Founder and CEO of Jessica Cosmetics International, Jessica Vartoughian believes nails must be cared for and maintained like the skin with a regimen unique to the individual. Sold worldwide, the Jessica product line boasts a wide assortment of treatment products, more than 230 Custom Colours, Effects, the GELeration Soak-Off Gel System, Zen Spa Pedicure, and Fusion 2.5.2 Pedicure. NAILS asked Vartoughian for advice about nail treatments.

Jessica Vartoughian

Jessica Vartoughian

What is your advice to nail techs on how to assess their clients’ nails to know what kind of treatment products would be most beneficial?

Vartoughian: Analyzing your clients’ nails is the cornerstone of my system and a key benefit in keeping lifelong clients. Dry and brittle nails require much needed moisture in a base coat treatment, as well as daily cuticle care. It is essential to massage cuticle creams daily and oils at night. (We always recommend our Nourish Cuticle Crème and Phenomen Oil for healthy nail growth.) Nails that are soft and weak need strengthening agents to help reinforce them. These products should only be used for four to six weeks until the nail condition improves. We offer a complete Nail Analysis Chart that explains the properties of each nail condition and will help you determine nail types and appropriate solutions. You can find this on our website at www.jessicacosmetics.com.

Why do you say that strengtheners should only be used on a limited basis?

Vartoughian: If you choose to only use a strengthening product, this will adversly affect the nails after extended use. The nails will become too hard and strong and eventually break. It is important to be conscious of the products you regularly use and be sure you monitor the nail condition from appointment to appointment.

What sorts of nail treatment products are most helpful for older hands?

Vartoughian: Moisture, moisture, moisture…it’s the key ingredient for the nails, skin, and hair. Choosing base coat treatment products with conditioners and water helps keep the nails flexible and healthy. We have a few products that treat this conditon — Rejuvenation Basecoat for Dry Nails, Recovery Basecoat for Brittle Nails, and Bend Don’t Break, which keeps nails strong yet flexible. As I mentioned earlier, cuticle care is just as important; the added conditioning and moisturizing helps feed the matrix and allows for the new nail to grow in healthy.

What about restoring the natural nail after enhancements? What approach is best?

Vartoughian: I have learned over the years that it is best to treat the new nail growing in before removing the enhancements. This allows the client time to adjust during the transition. Sometimes if you remove enhancements entirely before beginning the natural nail restoration, it shocks the client as well as the nail and may take longer. Using our Restoration after acrylic/damaged nail base coat treatment, we treat the new nail growning in while triming and managing the enhancement. The process should take approximately four weeks.

How have gel-polishes impacted consumers’ treatment needs?

Vartoughian: Gel-polishes have certainly impacted the nail industry and allowed consumers to have a manicure of convenience. I think the biggest impact for the client is everyone offers gel manicures but they don’t necessarily follow the proper protocols to apply and remove them. This causes much more damage to the nail and we are seeing many people shift from gels back to natural nail care. One of the key benefits of our GELeration line is that we come from a place of my natural nail philosophy. It is a gentle gel, but procedures must be followed to ensure damage-free nails.

For more information, go to www.jessicacosmetics.com.

 

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