March 2012
48 posts
Do you mind telling me what your nail care regime is like? What products do you use/ how frequently? Your natural nails are gorgeous, and I love your nail art!
Thank you! I don’t really use a lot of treatments. I remove my cuticles once every week or so with the blue Sally Hansen cuticle remover and and OPI Pusher Plus (amazing tool) and then I use CND Solar Oil when I remember to, it’s wonderful stuff. massaging anything in to your nails and cuticle area increases blood flow and stimulates growth, but I like Solar Oil, it’s really moisturizing without leaving a greasy feeling. Also CND Cuticle Eraser is great, I never remember to use it anymore, but when I do use it on a regular basis, I notice a difference in that I don’t have that keratin buildup around my nails. It’s got a chemical exfoliant (AHA) and it’s gentle but effective. Also I just recently started using a treatment base coat, Seche Retain, and it seems to be working ok. My nails feel a little bit stronger I guess. The one thing I use that I couldn’t live without is the Solar Oil, though. :D
If you're considering getting a manicurist's license to do nail art, DON'T.
Nail art is the only art that I can think of that requires the artist to obtain a license to prepare their canvas. In order to legally manicure someone for money, you have to get a license. At least in my state. So last year I decided to take BeautopiaNails.com to the next level, and to pursue my passion I knew I needed a manicurist’s license to keep it legal. If I wanted to prepare my canvas before making art out of someone’s nails, I’d need to make sure I was covered, and that my clients had safety and peace of mind knowing I knew what I was doing when I touch their hands.
So I spent about $3,000 and several months going through a nail tech program with one other classmate. Sometimes we had a teacher, sometimes we didn’t. Hell, sometimes we learned about permanent waving and haircolor and how to do a fingerwave or a 90 degree cut, whatever the hell that is. Whatever it is, it has nothing to do with nails. We learned how to do manicures, how to do acrylics (I don’t even believe in acrylics) and other random stuff that people who’ve been doing their own nails for years already know. I didn’t spend that time and money to learn how to remove cuticles or to find out how stupid Beauty School Drama is, I did it to make myself legal in order to start my own business.
So now that I’ve got my license, my supplies, my business cards, clients lined up and art festivals to apply to, I find that I can’t paint one damn nail outside a salon. Well, I can’t afford my own salon yet, and I want to work as Beautopia Nails, not “one of the nail techs at Kool Kuts.” I want to continue building the brand and the reputation that I’ve been building for years starting with my website. I can’t paint nail art at a birthday party, an art festival, a flea market, an accessories boutique because my state doesn’t allow mobile services.
I’ve been told that I would have been better off to NOT get my license if I wanted to do those things because then I wouldn’t be subject to my state’s Board of Cosmetology rules and regs. So now I can either not do nails, do acrylics at someone else’s salon and let their salon benefit from my nail art and reputation, or I can let my license expire and paint nails, but never do a manicure beforehand. Some choice.
Nail art is a burgeoning new art form with so many women with amazing talents and potential and unfortunately my state, at least, seems to want to ignore it. So if you’re looking to be a nail artist, do yourself a favor: Save your money and time and just go paint. If you’re waiting and saving for the opportunity to get your license, check with your state board and make sure that you’re not going to run into what I have.
