Glowing Praise

If you’re stashing your glow-in-the-dark nail products for next year now that Halloween’s over, don’t twist that bottle cap too tightly. Clients are starting to see these novelty nails in a new light, one that’s visible year round. “Glow-in-the-dark nail products are not new, but they are popular because of the ultra-modern lifestyle a lot of people are living: working by day and going out at night,” says Megan Eaton, marketing coordinator at Gell II Manicure. Numerous manufacturers are launching glow-in-the-dark gels, acrylics, and polishes, and Eaton offers these tips for use:

• If your client works in a conservative workplace, offer to create her nail art design using a glow-in-the-dark product. That way, by day her manicure is demure, while by night she’ll have a nail design that shines.
• Add glow-in the-dark as an accent to an existing design. “Use a dark color as your base and a lighter color as your accent (whether it be dots, stripes, or what have you),” Eaton says, advising to then go over the light part in glow-in-the-dark gel.
• You can also create an all over design, and paint the glow-in-the-dark product completely over it. “What’s awesome is the design in the dark will be seen in a whole new light…pun intended,” Eaton says. Try this step-by-step to get your clients aglow. It uses Gel II’s Rave Glow in the Dark, which transforms any gel manicure into an illuminated masterpiece.

1. Apply two coats of Gel II Midnight Black, curing between each coat.

2. Swipe two coats of Gel II Arctic White across the tip, curing between each coat.

3. Use a large dotter to apply dots of Midnight Black on the white tip and Arctic White on the black. Cure.

4. Use a large dotter to apply dots of Gel II Rave over the dots only. Cure. Apply Gel II Xtreme Shine Top Coat over the entire nail. Cure. Cleanse. Advise your client to “charge” near a light bulb for about 15 seconds for a bright glow.