Nail Art, Design, and Finishing
Domain 6 evaluates design choices, product control, and finishing so nail art stays sanitary and durable.
Core rules
- Design principles: balance, proportion, focal point, and contrast. Keep the art appropriate to nail shape and length.
- Work thin: several thin polish or gel layers cure better than one thick layer. Cap the free edge.
- Sanitize brushes and tools between clients; do not double-dip a brush used on skin or a client's mouth area.
- Use solvent-resistant glitters and pigments intended for nails; craft glitter can bleed or harbor contaminants.
- Encapsulation needs a clear builder layer and a smooth top coat; stamping needs a clean, tack-free surface.
Worked example
A gel design wrinkles during curing. The likely cause is a thick layer or an uncured base, not bad art. The fix is to apply thinner coats, ensure the lamp is functioning and the hand is positioned correctly, and cure each layer fully before adding the next. The reasoning is photoinitiator activation: if light does not penetrate, the gel stays soft and shrinks.
Traps
Flooding the cuticle with art product; using thick top coat; skipping edge caps; reusing porous art tools; and assuming all glitter is nail-safe.