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Date Posted: 17:27:27 07/28/99 Wed
Author: nailsplash
Author Host/IP: ip-91-234.ord.primenet.com / 206.165.91.234
Subject: Re: competition
In reply to: sherry 's message, "competition" on 09:02:40 07/28/99 Wed

> Hello Everyone, I am going to enter my first nail
> competition in Oct. at the Royal Hair show in
> Knoxville,Tenn. I was just wondering if anyone can
> give me any tips? I called down there and the lady
> said they look at the consestancy of each nail, if
> they all look the same. Well, i have that down and
> she also said to leave them long. Can anyone help me,
> i would love to place or even better win. I believe
> that would be so awesome!!! Well, talk to you all
> soon.
>
> sherry

Go here for my competition tips within my website: <a rel=nofollow target=_blank href="http://people.delphi.com/nailsplash/hints.html#compete">http://people.delphi.com/nailsplash/hints.html#compete</a> or just read them here below......

COMPETITION TIPS

1) Pick a model with the best looking hands/nail beds you can find! Practice putting full-sets on her a minimum of 20 times before the competition (this also requires you to remove the full-sets...so...see #2).

2)Invest in a LAQUER WACKER for removing practice sets! It has a spinning cup that removes each hand of acrylics in about 10 minutes...

3)After removal always try to paraffin wax if you can, also massage, hydrate, etc.

4)Set up your practice station away from the salon...something that would more realisticly mimic the "rustic" and transient settings of a nail competition. Get yourself an 18" wide table, available in-stock or special order from most office supply houses--they are used for lectures when everyone will be facing in one direction---plus you'll love having it later for use at home (OR THE SALON)---perfect as a buffet table against a wall(takes up very little space) and also great for kids parties, crafts etc because of it's width, comes in 5 and 8 ft lengths, less than $100.

5) Pack up everything you will need and then each time you practice pull it all out and set up as if it is a real competition! This will help you see what you forgot, what doesn't work, etc....you don't want to get to competition to find out that your light isn't strong enough or bothers your eyes, and flickers, and gets hot enough to burn your model should she accidentally touch it trying to be helpful and reposition it for you.....! This also helps you decide where to put things at this make-shift station, and get used to finding them there! Set the timer and GO. Practice each time as if it were the REAL thing!

6) Take lots of before and after photos. If possible, video tape yourself (use a tri-pod) during one of your practice run-throughs. Then watch it to find errors or time wasting techniques! (Check for bad posture, bad technique, notice how your monomer is right under the light so no wonder it seems to be evapoating so fast and you seem so lightheaded.....)

7) If using forms, put forms on and off your model a good 100 times or so....If tips memorize her tip #s as well as refinement techniques to be done to each.

8)Work with whatever product you usualy work with, now is not the time to experiment* w/ differant brands.(Especially if you are new to competition.) *Unless you have a long time to practice before the competition.

9) Practice doing your full-sets in DIFFERANT CLIMATE SETTINGS...such as make the room: too cold, too hot, too humid, too dry, too much overhead light (heating up and activating your product), not enough overhead light, throwing weird shadows, etc.

10) Practice working with NOT ENOUGH SPACE because of space hog neighbors (no matter how well, and how far in advance YOU are ready, there is almost always 1 late arrival who will invariably end up next to you, and all her unorganized stuff will start spilling into your neat, organized section..... so practice working in cramped quarteres... sometimes LITERALLY elbow to elbow w/ the tech next to you... but if you are prepared and have practiced to accomodate this scenario, you won't be flustered!

11)Do not overpack (well you can, but don't un-pack it then)....points have been marked off for a competitor having too many differant sculpture brushes on the table among other things.....

12) Pick an "attack plan" and stick with it---except for the unforseen---such as: crystalyzing product because it feels as if it's minus 20 w/ the wind chill in the competition arena...then go to your back up plans...because you have already practiced this scenario.

13) Do not allow your model to drink a lot of pop or coffee before competition (sounds obvious I know). Also, be sure your model is WELL DRESSED (comfortable, clean, and neat...no jeans or t-shirts, a theme to match you is ALWAYS nice---in case you win, the 2 of you will look great on stage---not like twins, but complimentary is good!) Also, no identifiable jewelry, tatoos, etc, to distract the judges if possible!

14)DO NOT LEAVE POLISH FOR THE LAST MINUTE....allow 10 minutes just for perfect polish, and an additional 10 minutes left AFTER that for other refinements and DRYING time......For the polished hand be sure to use a THICK red so that you can NOT see the PINK and WHITES thru the 2 coats of polish (my personal judging pet peeve!). Buff the polished hand as much as the non-polished hand (time permitting), the polish will look GLOSSIER over the high shine nail! Try to polish the red hand EARLY, unless you are SURE your model will have to wait at least 20 minutes in line to be judged....TRUTH: models (one of mine included!) have complained of the first judge manhandling and smudging her polished hand...sure, the judge IS required to make a note that they are responsible for the smudges, but it ruins the first impression....and this is all about image and first impressions!

15) CONSISTENCY IS KEY! Everybody's idea of THE perfect nail is different...if yours is differant than mine (the judge) show me that difference with purpose...ALL 10 NAILS MUST BE EXACTLY THE SAME!

SKILLS TO CONCENTRATE ON:

a)LENGTH (relative to each other, obviously the pinkie is not the same ACTUAL length as the thumb). Each of the fingers should match the corresponding finger on the other hand. The 3 middle fingers are usually the same length with these exceptions noted sometimes: Middle fingers are longer than index and ring, index and ring are APPROXIMATELY the same length, w/ ring sometimes slightly longer, thumb is generally longer than middle....but this is all subjective and a measure of the free edge length vs. the nail bed length. A good competition length is GENERALLY 100% (but again it depends on your model, and the region of the country you are in where different lengths are considered acceptable) 100% means that the free-edge (white) equals the nail bed (pink)--standard salon lengths are 25 to 50 %. Again though, consisitency is key, and this is why a good hand model is key because she will have nail beds that are proportionate to each other and to her hands (vs our clients who give us much more of a challenge, and we make trade offs to give the "appearance" of equal lengths when in reality they may not be!)

b)SHAPE Pick a shape, any shape,(complimentary to your models nail bed of course) but be consistent, watch out for "right (or left) hand drag", which means that you pull the file heavier on that side and have a consisitent but WRONG lopsidedness---check the shape from several angles to be sure! Also check for the same degree of tapering on the sidewalls if you taper at all!

c) Arch placement, etc---be consisitent! Competition arches are "longer" as a % of the nail that they span.

d)Blend cuticles and sidewalls so that there is nothing at all to catch on! Keep them thin too, these are COMPETITION NAILS NOT SALON NAILS....they don't have to even make it to the awards ceremony (although that would be nice) they just have to hold up through judging. THIN, THIN, THIN!

e) Make sure your clear is clear and your white is DEFINED...it does not HAVE to be superwhite(although that photographs the BEST, and the photo session at the end IS on the judges mind!). And you do have to show superb definition in your smile line.

TAKE EVEY SECOND OF TIME THAT THEY GIVE YOU, especially when you are new...time is only for ties(in some comps), and is rarely used, and those competitors already know who each other are and so they then use their "Final Jepoardy" strategy to decide time points vs perfection points when it matters..... There is no such thing as nails that are TOO shiny....keep going back w/ that 3-4 way buffer and shine, shine, shine, until time is called.

As you can see, a big part of the comp is Psychological! When bulding your nails think of "photographic WOW appeal" as your goal.... Good luck!

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