING, NAIL ART

Bedecked and Bejeweled by Jill Worswick of Visions Salon in Chico, Calif. (1 of 3) - Jill handpainted these colorful, sparkling concoctions. She first polished the nails in festive polish shades then applied complementary-hued rhinestones in different shapes and sizes, forming jewel-like patterns with them.

Rhinestones Are a Girl's Best Friend

Never mind diamonds. Get your clients’ nails sparkling and looking like a million bucks with a dose of rhinestones. While they may rather be wearing diamonds on their fingers, a little sparkle on their nails is a welcome — and much less expensive — alternative.

We asked several nail artists to come up with fun nail designs incorporating rhinestones to help inspire you to come up with your own creations. Be sure to tell your clients that while diamonds are forever, rhinestones on nails are a fun (and temporary) spin to add some bling to their look. Photography Kelly Bracken

View Photos

Tags: MULTI-MEDIA NAIL ART, NAIL ART, RHINESTONES