I can't even finish reading either of the two latest issues of my trade magazines. The magazines are full of nothing but gel polish and “applique” ads. All these professional product manufacturers who supply the professional nail industry are advertising in the professional trade magazines their "new" nail appliques. Seriously — everyone and their dog is doing these confounded appliques.

Dear Professional Product Company: Just because YOU just came out with a line of these things does NOT send you back in time and make you the innovator of press-on polish.

I don't care if it's got built-in designs, rhinestones, and glitter. I don't care if it's "real nail polish," it's not really new. My mom remembers peel and stick nail polish from the ’60s. The newest generation of these products has been on the shelves in Target for the consumer market for several years now.

I am a professional. I do not want my professional manufacturers to sell me recycled products from the consumer market. I want innovative new products and technology that meets a higher standard, aimed at a skilled industry — something that can't be reproduced by 12-year-olds at slumber parties. And if the technology has hit a plateau, then I want these companies to get creative and come up with innovative ideas on how to implement the existing technology in the professional arena.

I can't help but feel absolutely abandoned by my professional product manufacturers who are spending thousands of dollars to sell me stickers to put on nails, while my Internet is filled — utterly overflowing — with photos of amazing, creative nail designs of unquestionably professional-level technical standards.

And not just the photo-shoot photos of extreme styles coming out of the European market, but real-life professionals posting real-life photos of their real-life clients wearing the REAL-freakin’-LIFE works of PROFESSIONAL QUALITY ART that shouts to the world that these nails were not bought at the local Walgreens.

It's important to us, the professionals, to make sure that the public experiences a level of service and design from the professional market that exceeds what they can reasonably expect from doing their own nails. We deserve the support from our product companies to help preserve that experience.