Challenge 3 sponsored by Gel II, asked our Top 10 to show us what they treasured most on five nail tips. Contestants were allowed to use any mediums except for lacquer. The Top 10 also had to share with us a video diary. This week’s guest judge was Alena Clark of Gel II.

Set your clocks back to the 1930s, when glamour faced off with the cruel adversity of the Depression … and prevailed. Gel II’s new fall collection, Timeless Treasures, is inspired by the “rich in love” aesthetic of the time and captures the essence of ageless beauty. To illustrate this theme we asked our Top 10 to show us what they treasured most. They showed us on five nail tips and were allowed to use any mediums (except for lacquer) to show us their treasure trove. We asked each of them for a video diary to document the process. We’ve posted all the entries on the Week 3 challenge page.

Congratulations to Tracy Vinson for winning this week’s challenge. The judges were starstruck by her take on the Sunset Strip.

Challenge 2 sponsored by Orly, asked our Top 11 to create a wearable nail look inspired by The Sunset Strip. Contestants were allowed to use gel-polish, lacquer, acrylic paints, and embellishments only. Contestants also had to upload a tutorial to Nail Art Gallery to show us how to get the look. This week’s guest judge was Jeff Pink of Orly.

The famed Sunset Strip is where clubs like Whisky a Go Go and The Rainbow Bar and Grill attracted both VIPs and VIP wannabes for generations. Orly pays homage to the Strip with its new holiday collection, and we asked our Top 11 to create a wearable nail look on two hands that would get anyone VIP treatment behind the velvet ropes. The design should be inspired by the history of the Strip and something that gets the bouncer’s nod. They were allowed to use gel-polish, lacquer, acrylic paints, and embellishments only. Contestants also had to upload a tutorial to Nail Art Gallery to show us how to get the look. We’ve posted all the entries on the Week 2 challenge page.

Congratulations to Liina Leino for winning the first challenge of Season 4! She took the theme of destination-inspired nails above and beyond. Her video was equally creative and fun. The judges were over the moon with her set.

Challenge 1 sponsored by Gelish asked our Top 12 to create destination-themed nail art using any mediums they wanted. They also had to upload a video diary about their inspiration and design process. This week’s guest judge was Danny Haile of Gelish.

It’s takeoff time for NTNA Season 4 and Gelish’s aviation-inspired Fall Collection, Sweetheart Squadron, fits right into the theme. The challenge asked competitors what inspires them when it comes to travel. We asked our Top 12 to show us destination-themed nail art using any mediums they liked. We wanted to see nail art done on one actual hand we asked for a 3-5 minute video diary detailing their inspiration and process. We’ve posted all the entries on the Week 1 challenge page.

Our Top 12 can finally breathe easy after braving two preliminary rounds of competition. There were no rules for making these nails, as we wanted our finalists to be as creative as possible in celebrating their success.

Several international competitors threw their hat into the ring this year for a shot at the most prestigious title in the nail industry. Our judges have had the difficult task of choosing just 12 to represent the best of the best in the beauty business. This year’s finalists join us from Canada, Finland, Australia, New Zealand, and Holland in addition to the U.S. Please join NAILS and top sponsor CND as we congratulate these 12 artists who will be competing for your vote starting September 12.