On Friday, Young Nails visited the NAILS’ office to tell us more about ManiQ Color, its brush-on gel-polish.

When president Greg Salo mentioned that some Young Nails-educated nail techs were doing three Mani Q Color clients an hour, that snapped me to attention. How do you remove the old color and apply the new one in 20 minutes flat? Greg attributes it to the fact that ManiQ is nitrocellulose-free. “We have something different from everyone else,” he says.

Greg went to say that, with proper training, nail techs can remove ManiQ color in seven minutes. He calls it the “soak and file” method, which describes exactly what it is — buffing off the seal (the top coat) with a buffer, then soaking and filing the nails until the product is removed. He says, “If you’re trained by us, then you won’t harm the natural nail.” (Incidentally, since clients won’t be well-trained enough to both soak and file and will have to rely only on soaking, it will take them about 15 minutes to remove the product at home — sounds like motivation for them to come to a salon!)

We were then treated to ManiQ color manicures, including some nail art like the glitter press.

Speaking of the glitter press, I got this cool photo of director of education Tracey Reierson using a brush to apply Cotton Candy glitter to my Pink 105 ManiQ. Using a brush, then pressing the glitter in, saves a lot of glitter versus shaking it onto the nail.

Greg did editor/associate publisher Hannah Lee’s nails. She opted for a matte color, topped with a top coat design (so the design itself is shiny).

Marketing and eMedia coordinator Myla Diaz got a glitter press done with one layer of purple glitter over two layers of purple ManiQ.

Associate publisher Michelle Mullen got marbleized nails (three Mani Q Colors were used), topped with glitter.

Senior editor Tim Crowley got this cool black swirl design (on just one finger — to keep it manly).

Oh, and did I mention we met the youngest member of the Young Nails’ team? Meet Mila, Habib Salo’s (CEO) daughter. She joined us for part of the morning, until it was nap time (for her, not us).

—Sree