Day 153: Summer Flowers and Nesting Nail Art

Dana Clifton, Dana's Nail Boutique, Zephyrhills, Fla.

Day 332: Laker Nation Nail Art

Stephanie Saddler, Buttafingers Nail Studio (Cleveland, Ohio)

A Sideline With Synergy

“Clients who like my crazy 3-D nails also love bling in their hair,” says Rachael Waggoner, owner of Dazzlin Digits 3D Nails in Lakewood, Colo., and a growing company called Lock Luster.

Roundup: What did you learn in your first month out of nail school?

Your students have spent months in nail school and finally graduated; they’ve studied long and hard for the state board and passed it — but are they truly prepared for the real world of nails? We asked veteran nail techs to divulge the most important thing they learned fresh out of school.

Glitter Girl

The Dec/Jan issue of Teen Vogue offers a new holiday season mani: heavy-metal. Metallic manicures can be the perfect way to add sparkle to your look. Teen Vogue suggests you can make the glitter polish jewellike by dabbing the brush on just the tip or the base of the nail. Or you can layer glitter polish with a matte topcoat, leaving a 3-D effect that sparkles. Careful not to go overboard, though, because with too much, you can risk looking childish. 

A Little Texture

Kathleen M.M. Ringwood-Wood of Poughkeepsie, N.Y., takes regular flocking from her local craft store and puts it right on top of wet polish.

Art, Art, and More Art

Ugh! OK, obviously art competitions are not my favorite. Some people live to do fantasy nail art, and work on it year round and pour every breath into it. They have vision and can translate anything

Home Alone

What am I doing here at home in the middle of my normally scheduled work day? I always advise other techs who are trying to fill space in their schedules to stay at the salon even

Encapsulated Hearts Acrylic Nail Art

Wear your heart in your nails! Nail tech Kristen D. Noel of Glossed Nails in Lake Havasu City, Ariz., created this full-of-love encapsulated acrylic look.