See You on the Backside: The Top 3 and the Bottom 3

Challenge 4 sponsored by Minx, asked our Top 9 to show us beautiful backside nail art that complemented the look on the front. Contestants were allowed to use any mediums. The Top 9 also had to share a Nail Art Gallery step-by-step tutorial. This week’s guest judge was Mirka Poikkeus of Minx.

In alphabetical order, the Top 3 are:

Cate Widemire: The judges caution you about creating a design we have seen many times before (geode and marbling). That being said, they all believe you created something absolutely beautiful. The cohesiveness of your set and the story it served was well-received. Watch the lighting in your tutorial.

Deanna White: Deanna, your coloring combined with portrait work blew the judges away. Your theme was creative and so cohesive. The bandana print underneath was too cool. Welcome to the Top 3!

Tracey Lee:  You gave the judges a LOT to look at here and we loved it all! You managed to put a lot of work on each nail and showed us a new type of design. The elephant and the owl were judge favorites. Plus, you used Minx! A few more close-ups would have been icing on the cake.

The following techs can breathe again. They are in the middle of this week’s pack and are safe. Congratulations to:

Jonny Diep Pham: You have a real gift for telling stories through nail art and we want you to keep doing just that. The front of these nails was also what we have come to expect from you: bold, intricate artwork. The undersides, however, were not as ornate or compelling as they could have been. We would also like to see you move outside of your gradient work a bit.

Liina Leino: Liina, you proved to the judges that you are a brilliant hand painter. We were all so taken with the work you did on both sides of these nails. We recommend staying away from licensed characters, though. You’re such an amazing artist and it would be far more interesting for us to see original artwork that you create. The jewel nails also weren’t the biggest hit with the judges. But your good vs. evil concept was pure (evil) genius!

Tracy Vinson: You took a risk this week by keeping your entry nails short, and while the judges can appreciate your intention, it ultimately wasn’t the best decision for this type of challenge. The set on the whole was cohesive and lovely, and we adore the ladybug continuity. However, the text nail wasn’t necessary.

Unfortunately, there always has to be a bottom group. The bottom 3, in alphabetical order, are:

Amber Dunson: The judges agree your manicure was fun, especially with the glow-in-the-dark aspect of the skull. But they also wish you had used more precision with your technique and that you had mixed up the underside print a bit.

Dana Cecil: Your zodiac design was super cool as was the wire work you placed around the nails. You did a fresh update on a design we see a lot, which got you a lot of points with the judges. Your tutorial could benefit from more organization, though. Also, our judges who are nail artists recommend acrylic paint over gel-polish for this type of design work.

Trisha Johnson: Your daughter is lucky to have you do her homecoming nails! This story was very sweet and the judges agreed that the tips did go with the dress. Unfortunately, there wasn’t a wow factor here. The judges were left wanting a bit more variety in your design.