The joy of sculpting comes from the art of the perfect mix ratio. Holly Schippers, CND Education Ambassador and resident blogger for NAILS, recommends that on days packed with acrylic appointments, you should get to the salon a little early and practice at least five perfect beads of mix ratio before your first client. It’s all about finding the right balance.


“While the mix ratio of your product does not change, your mood, humidity, and the climate is constantly changing,” Schippers says. Even if you live in a dry area, Schippers says working in an environment that offers hair treatments and even pedicures can create humidity in the salon and can possibly affect product control. Schippers says a nail tech’s attitude can also potentially impact mix ratio. “When in a bad mood, we tend to be more aggressive by nature and this can manifest in wiping the brush harder against the dappen dish,” she says. “In the morning of days you have liquid-and-powder services booked, do five to 10 test beads just to get your groove on. It can make a serious difference in your overall performance for the day!”


And if you believe there’s not enough time in the day to practice, Schippers suggest you make the time. “Believing you don’t have enough time to practice mix ratio is simply deciding you don’t want to improve your control over the product or have great adhesion,” she says. “The top two reasons for lifting are lack of meticulous prep work and an imbalanced mix ratio.”


For more tips and tricks from Schippers, read her blog and visit her Instagram @fingernailfixer.

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