Polish off the competition!

Calling all nail techs to enter the National Nail Competition hosted in conjunction with the Professional Beauty exhibition at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit and International Convention Centre on 8 and 9 September.

Participating in our competition isn’t just about showcasing your talent; it’s a pivotal step in taking your career to new heights! The National Nail Competition provides an excellent platform for nail techs to demonstrate their creativity, skill, and artistry to industry-leading judges.

Not only do competitions offer a chance to win recognition and prizes, but they also present amazing networking opportunities. Engage with expert judges, gain invaluable feedback, and create connections that can open doors to career prospects!

This year, you can choose from the following categories:

• Gel Polish

• Tip Overlay

• Master Sculptor (Acrylic & Gel)

Each year nail techs gather to compete in the Professional Beauty Nail Competition. With onsite and offsite categories to choose from you’ve got the flexibility you need. Stand a chance to have your amazing nail set featured in the Nail File supplement in the Professional Beauty magazine.

Whether you’re a novice in the game or a master at your craft, the Professional Beauty Nail Competition is the battle for you! Register for information, rules and regulation and how to enter at www.probeauty.co.za/jhb-nailcompetition.

Words of encouragement

We asked two nail judges, Evelyn Coetzee and Katia Da Silva, for some tips on how to make the best of the upcoming competitions:

Evelyn Coetzee

Evelyn Coetzee’s nail career began in 1989 at Dream Nails. Working her way up in salons, she entered her first nail competition (sculpting) in 1995 and won both the provincial and national competitions. She opened her own salon in 1998 and continued taking courses to improve her skills. She completed her Masters at OPI and NailKnowledge. She was part of the ethics committee at SAAHSP and assisted with the national nail competitions at Professional Beauty. She has participated in and judged competitions both locally and internationally.

Evelyn’s top tips for competing

Nail competitions are an exciting way to showcase your skills and creativity as a nail technician. To succeed, it is essential to understand the differences between onsite and offsite categories and prepare accordingly. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you get ready.

Follow these tips to be well prepared for both onsite and offsite categories in a nail competition.

Onsite category preparation:

1. Arrive early. Get familiar with the competition space and set up your station before the competition starts.

2. Keep your station tidy and organised to ensure efficiency.

3. Familiarise yourself with the competition rules. Understand the theme, time limit, and judging criteria.

4. Practice under timed conditions. Build speed and accuracy.

5. Choose the right products. Select high-quality products that you’re comfortable working with.

6. Develop a design concept. Plan your design in advance, considering the theme and category you entered.

7. Pack all of your necessary products, tools, feed, extra globes, paper towels, plugs, light, and dustbin that you know you will need, as stipulated in the rules and regulations.

Offsite category preparation:

1. Understand the submission guidelines. Know the requirements for photo submission, nail tip size and design theme.

2. Plan your design. Create a concept that showcases your skills and creativity.

3. Pay attention to detail. Ensure your work is flawless, as judges will scrutinise every aspect.

4. Submit on time. Meet the deadline to avoid disqualification.

Common tips for all categories:

1. Keep track of deadlines, rules and requirements.

2. Practice, practice, practice!!!! Refine your skills to build confidence and speed.

3. Stay inspired. Follow industry leaders and trends to stay motivated.

4. Get feedback. Ask mentors for constructive criticism to improve.

5. Stay focused and calm. Practice relaxation techniques to manage competition nerves.

Katia Da Silva:

Katia Da Silva is the sole distributor of NSI Nail products in South Africa as well as the founder of Nail Trinkets nail art accessories. Katia has been a qualified nail technician for almost 27 years. Her love for nails has motivated her to compete within NSI in South Africa and internationally. For more than five years, Katia has been one of three global educators for NSI headquarters in Philadelphia, USA. She still loves working on clients and, as an educator at heart, meeting and empowering new techs, professionals and artists in the industry.

Katia shares her insights

If there can be only one winner and you don’t think you’re good enough, why enter? 1. Personal growth: Nail competitions are not only about running in line to win a trophy and prize. Most importantly, it is about self-development, which helps each contestant stretch their skills and grow as a professional. After every competition, you will have the opportunity to go to the judges to discuss what you could improve on. The feedback you receive will help you, as a professional nail technician, become a star in the industry. You have the potential to excel not just locally but also globally. We take the judging process so seriously and always hold it to an extremely high standard because of this.

2. Networking: When you show up as a contestant with the right attitude, you open yourself up to networking with fellow technicians and making lifelong friends. From my personal experience, Evelyn and I have competed in the same category for many years, and we have always had a deep respect for each other. We shared the same interest in the category we chose to compete in; we struggled with the same challenges on the floor; and, best of all, we were able to congratulate each other many times. Our success or victories never stopped us from networking and growing together as technicians. Today, we are moderators for Professional Beauty’s National Nail Competition. I would not want to share that honour with anyone else!

3. Opportunities: Branded nail companies sponsor the National Nail Competition, constantly seeking more technicians to collaborate with. How you conduct yourself and behave on a competition floor can leave a good or bad lasting impression on some of the onlookers at these companies. These companies frequently collaborate with technicians or may even have offers that you can’t resist. Have you ever wanted to be a brand ambassador? Would you consider becoming an educator for a company instead? Have you ever wanted to train overseers? While entering a competition does not guarantee anything, it frequently opens doors for past contestants or winners. To benefit from these opportunities, you need to walk through that door and put yourself out there. You will never know unless you try.

So, come on, nail technicians—what have you got to lose? Give it a try and join in the fun! We can’t wait to meet you there!