Simple DIY Tea Bag Nail Repair

This is a simple DIY nail repair trick that I have been using for years. It's great for the those that need an urgent fix for their own nails, but I've also found it to be invaluable as a professional Nail Technician when I'm working on the set of a film or photo shoot where there isn't time to do a full silk or fiberglass wrap.

Supplies:
·         paper tea bag
·         nail file
·         buffer
·         tweezers
·         nail glue

Steps:
1. Trim and file nail if necessary.

2. Cut the top off of a paper tea bag and pour out the tea. You can also use a coffee filter in an emergency, but remember it is thicker and will require more buffing to prevent the seams from showing.

 3. Tear (do not cut) a small piece of the empty tea bag into a patch to cover the break in your nail. Cutting the patch will leave a ridge along the edges, while tearing allows the fibers to seamlessly blend into the nail.

4. Place a small dot of nail glue over the break in the nail and use the tweezers to place and press the patch down over it. The patch will absorb the glue and form a bond to the nail over the break.

5. Once dry, gently buff over the edges of the patch to blend it into the nail.

6. Finish with a clear top coat or to hide the patch, polish your nails as usual with a base coat, two coats of color, and a top coat.

Voila! You have a perfect manicure once again and the offending break is reinforced while the nail has time to grow out. You can remove the patch easily with nail polish remover or leave it in place until the break has grown out enough for you to clip and file the nail.

V Isn't Just For Vendetta Anymore

V-Gap is a nail trend introduced by London-based nail technician, Sophy Robson at Antonio Beradi's Fall '11 fashion show which first became popular in Europe and soon after in the United States. It is somewhat like a V-shaped “Moon Manicure” with a tiny gap in the middle of the design, which gives the illusion of a split. The beauty of this modern look is in its versatility: It can be sleek and subtle with dark or neutral shades and a matte finish, or chic and flashy by combining bright hues and a shimmering finish. The reason that the technique is called “V-Gap” is exactly that – a “V” shape is made at the moon of the nail with nail polish, while leaving a very small “gap” all the way down the center of the nail to the tip.This is definitely a look you are going to want to have in your nail art arsenal!

The Key to Color Blocking

Keep clients excited with your services by constantly incorporating the latest and most popular trends in nail art design. Geometric patterned nail designs are a go-to manicure trend among celebrities who enjoy pushing the fashion envelope including Fergie, Solange Knowles and Katy Perry. The technique is often called “color blocking” – a simple way of creating patterns that place complementary blocks of solid color next to each other to construct eye-catching designs. For even more pizzazz, different finishes or textures, such as glitter or beads can also be included. This is a style that is fun to wear and ranges from minimal and simple to highly elaborate. Now there’s no excuse not to get into shape!

Spring Cleaning at the Nail Salon

 It's that time of the year again...Spring Cleaning at the salon! The obvious is to go through all of your products and discard anything that is expired, reevaluate any areas that may have become cluttered and if you're like me, get out your label gun and go hog wild sorting, organizing and labeling like your life depends on it!

But what else can you do to spruce up your salon and make the most of your efforts? 
Here are some helpful hints:

Leftover lotions and Scrubs – Gather up any remaining scrubs or lotions you may have lying around the salon. As with nail polish, all of us have creams, lotions, and scrubs that either weren’t a client favorite or we never finished using. Combining them together can save you money as well as create a new signature product for your salon.

Tips

• Organize products into scents that complement each other. For example, pair fruit fragrances together instead of with almond or vanilla. 

• Mixing lotions with opposite consistencies can make the perfect pair.  Combining a “too-thick” cream and a “too-thin” lotion can ultimately produce the optimum consistency for your new “signature” cream.

• If your scrubs are partially dried out, you can add the last drops of cuticle oils to the mixture or even standard olive oil to improve consistency. 

Nail Polish – We all have those bottles of nail polish that are only about 1/4 full and will inevitably thicken beyond saving or dry up and will have to be discarded. Why not do what many of the celebrity Nail Techs do at Fashion Week and create your own custom colors by combining these leftovers? All you need are some empty nail polish bottles (and ball bearings for mixing) from your local beauty supply store (or you can easily order these on Amazon or eBay).

Tips

•  Have fun and be creative, but try to mix colors that will complement each other so you don't end up with an unattractive shade that no one will want to wear. As a rule, try not to mix more than 3 colors together.

• Purchase a small plastic painter's palette at your local art supply store so you can test your color mixes with small amounts of polish to make sure you like the results before you use up all of your resources.

• Keep records of what products you mixed together and in what proportions so you can recreate a color that becomes a hit with your clients.

• Make homemade labels for your bespoke color creations and give them fun, original names!

Pre-Summer Pedi Primer

With sandal season right around the corner, your clients will need to get their feet summer ready. In fact, many will expect nail techs to perform a miracle on feet that have been neglected all winter long. To make delivering this a miracle a bit easier, here are some tips to encourage “pre-summer” pedicures – a way  to ease the use and abuse during the closed-toe season.

·         Encourage clients to start the season with a professional spa pedicure early on, before the summer actually gets here. This way they can get a head start on smooth summer feet.

·         Promote Mother’s Day gift certificates for pedicures. This is always a much appreciated gift for Mom! 

·         Maintain your own professional pedicure to ensure your feet are always looking great. It’s free advertising! Nothing looks worse than chipped toenail polish or rough heels in summer sandals or flip-flops.

HELPFUL HINT: At the close of a service, provide tips to help clients keep pedicures looking their best. This will ultimately keep your work looking fabulous and also make your job easier when clients return for their next service. Here are a few:

·         Soak feet in a warm milk bath with a few drops of olive oil. The lactic acid in milk helps slough away dead skin while the oil will help moisturize.

·         Before showering, exfoliate feet dry with a foot file or buffer to remove hard, old calluses and rough spots. Once in the shower, exfoliate again by using a pumice stone along with a quality foot or body scrub.

·         Make a habit of moisturizing. Before bedtime, apply foot cream and sleep with moisture locking socks.

·         Use a good cuticle oil. (My favorite is Solar Oil by CND ). Massage into cuticles daily to nourish nails and surrounding skin. Applying cuticle oil is also a quick pick-me-up for polished toe nails. It refreshes the pedicure and actually keeps polish flexible so there is less chipping, making pedis last longer!    

Jungle Fever

The lovely ladies of stage and screen are simply wild for animal print nail art. Fun and sexy, this look has a veritable treasure trove of styles ranging from zebra and giraffe to a plethora of jungle cats. Celebrity enthusiasts of this look include Ke$ha, Fergie, Rihanna and Katy Perry, who often like to take it to the next level by mixing their animal print nail art with shimmering metallic polish and glitter. So go on...get your animal print nail art on!

Chipped Manicures

Back in 2008, the New York Times reported that chipped manicures were a hot new trend, but the look faded from popularity before it had a chance to go mainstream. Fast forward to 2010 and the chipped manicure once again made waves in Europe after being sported in saucy shades of red by the editors of Vogue and Elle and on this side of the pond by Tibi designer, Amy Smilovic. Ms. Smilovic went so far as to post her inspiration for the look on the Tibi Facebook page with pictures of a mangled mani she paid for at a nail salon and news quickly trickled down to several fashion blogs. It is unlikely that this look will ever truly catch on outside of the punk/goth scene, but stylish celebrities such as Taylor Momsen, Paris Hilton, Miley Cyrus and Jessica Simpson have already been caught rocking this trend – though whether they are intentionally going for this look or are in serious need of a proper manicure is unclear. However, keep in mind -- a flawless manicure will NEVER go out of style!

Lace Nails

Not since Madonna’s 1980’s fingerless lace gloves has lace as a hand accessory been such a sensation! Lace Nails are achieved by cutting thin pieces of lace material and affixing them to the natural nail with nail adhesive. They can then be polished over with a clear coat for a long lasting, shiny finish, sealed with UV gel or left bare for a short-term matte effect. The color, texture and pattern of the lace contribute to the vast variety of options for implementing this look. The nature of the process ensures that no two nails will be exactly alike, which is enticing to those looking to make a unique statement with their manicure. Lace Nails have been spotted on the red carpet upon fashion-forward celebrities such as Blake Lively and Jennifer Lopez, among others.

Mommy & Me Manis

Reinvigorate your service menu with a super-hot service offering that’s taking salons by storm. “Mommy & Me” Manicures are all the rage from Hollywood to the biggest cities and smallest towns. A perfect mother-daughter bonding activity, an indulgent trip to the nail salon is high quality girl time with perks! Little divas know well manicured fingers and toes are an ultra chic accessory for any outfit. Celebrity mother/daughters hooked on this practice include Jennifer Garner & Violet Affleck, Kate Beckinsale & Lily Sheen, Katie Holmes & Suri Cruise, and Tish & Miley Cyrus.

The Great UV Lamp Debate

The great debate about UV gel curing lamps rages on -- are they harmful or harmless? Well, here's the final word from Nailpro Magazine's March 2013 issue. The verdict? UV lamps are safe! So if you'd like to try a UV or LED cured gel manicure -- go right ahead!

Back & Better Than Ever!

There have been several new developments since the last time I blogged and I'm excited to share them with you!

First, I've launched a new website for my Freelance Nail Artist business, NailingItNYC. The site includes my service menu as well as a photo showcase of my work and is a place to share everything in my life that has to do with my love of nails. Be sure to check it out!

Also, I've joined Instagram as another medium to share my work.
You can follow me @nailingitnyc.



And lastly, I will be blogging here regularly again, so be sure to stay tuned for product reviews, nail art tutorials, trends, a peek inside the wonderful work of nails backstage at NY Fashion Week and so much more!

Marvels of the Male Pedicure

For those of you looking for a hot new service to add to your menu, look no further than the pedicure for men. Once an outlandish idea, men everywhere have been slowly warming to the idea of the stress-relieving and hygienic benefits of maintaining their feet and toenails. Nail salons have seen a steady increase of male clientele over the past few years, who have embraced the idea of “man-scaping” as part of their general wellness routine. Big cities like New York and Los Angeles have even seen an increased interest in polished pedicures for men – worn ever so stylishly by celebrities like Dean McDermott and Seal. The most popular shades among the male persuasion are black, beige and gray.

Why not promote specials to encourage your female clients to bring in their significant others for a relaxing foot-soak and much-needed toe nail trim? The ladies will surely thank you for your efforts!

Back in Black

Back in black – polish that is. Once reserved for the punk and gothic counter culture, this eye-catching hue now makes a bold statement in film, on the runway, and on the streets. Fashionable celebrities such as Gwen Stefani and Sarah Michelle Gellar have been seen rocking this sophisticated look of late. In fact, Gwen had all of the models in her L.A.M.B Fall 2011 runway show sporting striking black manis.

The key to an awesome all black manicure is well-groomed nails and the perfect shade. Union Jack Black from butter LONDON is my personal favorite! Let's not forget that Halloween is right around the corner and any gals go-to hue for added drama is definitely dark and sexy shades of black. Want to dress it up? Try a matte top coat for a velvety effect or add a glitter top coat for some sparkle!

Red Pedicures: Super Classy & Ultra Chic!

There is nothing quite as timeless as the classic red polished pedicure, so make sure you've got a killer one in your repertoire. First popularized in the 1940’s thanks to sultry screen sirens such as Marilyn Monroe, red polish attained icon status as the staple for fun and flirty pedicures.

Seventy years later and this look is still super classy and ultra chic! Modern red polished pedicures know no rules and the variety of shades are rivaled only by the unique women that wear them. Celebrities such as Megan Fox, Keira Knightly and Kate Bosworth own this look that works for both femme fatale and innocent ingénue alike. Red polish is available in a multitude of shades and finishes and can be dressed up with glitter and jewels or toned down with a matte top coat.

Mad About Mad Men

I know that I'm a little late in jumping on the bandwagon, but I was recently introduced to the wonder that is AMC's Mad Men by my glorious sister (who knows my taste in television so well!). For those that may not know, the show is set in Manhattan during the 1960's at a Madison Avenue advertising agency. Besides the intriguing storyline, fantastic period clothing and vintage props, the first item to really capture my attention was of course, the nails!

How fabulous are housewife Betty Draper's perfect pink oval-shaped nails? They are always flawlessly manicured and complement her clothing and accessories with panache. Even prim and proper Peggy Olsen's nails are obviously well maintained, though she has yet to sport nail polish even once throughout all four seasons of the show! Then there's sultry Joan Holloway with her lovely red talons that just ooze sex appeal.

Betty Draper (January Jones), Peggy Olsen (Elizabeth Moss) & Joan Holloway (Christina Hendricks)

Not only do the main characters get to wear stunning 1960's style manis -- the supporting female characters get in on the action too. Next door neighbor and fellow housewife, Francine Hanson is always elaborately coiffed and manicured with full face makeup. Young wife Trudy Campbell is fresh-faced and smartly dressed with a mani to match her proper Manhattanite outfits. By far, the glitziest nails on the show so far belonged to Bobbie Barrett -- one of Don Draper's short-lived trysts. She rocked a solid gold metallic manicure to match her cocktail dress in true classic Hollywood style.

Francine Hanson (Anne Dudek), Trudy Campbell (Alison Brie) & Bobbie Barrett (Melinda McGraw)

Of course, there is an amazing woman behind the fabulous nails of Mad Men! Series costume designer Janie Bryant is the creative mastermind behind all that goes into creating the phenomenal period costumes, hairstyles and nails for the show. Her eye for detail is nothing short of genius! In the fall of 2010, Bryant paired with Nailtini of the 'Tini Beauty Lounge cosmetic brand to create a limited edition set of Mad Men nail lacquers inspired by the lush and luxurious fabrics popular in the 1960's. Since liquor is practically a supporting character on the show, a cocktail-themed nail polish line makes perfect sense!

The limited edition collection features four luxuriously opulent hues. Bourbon Satin (chocolate mousse brown), French 75 (micro glitter gold lamé), Deauxville (metallic platinum silver), and Stinger (iridescent green/black chrome). It's been sold out in stores for quite a while now, but I did a little research and found it can still be purchased online at Amazon.com, among others.

Limited Edition Fall 2010 Collection

Due to the success of their first collaboration, Nailtini released a second nail lacquer collection created by Janie Bryant for the Spring of 2011 called Garden Party. This second vintage-inspired spread includes four shades fit for a Sterling Cooper company picnic! The collection is comprised of Garden Jubilee (gold shimmer), Blue Carnation (milky blue/gray), Blushing Lady (baby pink), and Admiral Perry (patent leather royal blue).

Garden Party - Spring 2011 Collection

Word is that due to contract disputes between AMC and Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner, the highly anticipated 5th season of the show isn't going to premiere until some time in 2012. Until then, all we can do is indulge our obsession by watching re-runs on Netflix while wearing our Mad Men Nailtini nail colors!

It's All About the Nails...

My love affair with nails has existed for as long as I can remember. One of my earliest memories is getting in trouble when I was four or five years old for climbing up a bookcase and sneaking the red nail polish out of my mother's manicure supply basket so I could paint my nails. Luckily, when I got caught my Dad took the blame by asserting that he had given me permission. As I got older, the obsession grew and I moved into elementary nail art using decals, toothpicks and glitter polish. By eighth grade, my plastic two-tone Caboodle makeup case was brimming with all of the makeup and nail supplies that Wal-Mart and the Dollar General store had to offer.

Years later, I began work at a tiny satellite office of one of the world's largest international nail companies, KMC/Dashing Diva. The path I took to this career was most certainly the scenic route, yet somehow it seemed that I had been destined for it. I instantly thrived in the environment and quickly became a valued member of the staff. When they learned of my background in writing, I was drafted to compose the monthly newsletter for the company's signature brand of professional nail products. Soon I was also writing copy for advertisements as well as spearheading the social media presence for the brand. Not long after, I was approached by an executive at the company and encouraged to enroll in beauty school to acquire a New York State Nail Technician license...and I did.

In July of 2010, I began the four month long Nail Tech course at Christine Valmy International School of Esthetics, Makeup, and Nail Artistry. For four nights each week, I raced from my office to a tiny classroom two stories above Fifth Avenue and immersed myself in all things nails for several hours. My classmates and I were guided through our studies by the course instructor, Ms. Sheila Ando -- a gifted and knowledgeable Nail Technician. During our course of study we were presented with the opportunity to volunteer as student members of the Butter London Nail Tech Team at NY Fashion Week. At the same time, I was drafted by the lead Nail Tech at Dashing Diva Professional to work as a student member of their Fashion Week team. Thus began my continuing adventures at NY Fashion Week.

NY Fashion Week Spring 2011

Butter London Nail Tech Team Backstage at the Alexander Wang Runway Show

A full year later, I have graduated and completed all of my state exams. My Nail Tech license arrived in the mail a couple of weeks ago. Over the past year, I have attended beauty shows to do product demonstrations for Dashing Diva and Nail Bliss, was elevated to the Butter London Pro team for NY Fashion Week Fall 2011 and have continued to nurture my passion for nails by converting the spare room in my apartment into my very own nail salon. Now I'm sharing my thoughts and experiences through this blog as I have learned that there are precious few that understand the multifaceted world of the professional nail industry. It is creative and thrilling and brutal at times, but regardless, the nails always look fantastic. And let's be honest...it's all about the nails.