Nails in Germany

I wanted to share a little sneak peak about my trip this past March to the Beauty International Show in Dusseldorf, Germany. The full story will come out in our July issue, but here are some pictures from the show.

The Beauty International Show in Dusseldorf, Germany is one of the biggest and most important shows for German nail techs and nail manufacturers. It has a massive show floor filled with booths of varying sizes and product lines, and the aisles are filled with eager attendees looking to expand their knowledge and product lines. The nail booth presence was very strong and healthy, with row after row of booths showcasing products and demos in front of attentive show goers.

I immediately saw some familiar names at the show. This Odyssey Nail Systems booth was hosted by its German distributor.

And so was the NSI booth.

The booth sizes were a little larger than American booths, with many even having full cocktail bars like this one at Hollywood Nails.

Owner of Hollywood Nails, Sylvia Huckenbeck talked to me about how nail salons in Germany first got their start 20 years ago with single manicuring tables offering add-on services in tanning and hair salons.

Vicki Peters (right), poses with friend and nail artist Elsbeth Schuetz. Peters was one of the nail competition judges, and Schuetz was doing polish art demos at the Nail Selection booth.

Stilettos were a popular look at the show, especially among the educators from Russia and Eastern Europe. Julia Seber, an educator for Trendnails International, sported these detailed stilettos.

I was invited to attend a training seminar for Alessandro International, a German-based nail manufacturer. International Trainer Simina Farcasiu (standing) teaches Alessandro educators from all over the world on new products and techniques. She is originally from Romania but is fluent in multiple languages to help teach such a diverse group. The classes were all taught in English though, which everyone understood well.

CEO of Alessandro International Silvia Troska talked to me about how she started her company 20 years ago after learning about gels from the dental industry.

Look for the full story in the July issue.

— Tim