FingerNailFixer

Takeaways from My First Gel Polish Competition

by Holly Schippers | June 16, 2014 | Bookmark +

While at Premiere Orlando 2014, one of the new experiences at the show for me was competing in the gel polish division. I was quite excited to make the top ten and get 8th place in my first competition.

When you compete, you get a score sheet after the winners are announced and if you hang out afterward with photos of your work or better yet your model, the judges will let you know what you could do to improve. I was fortunate enough to get some advice from Carla Collier who is actually the competition director. Here are some of the tips she gave me I thought would apply to anyone that wanted to compete:

-Consistency is the key to winning as long as it's consistently good. Each nail must be as close to identical as you can get them. The tip shapes and lengths need to match nail to nail.

-Apply the top coat with a smooth finish and make sure there are no air bubbles. The air bubbles keep the nail from feeling smooth which would affect finish work and also product control, and overall impression. Some categories cross over into the others in that way.

-Study the judging criteria-- judges constantly referring back to it during judging. 

I will definitely be taking her words of wisdom to heart and changing some things in my practice. I will also be shaking my Shellac ahead of time instead of during the competition!

Coming up for me next is Gatlinburg, where I will compete again at the Nail Tech Event of the Smokies. CND has been generous enough to agree to sponsor me again which is such an honor and a thrill!

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