As salons closed due to the pandemic, nail artists maintained their businesses online by creating hand-made press on nails for clients to purchase. Here, they share some tips, tricks and marketing strategies that motivated them to keep calm and press on!
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Los Angeles-based nail artist Vanessa Cooper uses her free time to try new designs or themes she typically wouldn’t have the time to. “Sitting in my comfy pants, snacking and working on a design for a few hours is my new favorite way to relax,” Cooper says. Her must-have product is a tip stand. “It allows you to paint the nail tip without having to touch and fidget with it,” Cooper says.
Using her Instagram to market the sets, Cooper expanded her reach to nail lovers anywhere in the United States; she also reaches out to her current clients to keep them in the know. “Like most nail artists, my salon is closed for a minimum of 3 more weeks,” Cooper says. “Clients still want their nails done, and press-ons are a great alternative for them.”
Orlando, Florida-based The Polish Room nail artist Rebecca Bernard sees press on nail sets as an opportunity for her clients to try intricate nail art, sans the minimum two-week commitment. “A lot of clients are afraid to commit to a full set of character art for at least two weeks, so having a set they can wear for anywhere from a few hours to a couple weeks is a great way to ease them in,” says Bernard. “I always remind clients not to remove them with acetone in order to keep the press ons in good condition.” Instead, Bernard recommends soaking them in warm, soapy water.
For a perfect client fitting, Bernard uses two strategies: finding the width of their nail plate in millimeters with a soft measuring tape, or sending out sample packs containing all sizes. “One thing I keep in mind when creating a set is the length of the client’s nail bed,” says Bernard. “If I am creating a shorter set, I’ll have them measure the length of their entire nail bed, especially for a French set since the white should begin at the free edge.”
United Kingdom-based 81 Rose Garden artist Maddison Regan currently lives by the saying, “A nail set a day, keeps the pandemic at bay.” Regan chooses a design to create, based on photos that her followers engaged with most. “It’s usually a five-shade pink gradient or a simple, effective design.” She recommends adding your own twist to someone else’s work you admire to keep your page active—but don’t forget to credit the original artist!
—by Angelina Lewis
