Chrome Mirror and 3-D Gel by Mia Secret

Arturo Osorio, Mia Secret exclusive educator, shows how to use Chrome Mirror nail liquid and create a 3-D rose using Formagel. Steps: 1. Once the nail structure has been sculpted with Cover Pink, apply a base coat of Luxury UV and cure for 45 seconds in LED nail light.2. Wipe off the tacky layer with Gel Cleanser.3. Now apply a thin layer of Chrome Mirror and let it dry for 20 seconds. Then apply another layer of Chrome Mirror.4. Once it’s dry, file sidewalls and tip, allowing the base and top coat of Luxury UV, seal up each other. This is will get the Chrome Mirror encapsulated and last up even more. 5. Apply Luxury UV top coat, properly over nail bed, sidewalls and tip. This is really important, because the Chrome Mirror need to be completely encapsulated in order to make it last from 2 to 3 weeks. Cure for 45 seconds in LED nail light and wipe off tacky layer.6. Apply Formagel™ - White builder gel, as decoration. In every design, cure for 45 seconds and continue. NOTE: by doing this nail technique, Chrome Mirror will last from two to three weeks, based on the clients’ nail care. But remember that the limit is your imagination.

On My Mind: Passionate, Patient, Fun

I welcome the change 2017 brings to NAILS.

What's more important for a newly licensed tech to build her business: technical skills or people skills?

With required school hours varying across the country, and some states requiring less than 100 hours to graduate from a nail program, we asked a cross-section of the nail industry — from school instructors to salon owners to veteran nail techs — a timely question: For newly licensed nail techs, what is more important initially in building your business: top-notch technical skills or top-notch people skills? Why?

Behind the Scenes: A Feather in Her Cap

Manhattan Beach, Calif.-based nail artist Melanie McCulley was the editor's choice winner for our 2014 Cover Tech Contest.

Behind the Scenes: Steampunk Nails

First Time's the Charm: NAILS Next Top Nail Artist winner Lavette Cephus shows how she created our April 2015 cover.

10 Worst NAILS Magazine Covers of All Time

We usually LOVE our own covers, but over our 30-year history, we’ve had some real stinkers. Enjoy this gallery of our editors’ least favorite covers of all time.

On My Mind: Making Your Mark

I am fresh off a trip to America’s Beauty Show in Chicago, where I had the honor of being a guest panelist on The Nailscape’s Making Your Mark in the Nail Industry panel. A few of the questions that came up during this panel are ones I hear frequently, so I thought I would re-address them here.

Bling Out Your FingerNailFixer T-Shirts for a Chance to Win!

This must be the summer of contests for me, I promised a contest for a chance to win the CND Additives to those who got a FingerNailFixer T-Shirt and I am ready to deliver on that

The NAILS Annual Holiday Letter

I know some people find them annoying, but personally, I like to get those long newsy holiday letters from infrequently seen friends and relatives. Here’s the holiday letter from the NAILS family.