Nail Art, Specialty Treatments, and Product Knowledge
Core concepts
Nail art and specialty services combine product knowledge with sanitation. Polish is a film former; base coat improves adhesion and protects the plate; top coat seals and adds shine. Gel polish needs correct lamp compatibility, thin coats, and full curing; uncured gel can cause allergic reactions. Acrylic paints, water decals, stamping, foils, rhinestones, and 3D art each have adhesion and removal limits.
Traps include using craft glue or household adhesive on nails, applying art so thick it lifts, skipping curing, reusing contaminated brushes, and using expired or improperly stored products. Product knowledge includes shelf life, mixing instructions, ventilation, and SDS. Sanitation applies to art tools: brushes, dotting tools, and stampers can spread debris and pathogens; clean and disinfect reusable tools and discard porous items. Allergies can appear as itching, redness, or lifting; stop service and refer if a reaction is suspected.
Rule of thumb
If an enhancement must be thick to hide a defect, the underlying prep or structure is wrong.
Worked example
A client's gel polish wrinkles and peels within a day. The likely cause is too-thick application or undercuring. Remove the product, check lamp bulbs and cure time, then reapply in thin coats.