This advertisement, which ran in 1983 in NAILS, promotes Nail Jewels by Becky Lynn (inset). Later she changed the name of her company to avoid the misperception that she made nail jewlry, an area of nail fashion then in its infancy.

This advertisement, which ran in 1983 in NAILS, promotes Nail Jewels by Becky Lynn (inset). Later she changed the name of her company to avoid the misperception that she made nail jewlry, an area of nail fashion then in its infancy. 

In 1983, Becky Lynn was told by her doctor that she should quit doing nails. But rather than quit the business she loves, she started testing alternatives to the acrylic powder and liquid systems that were dominant in those days. “One excellent fabric is silk because it is sturdy and durable, yet thin enough to make some of the most delicate-looking fashions. And since the fiber is porous, it becomes completely transparent when adhesive is allowed to penetrate it,” says Becky Lynn.

As for application technique, she had her own ideas as well. By making the overlay self-adhesive, her system eliminated the need to begin with a coat of glue or do any filing in preparation. Fourteen years later; the Becky Lynn Co. Inc. offers four systems — three silk and one fiberglass — that can be used with or without tips to strengthen the nail. What has changed most during Becky Lynn’s tenure in the nail-industry? The clients, she says “Consumers are driving the demand for healthier nail care products that don’t damage the natural nail. This in turn is motivating the technicians to try new products and techniques rather than remaining with the method they learned in school.”

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