<p style="line-height: 200%;"><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Finalist: </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Ayumi Sakamoto, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Nail Salon Ciel, Tokyo</span></span></p>

Finalist: Ayumi Sakamoto, Nail Salon Ciel, Tokyo

<p style="line-height: 200%;"><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Finalist: </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Kasumi Ishii, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Ci-Z International College, Tokyo</span></span></p>

Finalist: Kasumi Ishii, Ci-Z International College, Tokyo

<p><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Sakiko Chikatsu, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Tokyo</span></span></p>

Sakiko Chikatsu, Tokyo

<p><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Robyn Schwartz, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Grand Forks, British Columbia, Canada</span></span></p>

Robyn Schwartz, Grand Forks, British Columbia, Canada

<p><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Sandra Buschgens, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Lanaken, Belgium</span></span></p>

Sandra Buschgens, Lanaken, Belgium

<p><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Lenzi Brock, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Vancouver, Wash.</span></span></p>

Lenzi Brock, Vancouver, Wash.

<p>2nd Runner-Up: Ladawna Lawton, Ladawna&rsquo;s Hair &amp; Nail Artistry, Lemoore, Calif.</p>

2nd Runner-Up: Ladawna Lawton, Ladawna’s Hair & Nail Artistry, Lemoore, Calif.

<p><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Tina Thomas, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Rushden, Northants, U.K.</span></span></p>

Tina Thomas, Rushden, Northants, U.K.

<p><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Blasa Rizo, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Devine, Texas</span></span></p>

Blasa Rizo, Devine, Texas

<p><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Liz Mier, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Grayslake, Ill.</span></span></p>

Liz Mier, Grayslake, Ill.

<p style="line-height: 200%;"><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Finalist: </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Heather Reynosa-Davis, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Killer Queen, Palmer, Alaska </span></span></p>

Finalist: Heather Reynosa-Davis, Killer Queen, Palmer, Alaska

<p style="line-height: 200%;"><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Finalist: </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Heather Reynosa-Davis, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Killer Queen, Palmer, Alaska </span></span></p>

Finalist: Heather Reynosa-Davis, Killer Queen, Palmer, Alaska

<p>3rd Runner-Up: Kasundra Anderson, Sol Oasis, Conyers, Ga.</p>

3rd Runner-Up: Kasundra Anderson, Sol Oasis, Conyers, Ga.

<p style="line-height: 200%;"><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Finalist: </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Nina Ilovar, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Nillandia, Ljubljawa, Slovenia</span></span></p>

Finalist: Nina Ilovar, Nillandia, Ljubljawa, Slovenia

<p style="LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Finalist: </span></span><span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Nina Ilovar, </span></span><span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Nillandia, Ljubljawa, Slovenia</span></span></p>

Finalist: Nina Ilovar, Nillandia, Ljubljawa, Slovenia

<p style="line-height: 200%;"><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Finalist: </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Jenifer Castrovinci, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Profiles 3, Ft. Myers, Fla.</span></span></p>

Finalist: Jenifer Castrovinci, Profiles 3, Ft. Myers, Fla.

<p><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Jamie Ritchey, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Ft. Myers, Fla.</span></span></p>

Jamie Ritchey, Ft. Myers, Fla.

<p style="line-height: 200%;"><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Finalist: </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Shamina J. Di Mauro, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Advance Images &amp; Nail Center, Baldwin, N.Y.</span></span></p>

Finalist: Shamina J. Di Mauro, Advance Images & Nail Center, Baldwin, N.Y.

<p><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Megumi Kato, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Yokohama, Japan</span></span></p>

Megumi Kato, Yokohama, Japan

<p><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Bresay Defoor, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Conyers, Ga.</span></span></p>

Bresay Defoor, Conyers, Ga.

<p>Princess Gard, Shaker Heights, Ohio&nbsp;</p>

Princess Gard, Shaker Heights, Ohio 

<p><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Theresa Jones, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Chicago</span></span></p>

Theresa Jones, Chicago

1/23
 
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<p style="line-height: 200%;"><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Finalist: </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Ayumi Sakamoto, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Nail Salon Ciel, Tokyo</span></span></p>
1/23
 
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Finalist: Ayumi Sakamoto, Nail Salon Ciel, Tokyo

2/23
 
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<p style="line-height: 200%;"><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Finalist: </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Kasumi Ishii, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Ci-Z International College, Tokyo</span></span></p>
3/23
 
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Finalist: Kasumi Ishii, Ci-Z International College, Tokyo

<p><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Sakiko Chikatsu, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Tokyo</span></span></p>
4/23
 
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Sakiko Chikatsu, Tokyo

<p><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Robyn Schwartz, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Grand Forks, British Columbia, Canada</span></span></p>
5/23
 
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Robyn Schwartz, Grand Forks, British Columbia, Canada

<p><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Sandra Buschgens, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Lanaken, Belgium</span></span></p>
6/23
 
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Sandra Buschgens, Lanaken, Belgium

<p><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Lenzi Brock, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Vancouver, Wash.</span></span></p>
7/23
 
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Lenzi Brock, Vancouver, Wash.

<p>2nd Runner-Up: Ladawna Lawton, Ladawna&rsquo;s Hair &amp; Nail Artistry, Lemoore, Calif.</p>
8/23
 
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2nd Runner-Up: Ladawna Lawton, Ladawna’s Hair & Nail Artistry, Lemoore, Calif.

<p><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Tina Thomas, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Rushden, Northants, U.K.</span></span></p>
9/23
 
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Tina Thomas, Rushden, Northants, U.K.

<p><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Blasa Rizo, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Devine, Texas</span></span></p>
10/23
 
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Blasa Rizo, Devine, Texas

<p><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Liz Mier, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Grayslake, Ill.</span></span></p>
11/23
 
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Liz Mier, Grayslake, Ill.

<p style="line-height: 200%;"><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Finalist: </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Heather Reynosa-Davis, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Killer Queen, Palmer, Alaska </span></span></p>
12/23
 
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Finalist: Heather Reynosa-Davis, Killer Queen, Palmer, Alaska

<p style="line-height: 200%;"><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Finalist: </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Heather Reynosa-Davis, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Killer Queen, Palmer, Alaska </span></span></p>
13/23
 
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Finalist: Heather Reynosa-Davis, Killer Queen, Palmer, Alaska

<p>3rd Runner-Up: Kasundra Anderson, Sol Oasis, Conyers, Ga.</p>
14/23
 
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3rd Runner-Up: Kasundra Anderson, Sol Oasis, Conyers, Ga.

<p style="line-height: 200%;"><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Finalist: </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Nina Ilovar, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Nillandia, Ljubljawa, Slovenia</span></span></p>
15/23
 
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Finalist: Nina Ilovar, Nillandia, Ljubljawa, Slovenia

<p style="LINE-HEIGHT: 200%"><span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Finalist: </span></span><span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Nina Ilovar, </span></span><span><span style="LINE-HEIGHT: 200%; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; FONT-SIZE: 10pt">Nillandia, Ljubljawa, Slovenia</span></span></p>
16/23
 
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Finalist: Nina Ilovar, Nillandia, Ljubljawa, Slovenia

<p style="line-height: 200%;"><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Finalist: </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Jenifer Castrovinci, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Profiles 3, Ft. Myers, Fla.</span></span></p>
17/23
 
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Finalist: Jenifer Castrovinci, Profiles 3, Ft. Myers, Fla.

<p><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Jamie Ritchey, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Ft. Myers, Fla.</span></span></p>
18/23
 
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Jamie Ritchey, Ft. Myers, Fla.

<p style="line-height: 200%;"><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Finalist: </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Shamina J. Di Mauro, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 200%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Advance Images &amp; Nail Center, Baldwin, N.Y.</span></span></p>
19/23
 
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Finalist: Shamina J. Di Mauro, Advance Images & Nail Center, Baldwin, N.Y.

<p><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Megumi Kato, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Yokohama, Japan</span></span></p>
20/23
 
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Megumi Kato, Yokohama, Japan

<p><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Bresay Defoor, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Conyers, Ga.</span></span></p>
21/23
 
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Bresay Defoor, Conyers, Ga.

<p>Princess Gard, Shaker Heights, Ohio&nbsp;</p>
22/23
 
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Princess Gard, Shaker Heights, Ohio 

<p><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Theresa Jones, </span></span><span><span style="line-height: 120%; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;">Chicago</span></span></p>
23/23
 
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Theresa Jones, Chicago

Every year the photos get better and the selection process gets harder. Thank goodness it’s up to you, the reader, to make the final choice. And this year, top honors went to Ruth Deruddere of MiYoshi Nailstudio in Borsbeek, Belgium. Closer to home, first runner-up Sarah Petersen of Rolla, Mo., was named Editors’ Choice, but you’ll have to wait until next month to catch sight of her intriguing image. Second runner-up LaDawna Lawton of Lemoore, Calif., delighted with her cute pooch, and KaSundra Anderson of Conyers, Ga., mined darker material to claim the third runner-up spot.

A big thank you to all who entered and all who voted.

 

 

Winner: Ruth Deruddere, Miyoshi Nailstudio, Borsbeek, Belgium

“We chose this pose because the nails may look hard, but the model looks soft,” says cover tech Ruth Deruddere, who elected to use her sister as her model. The nail design, which took two hours to to complete, makes use of a water-marbling technique with Color Club polish. “I applied a new set with tips and built the nail with a soft pink gel,” says Deruddere. “After filing the C-curve and stress area, I used the water-marbling technique. Basically, you take a glass of water and drip nail polish in it. With a Vrush-Pen, I drew a design in these different colors of polish and dipped the nail in the water. Then I used striping tape and a lot of Swarovski rhinestones to finish the nails.”

At her salon, she works exclusively with gels and gel-polish. “We do French manicures and full-color nails, but mostly gel nails with lots of nail art and especially airbrush, a technique that is very popular in Belgium,” she says.


 

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