Editor's Note

February. The first thing that comes to mind, naturally, is Valentine’s Day. Love, romance, hearts, flowers, and perhaps the extra money that can be made from special nail art designs for clients.

Sorry, I didn’t mean to take the enchantment out of it so abruptly, but trade magazines (and their editors) are supposed to be business-oriented. So there’s a tendency to look at the business side of even the finer things in life, including art and beauty.

Take airbrushing for example. Here’s an art form that can create beautiful nail designs, like the ones on this month’s cover, or pages 58 and 59. It can also result in added profits for the technician or salon that offers airbrushing services. A good combination of art, beauty, business and profit.

Sounds good enough. And if you’ve been thinking of getting into airbrushed nails, this could be a great time to seriously consider this service, which is rapidly growing in popularity.

But first you’ve got some homework to do. And this issue is designed to help you get started ... by explaining what an airbrush is, how it works, what kind of care it requires, what supplies and accessories are needed (see page 33). Then there’s the process of finding out which companies offer what equipment, services and education (see page 43). And of course we offer what every nail technician clamors for: basic techniques and step-by-step instructions by way of example.

That should be sufficient to familiarize nail technicians and salon owners with the basics of airbrushing. The decisions, investment, learning and practice are up to you, as are the marketing and profiting aspects of this beautiful art form available to every nail business.