Do you ever feel like if you like one product you shouldn’t acknowledge other products? Or are you a big fan of closet chemistry mixing-and-matching whatever suits you? Sometimes nail professionals feel pulled in different directions and perceive an us-versus-them mentality from manufacturers, when at the end of the day we really are all part of the same industry and there is room for all of us. Case in point, the amazing study of UV lamps done by three industry scientists each with loyalty to different manufacturers but a common love for the industry. If you haven’t seen the study yet, you can find it here.

With the whole family thing in mind, I attended a Young Nails class last weekend. It was an art class that covered every medium and included some play time. While it is no secret that I bleed sweeping Cs (that’s CND, if you didn’t know), there was a lot to be learned from the class regardless of the manufacturer putting it on. The instructor was Jennifer Halfon and she did an amazing job showing us great techniques and inspiring us all to step out of whatever box we may be inhabiting at the moment and expand our imaginations in new and different directions. Jennifer also made everyone in the class feel welcome regardless of the product that they use in the salon. I learned so much from her and really enjoyed the time bouncing around ideas with other like-minded professionals; it seems sad to think I may have missed all the new ideas I now have if I had skipped the class practically in my own back yard based on who was offering it. Hopefully the girls at the Omaha HRTE last year learned a trick or two to help improve their smile lines even if they aren’t using the product I showed them how to do them with!

You see it all the time, people complaining that nail classes are never available. What they really mean is there are never classes available that suit their specifications. If there is a class near you, evaluate if you can get some benefit from it. A spa class from a different brand than what you use is still going to offer business-building info and massage techniques. Last I checked those are universal. Who knows, the smile line trick you picked up at that CND class is most likely going to work with the acrylic brand you are using in the salon. Be one of those who embrace the industry, acknowledge that there is room for us all, and chose to get more education so that we can raise the bar together.

— Holly