Nail art is on my mind. And I am not the only one. It only takes a quick glance at Instagram or Pinterest to see that nail art is on the minds of plenty of others too. According to NAILS 2013-2014 Big Book, 84% of salons currently offer nail art. Are you one of them or are you missing out on this growing market? (Nail art can be anything from a simple ombré fade to a completely tricked out set of stilettos.)

I’ve been in this business for 15 years and I’ve seen my fair share of nail art. And while I’ve always appreciated the artistry of it, I hadn’t considered wearing it myself — until about a year and a half ago. What made me change my mind? It started with a nail tech who gave me a little push by suggesting I try a single accent nail, and it steadily progressed to full-on decorated sets that include charms, crystals, decals, and more. (The accent nail is the “gateway drug” to fully decorated nails.)

From elaborate nails on fashion runways to celebs showing off their accessorized nails on the mani cam at award shows, nail art has truly gone mainstream. And I believe this second coming of nail art (should we call it Nail Art 2.0?) is due in large part to new products on the market. Gel-polish and soak-off color gels make it easier than ever to create longer-lasting works of art on the nails. Modern decals and appliqués make it possible for even the least artistically inclined nail professional to create high-end looks. And charms, studs, crystals, and more are making embellishments the new norm.

For this month’s Nail Art Issue, we wanted to address a few things that can make your nail art business more successful. From pricing tips to photography techniques to some inventive ways to display your nail art, we’ve got ideas for you to incorporate into your own business. And with the major trend of embellished nails we’ve seen growing over the last year, we also decided to include a charm-themed buyer’s guide and beautiful nail art pictures with some of these cool charms to get you inspired to create your own.

And if all of this isn’t enough, I want to remind you of a few places you can check out daily to get your nail art fix:

 1. Nail Art Gallery (nailartgallery.nailsmag.com): Create your own free profile and share your nail art pictures with other nail art aficionados and potential clients. You can connect with other nail artists and “like” and comment on others’ photos. It also serves as a great portfolio for you to showcase your work to your clients.

2. Nail Art Gallery Magazine (www.nailsmag.com/nagtablet): Our digital-only, tablet-friendly magazine showcases the best of Nail Art Gallery and more, and is delivered each month directly to your inbox. Sign up to receive this great nail art-focused publication.

 3. 365 Days of Nail Art (www.nailsmag.com/bloglist/365nailart): This blog features one new nail art image every day of the year. Scroll through to see some of our favorites and get your own art featured by emailing Beth.Livesay@bobit.com.

That’s a lot of inspiration. Now we want to see what you are creating. Send your nail art pictures to editor@nailsmag.com. And don’t forget to follow us on Instagram (@nailsmagazine) to play along with our 31 Day Challenge. (Search for the hashtag #31Nails2014.)

Here are a few of my most recent nail looks. It’s a far way off from the days when I’d only wear natural/nude nails.

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