Rebecca's Blog
From Technical nail tip and hints to news and business advice, you'll find a whole host of ideas and support right here
How to remove the inhibition layer, properly!
Want to learn how to remove the inhibition layer properly? Did you know there was a right and wrong way? Read my new article to find out why it’s so important
The right way to apply cuticle oil
Is there a right way to apply cuticle oil? When applying straight after a nail service like gel polish, builder gel or acrylic nail services, then the answer is yes.
Autumn Nails for 2023
Autumn is upon us, find out the must have nail colours and trends you need to maximise on the season
The Easiest Way To Do Ombre Nails
So what is the easiest way to do an ombre? When it comes to salon viable nail art, Ombre Nails or Baby Boomers are top
The Safe Way to Pour Monomer
why on earth am i talking about The Safe Way to pour monomer into a dappen dish? Well, to put it simply, there’s a safe
Demistifying HEMA in Nail Products
Being all about education and facts, the below is a little masterclass specifically about HEMA. There’s alot of talk and suggestion about using nail brands that are HEMA free. A alot of nail tech’s don’t know WHY they ‘should be’ however are seeking out HEMA free products without the correct knowledge or any real valid reason for doing so. Hint: It’s not the bad guy some are suggesting it is
Let’s Talk Press on Nails
Let’s have some fun and talk press on nails!
I used to wear press on nails when i was 18, i found a set of nails in boots that you would polish yourself and wore them constantly! I loved them! It was a short couple of years afyer this that i attended my first professional nail course and became a qualified nail tech, which i ahve enjoyed ever since!
22 years later and I’ve come full circle, now creating my own designs and hand painting press on nails that consumers buy from me!
The lower Arch offers alot in terms of shape.
The Lower Arch is probably the least known and attended to area of the nail.
You can find the lower arch by looking a the side profile of the nail, place your nail file under the edge of the free edge with the flat of the file facing up to the ceiling- thats you lower arch!
What is Builder Gel?
These are questions I’m asked alot.
Builder Gel is more referred to when talking about builder gels in bottles these days. However builder gel is any gel (hard or soak off) that can add structure as an enhancement service.
Do you etch the nail plate during PREP
Taking a 180 grit file over the surface of the natural nail is part of PREP to ensure you get perfect adhesion, along with a few other crucial steps.
However there is a right way and a wrong way to do this step. It may seem pretty straight forward, but i have seen nail tech’s taking a file across the nail from side to side to ‘etch’ or ‘rough up’ the surface of the nail plate. This only gets worse if lifting occurs and the nail tech thinks they must not have ‘etched’ the surface enough and grabs a grittier file (like a 150 or 100 grit) adding more pressure to really ‘rough up’ the surface to get better adhesion.
Stay away from my cuticles!
As a professional nail tech (not even as an educator…) as one nail tech to another, my best advice is to stay away from the cuticles with your product. There is a current trend to cut and file away the skin surrounding the nail plate, and whilst it does appear to give you a neat finish, it can create minute cuts and abrasions of the skin that can leave the client open to infection, not to mention the skins natural defense mechanism is to grow back tougher
Creating Profitable Nail Designs
Making nail art and design profitable can be tricky, so work smarter not harder with my top tips.
When Does Business Planning Become Essential ?
So, if you are thinking, that you can’t write a business plan, and thinking where to even start… it’s not that complicated and I have a solution for you! The Nail Tech Success Planner breaks it all down for you, so you can create the business of your dreams
The New Ice Cream Collection of Pastels (Gel Polish)
Grab the super cute collection of Ice Cream Pastel Gel Polishes from Mystic Nails. Check out the swatches here and get yours to make the
Building Confidence – Stop comparing yourself to other nail techs!
there is so much to consider when comparing your nails to others and as such you always look at someone else’s face value, the best work they have put of there, whereas you add in all of the troubles you had doing the nails you’ve done, and it ends up a biased view and the tendency is to be more negative towards your
You’ll Be Shocked, This Is How Much Cuticle You Should Remove
Thinking about changing nail brands but don’t know what to look for? here’s a quick guide with my top 5 things to check
Thinking about changing nail brands? Read this first!
Thinking about changing nail brands but don’t know what to look for? here’s a quick guide with my top 5 things to check
The Le Grande Way- So many ways to use it!
Le Grande is the most versatile gel you’ll ever use. No Cleanse, one phase Gel, mix it, chrome it, emboss it. Quick, easy and all with amazing coverage and dozens of colours.
10 mistakes beginner nail tech’s make and how to fix them
10 mistakes new nail techs make and how to avoid them
How to apply acrylic for a slimmer nail AND quicker nail services.
When you’re struggling to apply your product as well as you want with your brush, then you end up relying on filing to do more
How Plasticine Gel can change your nail life!
#winning! Plasticine has been around a little while now, but some nail tech’s still haven’t tried it! I know, right…you’re thinking, errr that’s me Beck!
How to create the Perfect Rose Gold Chrome Nails
The nail you want to create is elusive. You see the perfect chrome nails on social media and you try to recreate it, but it
How to fix any size crystals so they don’t budge!
This is something I get asked all the time and something that nail tech struggle with. I mean, who doesn’t like a bit of bling?
Introducing, more ways to pay
Introducing more ways to pay for your nail courses and kits
Pricing Nail Services, What you Need to consider.
Where do you start pricing nail services? Whether you’re starting out in business or not been earning a decent income from doing nails, this is what you should consider.
Neon Spider Gel is Here!
Summer is coming and we are all getting the brighter colours out. Lockdown is coming to an end and we will soon be free to
#NailMail supercharged! The Nail Kit Pro Subscription
After a number of people told me I needed to offer a subscription box I couldn’t deny the project any longer… So here it is!!!
Tips or Sculpts? Why you should consider sculpting over tips.
I was taught tips in the first beginners course I did, and I got on ok, I learnt how to use them in lots of
The Spring Edit 2021
The Spring Edit 2021 Taking a dive into the colours trending for Spring 2021. Somewhere between pastel and neon, the palette is vibrant and bursting
Nail Reactions and Allergies – Avoid, Avoid, Avoid! (The Skin…)
Allergies to nail products are not usually the products fault… if the product doesn’t come into contact with the skin it’s not likely you’ll ever see a reaction on a client. Working cleanly and safely means you’re protecting your clients from a completely avoidable reaction.
Insurance – had a play with hard gel and loved it? Get qualified
being unqualified in a nail system can lead to legal action against you and your insurance company washing their hands of you. Don’t leave yourself vulnerable and guessing how a system is applied, learn everything you can about the system and offer your clients the most professional and safe service possible.
Nail ‘systems’ – there are more than you think!
What is a nail system? and what are the differences between nail systems? Lets take a look at the different systems on the market today and in brief compare and contrast
Building confidence after your nail course
It’s an exciting time, when you book your first nail course. You’re embarking on a new career and a fulfilling one at that! One that
What the Gel are you talking about?
Le Grande is a thicker gel used over the top of a finished nail for either art or outlining, it is perfect because it cures with no inhibition layer (that gooey layer after curing), doesn’t need a Top Coat and LITERALLY sticks to anything
using the same procedure for every client could be costing you clients
Do you do the same for every client then struggle to troubleshoot when some clients have issues and others dont?
10 Reasons your nail Course might have let you down.
If you have completed your nail course but running into simple problems you don’t know how to solve then you may have been short changed!
All that Glitters… isn’t Gold. A Gel Polish Nightmare and how to avoid it.
How great would it be to have complete confidence in the nail brand you have invested in? A Nail Tech’s worst nightmare I know because
5 Reasons Why you should start your business BEFORE you’re ready!
Do you have big hopes and dreams for your future nail business? Many student who pass through my doors do, the sweeping statements of “i’m
When nail PREP causes damage
improper prep can mean your acrylic nails just don’t last, make sure they do, without damaging your nails!
Acrylic doesn’t wreck your nails, FACT.
Contrary to popular belief and what some nail tech’s also think, acrylic enhancements don’t actually damage your nails…find out what does here.
Why Torque is more important than RPM
If you are in the market for an E-File, then there are plenty out there to choose from but over the last 2-3 years there
How much is Lifting costing you?
It’s the bain of every Nail Tech’s life, clients come back with lifted nails, or worse still, they had lifting and then forced the enhancements
Lifting a hooked nail
There are many challenges you face as a nail tech and what VTCT deem ‘awkward natural nails’ are common: Bitten Nails – got to be
SDS – what the *SDS* are they??
There are so many questions and it seems a bit of confusion out there for NT’s at the moment. Unfortunately there has been a lack
My trip to Hungary with Mystic Nails
Mystic Day 🙂 A couple of months ago I was invited to go to Hungary for Mystic Day, a twice a year event that Mystic
Hyponychium issues!
Edit Column
I received a message a couple of weeks ago about hyponychium issues a collegue was having and I immediately asked if I could use the message in a blog post as it is something that affects lots of people, so really got my blogging juices flowing.
Excuse me Miss, Whats you angle??
Spending a little time making sure the angle of your brush is correct can save you soooo much time filing and give you crazily better results, from better colour consistency to greater c-curves.
Mix Ratio – Why your bead isn’t working for you
If you are struggling to get a good mix ratio each time you pick up a bead, check out my guide on where to start and WHY.
Why your Gel Polish doesn’t last on some clients and what you can do about it OVERNIGHT!
Why your Gel Polish doesn’t last on some clients and what you can do about it OVERNIGHT!
When you have those few clients who always come back with a chipped nail or 2…
Salon Staff – to employ or not to employ
When deciding on renting a space, employing salon staff or offering a split on takings here are some considerations most people don’t even know to think about…