Spring/summer 2017 nail art is all about the bolder, the better—and it’s great for your income!
From embellished nails and split-style manis to cuticle art and peekaboo accents, we’re sharing tips for making the most of your nail art and how to turn these runway trends into moneymakers for your salon. There’s no time like the present to build your salon business with add-on techniques that can give your clients runway-worthy nails.
With trends from Fashion Week making the rounds on social media, more clients are interested in taking a more daring approach to nail art. “We’re seeing nails that are futuristic, with a lot more layering and high-bold, intense colours,” says John Nguyen, education ambassador for CND. “We’re combining chrome ombrés with 3-D raised, textured looks. Geometric patterns are in there as well.”
Translating the Latest Celeb Trends into Income
With no limits to their source of inspiration, more clients are opting to reference a photo of the latest celebrity or social media trend in hopes of replicating the look in the salon.
“You want to be innovative and cutting edge and offer things that are unique,” says Danielle Candido, regional education manager for Gelish. “But just because something is being done on social media doesn’t necessarily make it an enhancing trend.”
An example of this is the wire nail trend that catapulted on social media earlier this year. While some clients may be interested in achieving the over-the-top look, it’s important to advise them about the reality of editorial looks and steer them in a more practical yet creative direction.
While embellishments have been a growing red-carpet trend, bling detailing has become a staple in nail art. “Bling is a great way to add income,” says Candido. “It can be as simple as one stone or as intricate as design work, with a combination of different types of media. It just depends on the amount of time you have and the amount of money your client is willing to spend.”
“Don’t discount your profit for the sake of offering a service. I think it’s characteristic of many nail technicians to want to just give it away. The only way we’re going to move away from that is to draw a line in the sand. Nobody else is going to do it for us.” ~ Danielle Candido, Regional Education Manager for Gelish
When charging clients for the additional time and products, Candido reminds us that it’s critical to use the right tools to get the job done well. “If I’m applying Swarovski crystals, I’m going to charge per crystal as opposed to rhinestones, which I would charge in bulk based on design,” she explains. “As a technician, that’s important to consider. The worst thing is to charge somebody more money and have their bling fall off, so the trick is to use good adhesive that is secure and will hold up over the two-week period.”
Candido recommends using a resin-based product like the base coat in the Gelish Dip system. “The base coat has a thicker consistency and is an amazing adhesive, even with the smallest quantity of product. It holds beautifully, even on shiny topcoats.”
Recreate Spring’s Hottest Runway Trends and Textures
At Libertine’s spring/summer 2017 show at New York Fashion Week (NYFW), CND created whimsical nail looks that complemented the designer’s extravagant style.
“A lot of the looks we create for the runway are over the top and very time consuming to do,” says Nguyen. “In the salons, we try to replicate that look the best we can using products we have in our system.” For example, to create a crushed velvet texture, Nguyen recommends dusting CND’s Retention+ Sculpting Power clear acrylic powder on top of CND Shellac before curing. Once the nail is cured, it provides a more textured finish. “It’s one of the things we try to do at Fashion Week to make the looks wearable as well,” he says.
For 3-D nail looks inspired by the Libertine show, Nguyen recommends sculpting the shape on a sculpting powder or gel. Once cured, you can remove and apply it on top of the nail as an embellishment.
“If you’re going for a specific kind of texture, it’s all about knowing how to control your product and what you need it to do,” explains Nguyen. “I always recommend playing around with your products and pushing to see what those limits are.”
In the photo: An elevation of the accent nail, this split-style mani from Libertine’s spring/summer 2017 NYFW show was created with CND Retention+ Sculpting Powder and CND Shellac.
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