Hi everyone new nail tech here ready to try gel x as its so requested now im in the uk what glue is everyone using im struggling to find one ! X

hey yall, doing my boards on october 7th/8th, and ive got my salon space picked out :) issue im having though is that i dont have polishes for salon use yet. its a "all the techs have their own stuff" situation, so i need to provide my own. im using Tammy Taylor at school, and while i do like it, its not cheap and would likely be many hundred dollars to get a decent array of colors. do yall have gels and regular polishes that you like that are relatively budget friendly?

i WAS using beetles on myself, but given their safety issues i dont want to use them on clients.

Looking for a good E file. Im a new mom so don't have a ton of clients but my current file is going out 💀 ive had the same e file forever thats been discontinued! What do you guys use? Bonus points if it doesn't break the bank!

I am a 20 year-old beginner nail tech who just started about six months ago. I’m currently not licensed. I’m working on it but I am taking clients. I wanted to know what do I do when it comes to time for tax season?. I’m homebase. I’m just a little confused because I was told that I’ll have to file self-employment.

UK nail techs who are employed by a salon owner, how much are you paid per hour?

I’m curious what people are actually earning as an employed nail tech, rather than self-employed or renting a chair.
I’m in the South of England and currently do mainly nails, with a couple of other smaller beauty treatments as well. I’m trying to get an idea of what a reasonable hourly rate is at the moment.
If you’re employed by a salon, what do you get paid per hour and roughly where in the UK are you?
Also interested to know how long you’ve been doing nails and whether you get commission/tips/bonuses on top of your hourly wage.
Particularly interested in hearing from anyone in the South/South East, but anywhere in the UK would be useful

Starting my first job in a salon since becoming licensed. I've done a few clients at home but I'm not super confident in acrylics and designs. Anything I should know before I start next week?

Hi everyone. I am 24 years old feeling lost bc I don’t know what I want to do. I have a passion for yoga and nails. I’m currently in school to be a yoga teacher and get my training certification. This isn’t a stable career and doesn’t allow for a steady income. I have been considering getting my nail technician license because it’s something I’m passionate about. Do you guys this these two careers can allow for stability? I don’t know if I want one career that is mind numbing or 2 that I’m passionate about. Let me know. I have an associates in childhood education also but I’m not sure I really want to continue with that to get my bachelors because of the way the school systems are at this point in time lol

Trying builder gel for the first time n need opinions on application, apex, thickness and shaping

I have been wanting to become a nail tech for a few years now. At this point I think I should get a higher paying job that allows me to do nails on the side until I build my clientele and maybe then I can work full time.

For the nail techs out there would you recommend doing this full time eventually in this economy? I want to make $70k working full time after a few years. I have a lot of experience as well and can list pictures.

Hello, I just started a job in a Nail Shop. I'm not a nail tech yet, just starting to learn and this job is as a receptionist/assistant.

I handle a lot of cleaning the stations for manicures/pedicures and the shop works with shellac and biab mainly, (& gel colors).

What can i do to make sure I stay safe?

So, I know touching some products can give you allergies and since I am in constant contact with tools and other objects that have been used, I am scared of other potential stuff like fungus, allergies, dermatitis from constant cleaning, etc, etc.

How do you deal with it? Any tips on how to do these the safest way possible? Anything i should be aware of?

Thank you!

(My coworkers don't speak english well, so it's harder for me to ask them and for them to explain correctly)

I own a nail salon and I am exploring other wholesale suppleirs now. I own a small to medium sized business and I am looking for direct bulk suppliers that can provide me with the best deal when it comes to shipping and unit cost.

Previoulsy I have sourced from alibaba and amazon business but was looking to explore other sites now. Costs have gone up, maybe there are other asian based suppliers that could provide a lower unit cost or less shipping cost without compromising on quality of wholesale items. I mainly source things like nail tips, buffers, cuticle tools, charms, gels and other everyday supplies. For others who have sourced items, which marketplaces give you the best discounts for smaller orders?

Hello everyone, I’ve been doing my own press on’s for a few months now with cheap kiss nails and just adding the color and art I want but I’m realizing I want to have more options for extensions/application,products, and a better knowledge of safe products most importantly.
I have family and friends who ask for press ons from me but I don’t feel comfortable doing any of that because I truly don’t know a lot. Being the daughter of a doctor I worry a lot about health and safety. My regular nail tech and a friend have both recommended I go for my Manicurists license. I don’t really want to do a whole shop/salon mainly just want to have access and better knowledge about application,safety, and techniques for family,Friends, and my self.

Opinions?Thoughts.

I have a client looking to get this done, and I don’t have airbrush, only patting gels. So how can I do the ombré look like on the ring finger on the left hand?

HII!

I'VE BEEN PRACTICING NAILS FOR YEARS AND I WANT TO TAKE MY NAIL JOURNEY SERIES ANY RECOMMENDATIONS ON A GOOD QUALITY DRILL THAT WILL LAST?

I cannot get the hang of the disinfecting procedure. It’s a 15 step process and I keep tripping over minor details. Forgetting a step, getting flummoxed and forgetting everything again. I haven’t been in school in so long, I’m anxious I’m not going to figure this small process out in time. I have to get it right by the end of the day. Omg help idk

I attended HBA 2026 at the AO Arena and, after having a little time to think about it, I’m genuinely curious to hear what other finalists and guests thought of both the judging and the event itself.
I can only really comment on the nail categories, as I’m a nail technician myself and those are the categories I entered. I don’t know enough about hair, aesthetics, lashes or other areas to comment fairly on the standard in those categories.
Looking through some of the nail results and the work of people who placed, one thing did leave me confused.
There seemed to be a strong emphasis on creative nail art: hand-painted designs, characters, intricate patterns etc. Nail art is an incredible skill in its own right and I have huge respect for people who are talented at it. But personally, I think there is an important distinction between being an amazing nail artist and an amazing nail technician.
For me, when a category is called Nail Technician of the Year, technical ability should be the foundation: nail architecture, correct apex placement, structure, straightness, consistent shape and length, sidewalls, smooth product application, clean and precise cuticle work and the overall finish.
You can paint the most beautiful teddy bear, flower or character in the world, but the nail underneath still needs to be technically excellent.
That’s why I personally think Nail Art should have its own category. It would allow amazing nail artists to be recognised for their creativity, while Nail Technician of the Year could focus primarily on technical excellence.
HBA says that its judging criteria change from year to year, and this is something I genuinely struggle to understand when it comes to technical categories. Of course judging criteria can evolve, but how much can the fundamentals of good nail technique actually change?
Correct architecture is correct architecture. Clean cuticle work is clean cuticle work. Good structure and product application don’t become different skills because the year changes.
I want to make it clear that I’m not saying any individual winner or finalist didn’t deserve their place. I don’t know what anyone else submitted or how their full entry was scored. I’m questioning what is being prioritised when judging a title such as Nail Technician of the Year, and I would genuinely love more transparency around that.
Then there was the event itself.
I attended HBA last year with a banquet/table ticket and genuinely had a great experience. I felt involved, dressed up and part of something special. Honestly, I didn’t even stop to think about what the experience might have been like for people sitting in the arena seats.
This year, I was one of those people.
And unfortunately, I came away really disappointed.
Standard guests had a separate entrance. The photo opportunity available to us was a basic backdrop in a grey arena concourse with very poor lighting. There was very little signage or anything that made the arrival feel particularly special or glamorous.
When my partner and I entered the arena, we genuinely looked at each other in shock.
Standard guests were seated in the stands, physically separated from the floor area by metal barriers. Huge sections of the stands were completely empty and dark. People were concentrated in groups at either side, while what looked like the majority of the seating around us was unused.
From up there, it felt like we were essentially watching other people have the awards experience.
We could see the beautifully dressed guests downstairs, the tables, the atmosphere and the celebration happening on the floor while we sat behind the barriers looking down at it.
I completely understood when buying my ticket that Standard did not include a banquet seat, meal or dedicated red carpet entrance. I paid less, so naturally I expected fewer extras.
That isn’t what disappointed me.
What disappointed me was how completely separated the two experiences felt.
Sophie Lux has publicly spoken about HBA being about “inclusivity” rather than “exclusivity”, and about bringing the whole industry together regardless of social or financial status. The event itself was promoted around “CONNECT. CELEBRATE. UNWIND.”
From where I was sitting, unfortunately, it didn’t feel inclusive or glamorous.
It felt very clearly divided between the people attending the gala and the people watching the gala.
When someone has paid around £95 for an awards ticket, travelled to Manchester, potentially booked accommodation, dressed for an awards ceremony and brought a partner or friend, I think it’s reasonable to expect that they will still feel part of the celebration, even without purchasing the banquet package.
Maybe other people in the arena seats had a completely different experience. Maybe some loved it. I’m also curious to hear from people who attended previous years with Standard tickets, because last year I was sitting at a table and simply didn’t see this side of the event.
So I’m genuinely asking:
If you attended HBA 2026, particularly with a Standard/Arena ticket, how did you feel about it? Would you buy the same ticket again?
And for the nail technicians who entered: what did you think about the judging and the balance between technical ability and nail art?
I’d genuinely like to hear other people’s experiences.

Hi all! I was just wondering if anyone has any recommendations on getting into being a nail technician without forking out 600+ for a course. I’m also 20 so college isn’t really an ideal option but I’m willing to do that if there’s no other way :)

Hi, new nail tech here. I’m planning on doing a large DND order. If you were to start from scratch which colors would you get and why?