All about competition, model etc...

[Cec]

Yesterday I chatted with Kirsty and some other techs about going into competition. I have finally made the decision that I really want to go into competition. Regarding to that, I have lots of question, some really stupid once I believe, and some less stupid...

My first one is regarding to finding a model. How do you find one? I have about 60-70 clients, but not one with long and beautiful nailbeds. When you have found the model, how do you keep her? How do you "force" her to travel around with you? There aren't that many competitions in Norway, so I would have to travel to compete. I believe I have to find a young model who thinks it's "cool" to modeling and who has the time...

Do you have one competition model and one for training?

When training, do you do all 10 nails (stupid question, but some times I would prefer to do only some, to perfect myself).

How do you keep your nerves under control?

When I went to a seminar, at Gmex, I was told the "rule" about how the deep the smiles should be: The "space" from the cuticle to the "ear" should be the same as from the "ear" to the eponichium (spelling???)... My English is rubbish, and I am not sure if this made any sense... What is the rule of how long the free edge should be and how much do you pinch?

When doing gel... Do you use top gloss/finishing gel at both hands?

Do you make french at the hand that you have to polish?

Hmmm... lots of questions... I know there are other techs who's going into competition (Emmsy...), feel free to add questions!

C.

 

[sam1]

Can't answer all the techie questions cause our comps( in Australia) are a little different but model wise I have found three girls( two are clients daughters) who model for me. I pay for them to travel and their accomodation costs(they pay for their own food) as incentive, I booked them in last year for this years comp. I practice on anyone who will let me I try and set myself up as I would in the comp and practice to the comp times. Nerves wise, lots of deep breaths before I start then I try to ignore everyone else around me, sometimes I sing in my head(crackers I know but it helps me focus) I get my model to keep time for me so I know how long I have.hth

 

[Cec]

Sam,

Thanks in a million for your answer!

:hug:C.

Can't answer all the techie questions cause our comps( in Australia) are a little different but model wise I have found three girls( two are clients daughters) who model for me. I pay for them to travel and their accomodation costs(they pay for their own food) as incentive, I booked them in last year for this years comp. I practice on anyone who will let me I try and set myself up as I would in the comp and practice to the comp times. Nerves wise, lots of deep breaths before I start then I try to ignore everyone else around me, sometimes I sing in my head(crackers I know but it helps me focus) I get my model to keep time for me so I know how long I have.hth

 

[Pink Lady J]

Hi

I have just recently found a great model. She has long thin fingers and long thin nail beds. I work in a tanning salon at the weekend and she was one of our more regular customers. When people come in I find my self looking at there hands when they hand over the money. When I seen her hands they were perfect so I asked her if I could have a look at them and explained why and what I was looking for. luckily she agreed to be my model she's fantastic you would think she had done it before, telling me what time it was how long I had to go, telling me when to pinch and if something didn't look great at her side she pointed it out.

You need to find a model that is:
Patient, Enthusiastic, Willing to sit around for two and a half hours and then the judging time on top of that that can sometimes be a long time. Someone that can travel with you to where you have to go.

You need to make it enjoyable for them so they want to do it again. I payed for my Model to travel down, Stay in a nice hotel, payed for her food and drink and she's now more than happy to do it again. Which is fantastic for me.

As for you, you just need to mess around try different things and see what works for you. Pinching you can pinch to early and your product will move too much an mess up your nice smile lines, then if you pinch when the product is set too much then it won't move into the shape you want. So it's trial and error play around and see what works for you.

Good luck
Sarah x

 

[Sparklepink]

Yesterday I chatted with Kirsty and some other techs about going into competition. I have finally made the decision that I really want to go into competition. Regarding to that, I have lots of question, some really stupid once I believe, and some less stupid...

My first one is regarding to finding a model. How do you find one? I have about 60-70 clients, but not one with long and beautiful nailbeds. When you have found the model, how do you keep her? How do you "force" her to travel around with you? There aren't that many competitions in Norway, so I would have to travel to compete. I believe I have to find a young model who thinks it's "cool" to modeling and who has the time...

Do you have one competition model and one for training?

When training, do you do all 10 nails (stupid question, but some times I would prefer to do only some, to perfect myself).

How do you keep your nerves under control?

When I went to a seminar, at Gmex, I was told the "rule" about how the deep the smiles should be: The "space" from the cuticle to the "ear" should be the same as from the "ear" to the eponichium (spelling???)... My English is rubbish, and I am not sure if this made any sense... What is the rule of how long the free edge should be and how much do you pinch?

When doing gel... Do you use top gloss/finishing gel at both hands?

Do you make french at the hand that you have to polish?

Hmmm... lots of questions... I know there are other techs who's going into competition (Emmsy...), feel free to add questions!

C.

One of the hardest things i found was finding a the right model.... i found one of mine when i had my eyes tested by chance she had good beds so i just asked her and she could do it.... it does help to practice on your model, so you know what form fit etc... and really get to know their nails...

ive competed when i have never met my model before until the v last min and and when ive used a model for months of practice... guess which nails got me my winning nails

also top on the list for me is to take a comp class with a comp winner... in my case my educator is a winner so i have been v lucky
its where you can learn the technical stuff like how long the nails should be, and much much more

competing is a journey.... the first thing is to actually enter... so plan which comp you are going for and go for it

a bit abt my comp journey and what helped me
http://www.salongeek.com/nail-geek/19777-nail-comps-why.html

hth

Jess
xox

 

[Pink Lady J]

Sorry I never answered all your questions

Yes you can use UV finishing gloss it will tell you this in the rules.

When practicing do all ten nails and time yourself.

Yes you can do French both hands some comps require you to do both hands French others don't but that's in the rules too.

As for nerves it's up to you to get as relaxed as you can make sure you know everything is there have a good night's sleep. There are some herbal remedies that you can use Bach's rescue remedy is one.

hope I've helped answer most questions. I hope some more experienced techs answer some questions maybe better than me.

Good luck again

Sarah x

 

[Cec]

I've just come home from the mountains and have a bad migraine. I am so very happy for your answers and I will answer back later today. Just wanted to thank you.

:hug:C.

 

[Cec]

Hiya,

Thanks again for your answers.

Jess advised me to take a class with one of the best... My question then is: Who is the best comp. trainer, in gel, in UK? It seams like most of the best once do l/p? I know l/p are supposed to look the same in the end, but I think it is a huge difference between the two of them, especially when it comes to competition. At Excel Denise Wright said she was not very impressed with the gel competition (or something like that) and the same was said after the Nordic championship held in Norway, in February, too.

Mey Liang, from Magnetic, advised to not use finishing gloss, but to use a hard gel you can buff to a high shine. What do you all think about that? I's obvious she said that because people had problems with "dust in the air" that came into the finishing gloss.

Another advise from Mey Liang was to make competition nails at all your clients.... I am not sure if I agree with that.... Not all clients wants or suits long nails with super-deep smiles...

C.

 

[Ignatz]

Hiya!
I just sent you an email and found this only after.
I might have some ideas we haven't discussed before. I really want to help you as much as I can (that may be a lot, though... you know I haven't competed a lot:wink2

Yesterday I chatted with Kirsty and some other techs about going into competition. I have finally made the decision that I really want to go into competition. Regarding to that, I have lots of question, some really stupid once I believe, and some less stupid...

My first one is regarding to finding a model. How do you find one? I have about 60-70 clients, but not one with long and beautiful nailbeds. When you have found the model, how do you keep her? How do you "force" her to travel around with you? There aren't that many competitions in Norway, so I would have to travel to compete. I believe I have to find a young model who thinks it's "cool" to modeling and who has the time...

Keep your eyes open all the time for those perfect fingers and nail beds: when grocery shopping, going out to party, at the gym... It may be difficult to start a conversation with a stranger at the grocery store checkout but, of course you explain straightaway what it's all about. Danish champion Camilla (can't remember her surname) told me she found a perfect comp model when shoe shopping!
You could also ask your friends and clients if they knew someone.
I'm constantly looking for models myself; I've found only one so far (the one who was with me in Dusseldorf). It's good to have more than one in reserve in case the one you've chosen gets ill or something else happens that she can't go.
Obviously you'll have to pay for her expenses. Some might find it "cool" to model but might still not be willing/able to go to every competition you'd like to go; that's another reason to try and find more than one good model.

Do you have one competition model and one for training?

I find it important to practice on my comp model's hands before a competition but, when competing with a buff-off gel I don't want to stress her nails too much by buffing off old ones and starting all over again too many times.
It's rather easy to find practice models. You offer them nails for free (I also offer them free removal, or if they want to keep the nails, the price of first rebalance is reduced by the price of removal). If their nail beds are not long enough, just forget about deep smiles and concentrate on practising other things (straight sides, apex placement, pinching, convex/concave, thinness etc).

When training, do you do all 10 nails (stupid question, but some times I would prefer to do only some, to perfect myself).

When trying out a new technique for instance, I try it on just a couple of nails first. And when there's one certain thing you try to perfect it's a good idea to do the nails one by one until you get there. But it's also important to practise doing all 10, with and without the clock ticking, for consistancy and your timing.

How do you keep your nerves under control?

I try to do a lot of mental practise well before the competition, going through all I'm going to do, step by step, in my mind. It helps me with packing all the stuff I need and setting up my table at the comp arena as well as gives me the confidence during the competition that I know what I'm doing.
I failed in this very badly last time, though... so I think I'm actually not the right person to answer this:green:

When I went to a seminar, at Gmex, I was told the "rule" about how the deep the smiles should be: The "space" from the cuticle to the "ear" should be the same as from the "ear" to the eponichium (spelling???)... My English is rubbish, and I am not sure if this made any sense... What is the rule of how long the free edge should be and how much do you pinch?

In numbers, the white (in most competitons) should be max 50% of the pink, measured from the deepest point of the smile line to the tip of the free edge (in many comps the winning nails are over-long though! That's the trap I fell in in Dusseldorf... lost a million points from going far too long). The highest corners of your smile can go 50% up the nail bed, if it suits your models hands! So ideally 1/3 of the entire length is the free edge-white only, 1/3 is the smile line and 1/3 pink only

When doing gel... Do you use top gloss/finishing gel at both hands?

You mean you could save time skipping top gloss on the polished hand?
It would take you much longer to buff off all file marks and scratches, red polish reveals even the tiniest of them.

Do you make french at the hand that you have to polish?

As someone already said, in some competitions you have to and in some you don't. It is told in the comp rules you receive after sending out your submission.
In a competition where you have to do both hands french, they may remove the polish during judging if they had any doubt.

Hmmm... lots of questions... I know there are other techs who's going into competition (Emmsy...), feel free to add questions!


C.

 

[Cec]

Dear Ignatz,

your answers was very appreciated and you're an inspiration for me. It was sooooo nice to meet you in Dusseldorf. I would LOVE to meet up with you again, I think we have a lot to talk about and it would have been great to do nails with you. ARGH, some weeks ago SAS had a "bonus-trip-bargain" to Helsinki, a pity they don't have it anymore!

How do you pinch the gel? I tried to cure the bonding layer for 10 sec. then pinch with a pinching-tool. I managed to do it with my own nails, but find it hard to "fit" the pinching-tool in the lamp...

Looks like I have to be a "model-detective" the coming moths... :-D It was a great advise about doing first set for free, then offer the next reballance at reduced price. I have been thinking about exactly that matter, but it's now solved! Thanks!

:hug:C.

Hiya!
I just sent you an email and found this only after.
I might have some ideas we haven't discussed before. I really want to help you as much as I can (that may be a lot, though... you know I haven't competed a lot:wink2

 

[Ignatz]

:-D It was a great advise about doing first set for free, then offer the next reballance at reduced price. I have been thinking about exactly that matter, but it's now solved! Thanks!

Notice I only offer free comp practice nails!
Make sure your potential practice model understands that it's you who tells what the nails are going to look like and they can't have all that funky nail art or glitter or coloured french they'd fancy..

I'm off for a walkie now as the sun shines! We'll be in touch, I'll reply your email later:hug:

 

[Cec]

Sorry, I didn't see that. Funny, because I told this to my husband, and said I did only want to offer the first full set for free when training, so yes, I agree with you! :-D

The sun has been shining in Norway too, but it has been freezing cold! I can't wait for the spring/summer to come!

Luckily nailart isn't very popular here, so I think they will be happy with the comp. nails. I can always file them shorter when I am finished!

:hug:C.

Notice I only offer free comp practice nails!
Make sure your potential practice model understands that it's you who tells what the nails are going to look like and they can't have all that funky nail art or glitter or coloured french they'd fancy..

I'm off for a walkie now as the sun shines! We'll be in touch, I'll reply your email later:hug:

 

[Cec]

It looks like I may have gotten some models for competition... However, I will not bring a model to London, Olympia, this year, as I look at that competition as practicing before next year. It's just too expensive to bring a model when I don't do it for "real". Did that make sense?

The women I have been in contact with do all have gel on, and I am afraid they will not go "naked" for many months before the competitions... What do I do? I don't know how their nails are looking under the enhancement, but I assume they are not as healthy as nails that have not had enhancement on.

What do you do with your models nails before a competition IF they have had enhancement on before?

C.

 

[Urban Geek]

If I have a comp model who usually wears enhancements, I don't usually soak off their nails to far ahead of the comp as their nails may be vulnerable to damage then. I usually soak off about a week before the comp and give them a spa manicure and a home care routine with loads of hand cream and solar oil.

Did you get any success with a model in the UK?

 

[Cec]

If I have a comp model who usually wears enhancements, I don't usually soak off their nails to far ahead of the comp as their nails may be vulnerable to damage then. I usually soak off about a week before the comp and give them a spa manicure and a home care routine with loads of hand cream and solar oil.

Did you get any success with a model in the UK?

Thanks Christine, I really appreciate all your inputs.

No, I haven't sorted my model for Olympia yet.... The last days has been a real challenge, with two models with short and quite wide nail-beds. I tried to extend them, but still, they didn't get long enough....

Anybody here with loooong and curvy nailbeds who's going to London/Olympia? Please pm me if you want to be my model! :hug: (Be aware that the registration is at 07.00 am. at Monday the 19th. of May )

C.