From the Editors

7+ Holiday Gift Ideas for Nail Techs

by NAILS Magazine | December 9, 2011 | Bookmark +

Since so many fun products come across my desk each day, I thought I’d offer my two cents for what I think some much-appreciated holiday gifts would be for nail techs specifically. So, if you’re trying to come up with ideas for your co-workers, take a quick look at the ideas below and see if it sparks anything. Happy holidays! (And feel free to let me know your own gift suggestions in the comments section.)

Nail polish jewelry from GingerKittyDesigns. I have a polish bottle-shaped necklace from her that I tend to wear to beauty shows, and at the International Beauty Expo in Long Beach, I saw Nail Files reality TV star Katie Cazorla wearing a GingerKitty bracelet that was actually created using Cazorla’s own The Painted Nail by Nubar polish line. (It’s real polish encased inside the jewelry.) www.etsy.com/shop/gingerkittydesigns

A T-shirt that says it all. Occupational shirts like this “Did someone call a manicurist?” tee from Top Tee Designs are great because they’re perfect for casual errands like a trip to the grocery store. And they are a conversation starter among strangers in the grocery store line, A.K.A. potential new clients. http://topteedesigns.com


Salon business cards, stationary, return address labels, etc. This especially works well if you can get your hands on a digital copy of her salon logo. (Unfortunately, it doesn’t seem like any of the common business card printing sites offer gift certificates. But worst case, you could have the item designed and send her the proof, if you want to be sure it’s exactly how she wants to represent her salon.) www.vistaprint.com

A real lightbox for taking photos of her nail art. You could even include a print-out of this article we wrote about tips for getting great photos of your nails. www.amazon.com

Show tickets. Buy her a ticket to a tradeshow or other nail-related educational event that’s nearby. You can find a list on our calendar. www.nailsmag.com/events/upcoming

A beauty-themed Christmas ornament. I love these ones available from Glitz & Glam in shapes like a hairdryer, lipstick, a make-up compact, and a purse (wish there was a nail one though). www.sallybeauty.com

A stylus for her smart phone or tablet. With more and more nail techs using smart phones to book appointments, it’s savvy to have a stylus designed for these devices — especially since the touchscreens of some phones and tablets won’t work if the user has long fingernails. www.bracketron.com

We also asked our Facebook fans what the best holiday gift is for another nail tech and here are some of their responses:

-Nail products (new tools, a new acrylics collection, glitter, etc.)
-A “be back soon” sign that's in her favorite color or new fabric for taking pictures of her nails
- Gift certificates for other beauty services such as facials, massages, hair, something to pamper themselves since we nail techs pamper others but sometimes forget about ourselves.
-One of those Robart craft paint shakers. They're perfect for shaking all of your gel polish bottles without killing your wrists.
-I'd opt for a restaurant gift certificate that delivers for those busy days!
-Starbucks Coffee gift card

—Sree

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