Meet The Tech Monday featuring Hazel Clarke…

MEET THE TECH MONDAY

However you plan on spending your Monday, I’d advise you to stop whatever you’re doing, flick the kettle on & pop your feet up for a five as we’ve another exciting chatter for you all to feast your eyes upon. This week, we catch up with the lovely Hazel about life as a Nail Tech Educator & Distributor for Moyra Nail Products!

Don’t forget, if you’re a UK based Nail Tech (or training to become one) then *CLICK HERE* to get yourself over to the Nail Techs UK Facebook Group where you can meet oodles of new nail buddies, pick up a wealth of insider knowledge & chatter with a wide variety of like-minded techs – including some of the UK’s top educators too!

Anyway, that’s enough from me… sitting comfy?! Then let’s meet Hazel…

Hazel Clarke 2

Name:

Hazel M Clarke
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Age:

33
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Are you mobile, home working or salon based?
Salon based @ Sapphire Hair and Beauty Academy
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What training have you undertaken or are intending to take?
I have over 150 qualifications in the beauty industry, from basic customer care to level 4 salon management as well as a full holding a full qualified teaching and learning degree and internal verifiers award.
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What nail brands do you enjoy using & why?
My absolute favourite nail brand is Hungarian based Moyra, to which I am now an educator and distributor of.
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How long have you been involved in the industry?
17 years!
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Do you offer any other services other than nails?
Yes I offer all aspects of beauty therapy and aesthetics as well as educational NVQ courses
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Where do you get ideas for upcoming nail designs?
My 6-year-old daughter has some amazing ideas which she asks me to try out and develop
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What is your most memorable or favourite set?

Hazel Clarke 1
My absolute favourite set ever are my tartan extreme shape nails which have appears in 3 industry magazines, they were inspired by my Anderson family tartan
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What has been your least favourite set and why?
A set of bright yellow acrylics with back swirly leaf patterns on, my poor mum had to endure them for her holiday as she allowed Sapphire (my daughter) to have total free rein as long as it wasn’t pink! Big mistake!
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Are there any nail pro’s that inspire you?
There are so many and I am blessed to be friends with many of them Andrea Norka and Alex Andrea Snobs, Frank Scherble, Scarlet Senter and of course my amazing Paragon training team every single one of them is an inspiration.
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How do you deal with difficult clients?
To be honest, I don’t really have any difficult clients but I am very to the point and honest I stand my ground but also for those fussy customers I smile and nod and as long as they’re happy I’m happy to deal with their little quirky ways.
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How do you keep yourself motivated during quiet times or tough days?
I’m always wanting to do better or be better a quiet day means a day to look at what’s next on my to do list, I love to learn so a quiet day means a training day!
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What do you find is the most challenging thing about being a nail tech?
The lack of regulation and correct education in the industry it infuriates me that the nail industry is not properly regulated in the UK.
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How do you cope with business competition?
I don’t look at my competition, I am too busy looking at how I can be better and what I can improve on, if your too busy watching your competition you’ve already taken your eye off the ball and handed them the advantage.
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Are there any aspects of your skills you’d like improve on?
One stroke my one stroke is shocking! Lol
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What current trends are your clients loving?
My clients are living transfers and stamping at the minute especially when they are combined with free hand
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What are your interests outside of nails?
Other than spending time with my fantastic family, I love to make and decorate cakes but since having the training academy I don’t really have much time for that or my allotment
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What advice would you give to others thinking about starting off in the nail industry?
Go for it but be prepared to work hard being good doesn’t come easy to everyone and there’s always something new to learn.
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What social media links can we find you on
Facebook sapphire hair and beauty academy
www.sapphirehairandbeautyacademy.co.uk
#sapphirehairandbeautyacademy
#hazelmclarke @sapphirehba

A huge thanks to Hazel for taking part in Meet The Tech Monday… be sure to pop by her social media pages to check out her fantastic work or why not take a moment to say a quick howdy in the comments below.

As always, thanks for stopping by 🙂

Cheerio Chums…

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Meet The Tech Monday featuring Julie-Ann Powell

MEET THE TECH MONDAY

Helloooo lovelies…

How are you all keeping? Well, I hope! It’s been a busy little weekend here and the last of the kids being off for Easter jolly hols… not gonna lie and say I won’t enjoy the peace & quiet of an empty house yet again!  Anyone else with me? *happy sigh* 😉

However, it’s back to business today and as planned we have another exciting chatter for you all to feast your eyes upon as we catch up with the lovely Julie-Ann about life as a nail tech!

Don’t forget, if you’re a UK based Nail Tech (or training to become one) then *CLICK HERE* to get yourself over to the Nail Tech Chat & Support UK Facebook Group where you can meet oodles of new nail buddies, pick up a wealth of insider knowledge & chatter with a wide variety of like-minded techs – including some of the UK’s top educators too!

Anyway, that’s enough from me… are you sitting comfy? Then let’s meet Julie-Ann…

Julie Ann Powell

Name:
Julie Ann Powell – Tip Top Tips
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Age:

30
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Are you mobile, home working or salon based?
Mobile and home based
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What training have you undertaken or are intending to take?
Essential nails distance training in gel tip and overlay, spa mani/pedi, gel polish and nail art. Living miles away from family and having a two-year-old this was ideal for me as I could learn at my own pace and fit in around my family
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What nail brands do you enjoy using & why?
Ink London for gel extensions – customer service is second to none and products are amazing quality yet affordable. Magpie for glitter, stamping queen U.K. For all nail art foils/brushes etc. Dixie plates for stamping products. Currently using Gelaze for gel polish (until I can rob a bank and purchase the magpie gels )
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How long have you been involved in the industry?
Just over a year, so still very much a newbie
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Do you offer any other services other than nails?
Not at the moment – other than a gossip
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Where do you get ideas for upcoming nail designs?
Everything and anything! I love trying new designs and enjoy all aspects of nail art
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What is your most memorable or favourite set?

Julie Ann best set

Pictured Above: Best set of nails  – homecoming nails. After a 13 week non contact deployment these were such a pleasure to do

Julie Ann Fav

Pictured Above: Favourite set of extensions, simple yet the first time I’ve been happy with the shaping

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What has been your least favourite set and why?

Julie Ann worst

Pictued Above: Worse set, one of my first… I’ve since learnt to streamline!
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Are there any nail pro’s that inspire you?
Kate Dix from Dixie plates for her take on the nail industry. Anona Grice and Sophie Hudd for nail art. All incredibly talented ladies!
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How do you deal with difficult clients?
I’ve been lucky enough not to have many difficult clients. I stay true to myself, I’m honest and I think people respect that
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How do you keep yourself motivated during quiet times or tough days?
I am only part time and work around my husband who is in the forces and a 2 year old so I don’t have quiet periods if I do I usually will do my own nails or practice some new designs
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What do you find is the most challenging thing about being a nail tech?
My own self-confidence, I am my harshest critic. Although I see this as a good thing. I am always finding ways to improve

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How do you cope with business competition?
I try and work with them. We are all trying to achieve the same thing and I think we should support each other where we can
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Are there any aspects of your skills you’d like improve on?
Everything, I am in awe of other nail techs and would love to be at a standard they are providing their clients. Shaping is the one thing I am always eager to improve on
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What current trends are your clients loving?
Stamping! Everyone loves stamping!
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What are your interests outside of nails?
My little boy, he is the light of my life. Trying to make the world a safer and better place for him is my main goal in life
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What advice would you give to others thinking about starting off in the nail industry?
Do it! What do you have to lose? I’ve met some amazing clients and spoken to some fantastic nail techs. My confidence has improved and my self-esteem is far greater, I feel like I have purpose – even if it is just painting nails
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What social media links can we find you on?

Facebook – https://m.facebook.com/JAtiptoptips/

Instagram (still new to this) – @jatiptoptips

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A huge thanks to Julie-Ann for taking part in Meet The Tech Monday… be sure to pop by her social media pages to check out her fantastic work or why not take a moment to say a quick howdy in the comments below.

As always, thanks for stopping by 🙂

Cheerio Chums…

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Meet The Tech Monday featuring Sanita Ozolina…

MEET THE TECH MONDAY

Howdy lovelies…

It’s that time again for another dose of Meet The Tech. A fun feature where we make room on the virtual sofa for an aspiring or professional nail artist to tell us more about their experiences in the industry so far! This week we have the lovely Sanita Ozolina with us chatting about life as a nail tech, including sharing some pics to be proud of!

Don’t forget, if you’re a UK based Nail Tech (or training to become one) then *CLICK HERE* to get yourself over to the Nail Tech Chat & Support UK Facebook Group where you can meet oodles of new nail buddies, pick up a wealth of insider knowledge & chatter with a wide variety of like-minded techs – including some of the UK’s top educators too!

Anyway, that’s enough from me… are you sitting comfy? Then let’s get started…

Sanita

Name:

Sanita Ozolina

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Age:

30

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Are you mobile, home working or salon based?

Salon based

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What training have you undertaken or are intending to take?

I have completed gel beginner course, lady glam nail art course, e-file course, hard gel fading, gel polish application and design, just gel course( gel sculpting and reverse French),One stroke Level1, currently undertaking gel to acrylic course to learn basic acrylics.

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What nail brands do you enjoy using & why?

I use Mosaic and Naba. I love Mosaic as they have good range of gels and I was trained with them in my beginner course. I adapted to Naba during my just gel course and I am taking training with Naba acrylics. Both are high quality brands with reasonable prices and long lasting results.

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How long have you been involved in the industry?

I started my training March 2016. Before that I had training in classic manicure and pedicure as part of my Beauty Therapy studies. Actively have started to work just around month ago.

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Do you offer any other services other than nails?

I do offer some beauty treatments, but my mine focus at the moment is towards nail industry.

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Where do you get ideas for upcoming nail designs?

I go on free workshops when I have a chance, and see what others share in groups and their pages.

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What is your most memorable or favourite set? 

Sanita 1

I think it was my first completed set of my gel beginners course, that made me proud and my teacher as well.

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What has been your least favourite set and why? 

Hard to tell which has been my least favourite set, as I kind of love them all.

Sanita 2

However, this is my least favourite set, it is gel polish. Why? Because I think I can do better than this

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Are there any nail pro’s that inspire you?

I get my inspiration from Zsuszana Varga and Chrissie Pearce.

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How do you deal with difficult clients?

I always try to be polite and do my best to satisfy them.

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How do you keep yourself motivated during quiet times or tough days?

As I am in transition between jobs and work in 2 places at the moment, I do not have too much free time, but I try to use quiet periods to practice and improve my skills.

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What do you find is the most challenging thing about being a nail tech?

Being responsible for your own time and income and dealing with difficult clients, as well as last minute cancellations and no shows challenge.

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How do you cope with business competition?

I simply am what I am and always do my best.

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Are there any aspects of your skills you’d like improve on?

Product application, structure and shape.

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What current trends are your clients loving?

Simple designs with full block color and a slight accent on nails.

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What are your interests outside of nails?

My amazing kids and my professional development.

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What advice would you give to others thinking about starting off in the nail industry?

If you feel that it is what you want, go for it! I didn’t had confidence that I will love it as I hated to work with normal nail varnish, but I am glad my friend encouraged me to give it a try as she saw my potential of becoming great nail tech and I am thankful for that.

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What social media links can we find you on?

Facebook and linkedin

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A huge thanks to the lovely Sanita for taking part in Meet The Tech Monday… be sure to pop by her social media pages to check out her fantastic work or why not take a moment to say a quick howdy in the comments below. As always, thanks for stopping by 🙂

Cheerio Chums…

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Meet The Tech Monday featuring Jess Wells, The Nail Engineer…

MEET THE TECH MONDAY

Welcome lovelies…

So, in order to shake off those pesky Monday blues I’m insisting you take a moment, grab your cuppa & get settled to take a peek at yet another Meet The Tech Monday! And what a treat we have this morning as the fabulously funny Jess Wells joins us on the virtual sofa to chat about her transformation from Project Engineer to Nail Technician. Quite the change eh?!

Don’t forget, if you’re a UK based Nail Tech (or training to become one) then *CLICK HERE* to get yourself over to the Nail Tech Chat & Support UK Facebook Group where you can meet oodles of new nail buddies, pick up a wealth of insider knowledge & chatter with a wide variety of like-minded techs – including some of the UK’s top educators too!

Anyway, that’s enough from me… are you sitting comfy? Then let’s get started…

Jess Wells The Nail Engineer 

Name:

Jess Wells, aka The Nail Engineer

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Age:

38

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Are you mobile, home working or salon based?

Mobile / home working

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What training have you undertaken or are intending to take?

VTCT Level 3 Nail Services, should complete Q2 2017

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What nail brands do you enjoy using & why?

My main gel polish brand is Madam Glam because they have a great range, the colours are pretty true to the website, the formula is vegan, cruelty free and 5 free, delivery is swift and the price point is great. The polishes are generally highly pigmented and well behaved, with hardly any shrinkage or wrinkling throughout the range. I also use The Gel Bottle Inc, but mostly for their amazing builders, which are my best buy ever! Me and my girls have such lovely long and strong nails now, thanks to this amazing product! The colours are great too and many are practically opaque on the first coat. I’ve recently tried Missu builders (for P&W) and initial impressions are very good. I don’t work much in acrylic but when I do, I like CJP best.

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How long have you been involved in the industry?

I was a hobbyist on and off for 19 years but only had the opportunity to train October 2016, when I took redundancy from my job as a Project / Quality Engineer. I’d just had my 4th miscarriage, with each happening after particularly stressful events and heavily work-related, so I just decided I had to change something. Now I fit my work around life and despite packing a year’s training into a few months, while starting a new business, I never feel strung out like I did. I just hope it pays off and I can get pregnant and stay pregnant long enough to have a live birth next time.

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Do you offer any other services other than nails?

No, unless armchair psychology counts?!

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Where do you get ideas for upcoming nail designs?

Everywhere! Art, films, music, life events, scenery, books, eras, nature, science, family, even Lush bath bombs! The list goes on! There is beauty in everything, so everything can be inspiring. In addition, I like to keep up to date with nail trends on nail art groups, instagram and YouTube.

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What is your most memorable or favourite set?

This set inspired by @helennails_yeg.

insp 1

I was just so amazed and intrigued by the colour combination of aqua, pale khaki and olive green glitter. My only regret is that my mandala detail isn’t freehanded, like the original. Oh, and that I didn’t buy a pale khaki before attempting this mani – I had to hand mix it from a mint green, sage green / grey and yellow polishes

17554860_10155065288231763_1548829604_n - fav

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What has been your least favourite set and why? 

17555440_10155065290776763_1133515705_ - least

This set took an extra 1.5 hours of faffing due to a last minute mind-change by the client and the plate being awkward. They were going to be simple and classy in holographic silver and black, over nude pink, but the client decided she wanted this sickly pink instead and to avoid overkill, I had to painstakingly fill in only part of the designs, to avoid it looking super trashy. She loved them but I really hate that pink and wish I’d just said “pick something else!”. Lesson learned for next time….

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Are there any nail pro’s that inspire you?

@helennails_yeg, @deadlynails, Sarah Richardson / @therealmrsgrey, Sarah Abbott, @ninanailedit, Rachael Wilders, @ladycrappo, Annie Sarah Collins, Melanie Lewendon, Cassie Pattrick-O’Hara… The list never ends; there’s so many nail ninjas out there!

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How do you deal with difficult clients?

Relationships are key, and they’re built on trust. I work really hard for my clients, to ensure that every mani is personalised or significant in some way. I can only do that by building strong relationships and getting to know the client inside out. I always believe that honesty is the best policy. I am too old to just sit back and bite my tongue and I don’t need the stress of pussyfooting around prima donnas. If I’m not happy, I’ll say. I changed careers to reduce my stress so I’m not about to trade one hassle for another. Of course, a sense of humour helps and when someone questions your skill or judgement, the results speak for themselves.

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How do you keep yourself motivated during quiet times or tough days?

I have plenty of other things going on in my life so I just switch my focus. Dwelling on issues generally doesn’t help. Of course, you must analyse the situation, identify what went wrong and work on improving but, above and beyond that is just a waste. Life’s too short to spend it worrying and you’re only as bad as your last set, so get out there and do a better set

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What do you find is the most challenging thing about being a nail tech?

Working with women. After working in engineering for 19 years, mostly with blokes, and being a bit “Rainman” myself, I know I’m not a touchy-feely, huggy-kissy girlie girl and I totally get how many men think we’re from different planets. I’m getting used to it, but it is like learning a foreign language!

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How do you cope with business competition?

I don’t dwell on it. There will always be someone quicker / cheaper / nearer / whatever but I have yet to hear of anyone in my area who puts as much thought and effort into each mani, will try just about anything, has the range of products I can offer (without being a salon) and will totally tailor the service to suit. By offering a diverse range of niche services, competition is massively reduced – something I learned during my engineering career.

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Are there any aspects of your skills you’d like improve on?

I would say Acrylic, as it’s my Achilles heel, but I prefer using gel for a whole host of reasons, so I’d say my ability to multitask, or maybe to be less clumsy!

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What current trends are your clients loving?

Negative space, sharm effect, mermaid powder, chameleon chrome and direct decal stamping.

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What are your interests outside of nails?

Mechanical engineering, DIY, upcycling, sewing (I make all my own curtains and upholstery), cooking, reading and films. I’m currently compiling a planning application and completing my VTCT coursework, so it keeps me pretty busy!

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What advice would you give to others thinking about starting off in the nail industry?

Think long and hard about what you can offer – do you have a USP or hook? If so, you need to really focus on that. If not, think on. There are a lot of good techs out there so you need to be really talented and / or dedicated. You really need to build a brand identity and get it out there on social media, especially instagram. I also recommend going down the NVQ / VTCT route, as opposed to brand-specific qualifications so that you’re not tied to brands and can follow the trends without having to fork out for conversion courses.

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What social media links can we find you on?

https://www.instagram.com/thenailengineer https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC55CeVyyXRbliD_s0IPJ42g https://m.facebook.com/TheNailEngineer/

A huge thanks to our lovely Jess for taking part in Meet The Tech Monday… be sure to pop by her social media pages to check out her fantastic work or why not take a moment to say a quick howdy in the comments below. As always, thanks for stopping by 🙂

Cheerio Chums…

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Doing my Own Nails: Mint Green, Grey & Chrome…

If there’s one thing us nail techs quite often find a drag it’s doing our own nails… I guess it’s kind of like a gardener not being arsed enough to keep his own lawn manicured or a hair-dresser overlooking her mass of split ends. It takes multiple cups of tea and a firm talking to in order to get me at my nail desk for some TLC of my own… not to mention the task of doing the non-dominant hand too – arrrghh! Yet on the other hand (excuse the pun) I could sit and watch YouTube videos from my fav nail gurus for hours without a single grumble – if anything, there’s something slightly therapeutic about it.

So if you’ve got a few minutes to burn and fancy seeing how I tackle bringing my own pinkies to life then why not get yourself comfy & hit the play button… if you’re feeling super generous you might even want to subscribe to keep up with my latest uploads – which you can do by *Clicking Here*

Anyways, more from me when I’ve recovered from my dose of the winter lurgies…. yes, I’m huddled up drinking copious amount of Lucozade and munching my way through vitamins to lift the aches a little quicker with any luck.

Cheerio Chums…

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mint-grey-nails

Acrylic Unicorn Nail

Bonjour, Hello, Howdy, G’day…

How the devil are you lovely lot? I do apologise for the slight absence, as luck would have it I’ve been having a blooming headache of a time with my trusty laptop which seems to have all the symptoms of old age setting in *sigh* You know… slow to start, easily confuddled, muddling information, not remembering passwords, cripplingly slow – hmmm, actually it sounds scarily like me and I’m only 34… anyways…. I’ve spent the last few days cleaning the darn thing out before undertaking the monumental task of video editing; which is something I can only describe as wandering through an unchartered circle of hell when your laptop is as slow as mine. Needless to say after sprouting a few more grey hairs, shaking my fists vigorously in the air and clearing the kitchen of all other human life I emerged victorious! A video was born!

So this week I decided to attempt my own version of a unicorn nail… ‘A what?’ I hear you say… yes, a unicorn nail. Well, the unicorn’s horn, though mine started off looking more like a teeny Mr Whippy cone before somehow evolving into (what I can only describe) as a glitzy seashell. The thing is, the gorgeous Kirsty Meakin from Naio Nails, was the inspiration behind my attempt as her recent upload made the whole darn thing look so blooming easy. However, when you’re as awkward at acrylic nail art as I am, it simply shows what an utter dog’s dinner can be made compared to the seasoned pros. Okay, so it’s not the worst thing I’ve clamped my lamps on lately, but let’s just say 2017 is most certainly the year for me to get my practice hand out a little more than I have been. Hmm, maybe this is the beginnings of a little mini series… a first attempt kinda thing?! Something the world can chortle at as I try wholeheartedly to broaden my skill-set. Who knows.

Anyhoo if you’re waiting on the number 10 bus, sitting patiently in your local takeaway with a rumbling tummy or simply figuring out how else you can procrastinate for the next few minutes then why not press play. If you’re feeling really generous you can even *click here* to subscribe so you never miss out on any future snigger-inducing videos 😉

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As always, whatever your thoughts I’d love to read them in the comments below, so do stop by and say a quick howdy 🙂

Cheerio Chums…

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Christmas Nail Art: Santa Claws

christmas-nails

The countdown is officially on… Only 5 more sleeps (as Em’s constantly reminds me) til the man in the big red suit & fluffy white beard makes an appearance at the Confetti & Curves HQ.

Surprisingly enough, this year’s taken me longer than anticipated to find my Christmas sparkle. Maybe it’s the queues of stressed out shoppers, my lack of patience when it comes to waiting for parcels or perhaps (and most likely) it’s down to the fact I haven’t had my Christmas tipple to officially declare the festivities open. Hopefully, all that will change this evening as schools are now off for the jolly hols which means it’s ‘okay’ to pour an extra large glass of something fruity and whilst flicking trough the channels to find a cheesy Christmas film.

However, to feed my obsession with all things sparkly, I took to giving my nails a bit of a seasonal makeover. Now although I’m not usually a fan of ‘themed’ nails, I’d be a bit of a nail grinch if I didn’t at least do a little something to get my fingers feeling a little more festive… it also gave me an opportunity to test out a few of my newly acquired goodies from my Secret Santa Swap Box – if you haven’t already seen it yet then *click here* to take a peek at what was inside!

 christmas-santa-hat-nails-a
The nails are actually a very short acrylic sculpt, as this year I’ll be hosting dins for all the family so I needed a length that won’t cause any mishaps with the turkey *rolls eyes* The gel polish colour I opted for is a vivid red by Saint Nails. Their range is fantastic for longevity when painting over acrylic, it’s also a great price point for nails techs looking to build their range of gel colours without breaking the bank!

christmas-santa-hat-nails-2a

For a fun, but simple Christmas inspired design I couldn’t wait to test drive my fancy schmancy Born Pretty BP01 plate. I just love the cute little snowflakes, that look really eye catching against the bright red gel!

santa-hat-christmas-nails

For a fun feature nail I opted for a simple little Santa hat! The red and white go perfectly with the above snowflake design, not to mention the fact it’s fun and super easy to do! I opted for Saint Nails gel polish over my acrylic overlays, however, this would be easily achievable with standard polish – just be sure to allow the layers drying time before top coating to help avoid any smudging!

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So there we have it gals, I’m all ready for Christmas with my festive themed nails… I’m pretty sure they’d get Mrs Claus seal of approval too!

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Are you a fan of themed nails? Have you treated your tips to a seasonal makeover? Whatever your thoughts I’d love to read them in the comments below so do stop by and say a quick howdy 🙂

Cheerio Chums…

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How To: Chrome Powder Nail Tip (with a dash of sparkly holo)…

If you’re a nail tech, or even if you’re just obsessed with nails, you’ll probably be only too familiar with the chrome powder trend that’s been sweeping the nation over the past few months. Now while I’m not personally a huge fan of it on my own talons (it doesn’t seem to compliment my pink sausage like fingers) there’s no denying it does look impressive elsewhere… a hefty mix of futuristic meets chic.

Having invested in a few pots of powder, I’ve been playing around with it over a number of weeks – some clients love it some just aren’t so sure. However, for those that simply want a touch of chrome, this funky metallic nail design could be just what the nail tech ordered! And yes, it’s super easy peasy – no degrees in artistic nail studies required!!! *hooray*

So if you’re thinking of investing in some mirror powder or a little pot of chrome, then why not check out this week’s chatter as it may help sprinkle some design inspiration when creating a few eye-catching looks for yourself!

Is that the kettle I hear? 😉 Time to grab a coffee and get comfy… don’t forget, you can *click here* to subscribe to the Confetti & Curves YouTube channel so you never miss an upload!

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What’s your thoughts on chrome nails? Are you mad for metallics? Whatever your thoughts I’d love to read them in the comments below so do stop by and say a quick hello gals 🙂

Cheerio Chums…

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Catch me on:

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The Nail File: Gel Polish Vertical Ombre with Mermaid Dust…

Howdy nail addicts & beauty buddies…

If like me, you spend far too much time deliberating over a trio of gorgeous colours, why settle for one when you can have all 3? Yep, my thoughts exactly chums 😀 as this week I talk through one of my favourite nail looks for virtually any season – a gorgeous vertical ombre *happy sigh* However, not only have I combined three of my most coveted colours; being the sparkle-obsessed magpie that I am, I just couldn’t resist a sprinkling of mermaid dust to give the finished look a gorgeous subtle shimmer.

Note for fellow Nail Techs: If you haven’t already invested in mermaid dust then I insist you treat yourself on your next nail art spree. This stuff is SUPER popular, gorgeous over virtually any shade of gel polish and perfect for any season. Whatsmore, it’s the perfect compromise for those clients that like a hint of shimmer without going full bling. Voila!

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Anyways, time to grab your cuppa and nestle back into your comfiest chair for a few minutes as I chatter through how to create this easy peasy nail art look that is a must-have option for those who either can’t decide on a delicious range of shades or those who simply love to glam up their nails with an eye-catching paint job 😉

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Are you a fan of the ombre look? What trio of colours would you opt for? Whatever your thoughts I’d love to know, don’t forget to say a quick howdy in the comments below🙂

Cheerio Chums…

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Seven Spooky Nail Art Designs For Halloween…

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I’m currently obsessed with browsing over intricate little nail designs, which is no surprise coming from a nail tech. Pinterest, Instagram, Google – I could spend hours sifting through the hoards of awe inspiring nail designs. However this Halloween I’ve a few clients who are super excited to get their talons transformed into something rather spooktacular!

To help me conjure up a few concepts of my own I’ve stumbled across some inspirational design ideas that have been hand-crafted by some of the best nail artists on the web. So if like me, you’re on the lookout for some fun ways to jazz up your nails this Hallows Eve then check out this creepy crew…

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1) Peek-a-boo

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Cute, fun and best of all an easy peasy nail art project for virtually any skill level. All you need is some good quality black & white polish, along with a dotting tool, and hey presto – you can create your very own little spooky eyeballs!

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2) Mummified

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How hilarious is this Egyptian mummy inspired nail art by YaGala?! I love the little googly eyes that give it such a fun 3D quality – definitely one I’ll be trying out over the next few days!

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3) Sugar Skulls

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Over the past few years ‘Sugar Skulls’ have become a hot Halloween trend, with awesome face paints and fun makeup tutorials! I love these colourful skull nail decals which make decorating your talons a whoooole lot easier. Simply wet, peel and stick! What a fab idea 😀

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4) Haunted House 

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Wow!! I adore this cute little Haunted House scene from Stylish_Mom. That gorgeous matte ombre effect finished off with such intricate hand painted designs makes this the perfect eye-catching illustration for any trick or treater!

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5) Itty Black Kitty

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No Halloween nail art collection would be complete without the universal accessory of spookiness – the illustrious black cat. I love the purple background and cute kitty’s face peeking over the free-edge created by The Nail Trail. This is definitely one to etch onto on my to-do list!!

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6) Wonder Web

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How fabulous is this chic spiders web design? However, fear not fellow shaky-handed folk as there are plenty of Halloween themed stamping plates to help you achieve the same precise detail without having to be a modern day Picasso!

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7) Jack Skellington

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Obviously, I had to include a nail design of one of my favourite Halloween characters’ – the fabulous Jack Skellington. I’m head over heels for this work of nail-art by Cute Polish… and it looks pretty easy to recreate. It’s certainly inspired me to give it a go!

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What’s your favourite spooky nail art design? Will you be giving your nails a frightful makeover? Whatever your thoughts I’d love to read them in the comments below so do stop by for a quick chatter 🙂

Cheerio Chums…

Karen signature

Catch me on:

Twitter   /   Instagram   /   YouTube   /   Facebook

……..

***CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE CONFETTI & CURVES INTERNATIONAL GIVEAWAY***

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