True or false: Ellada Lutsenko about myths in the work of a nail artist

Most recently, the Pro Nails Instagram account hosted a joint live broadcast with Ellada Lutsenko , the Ukrainian champion in modeling and nail design, European champion in modeling and judge of Ukrainian championships. Together with our expert, we talked about the very fascinating topic of myths in the work of a nail artist.

The myth of “breathing” nails

It is clear that nails do not breathe and they do not have such an organ as lungs. Yes, a certain part of the moisture evaporates through them and trace elements are removed from the body during natural growth, but this process is so minimal that it cannot be called breathing. Therefore, I propose to perceive the concept of “breathable” nails as client jargon, nothing more.

Perhaps, under the pretext of “breathing” the nails, the client does not want to apply the coating again and he needs a good excuse to tell you this. Therefore, it is important that the client trusts you unconditionally, feels that you deeply understand the topic, and then it will be easy to convey to him that the nails do not breathe, and the reason for the thinning nail plate (if this suddenly happens) is completely different. And if your clients don’t peel off the coating and you don’t file their nails, they won’t even think about whether their nails “breathe.”

The Myth of Acid-Free Bases

Among masters, there is an opinion that you need to use only acid-free bases so that your nails do not become thinner. But the fact is that the pH of our nails is acidic, so it’s simply impossible to put a completely acid-free material on your nails and have it stick to them. Each base has a percentage of acids, but in those that we used to call acid-free, it is minimal. This myth arose in part due to difficulties in translation. Brand managers, without delving into details and without understanding the composition, translated low-acid bases as acid-free on nail product stickers.

Another question is what acid is used in the base. Products based on methyl methacrylate strongly eat into and dry out the nail from the inside, so after removing the gel polish, you can notice whitish islands on the plate. Yes, these bases stick well and firmly on the nails, but they will harm the nails if the client suddenly, for example, tore off the coating. First and foremost, you should focus on what is best for your client.

The myth that clients will leave if the specialist raises the price

Clients do not go to a manicurist because of the price - remember this. They come to you because you can talk to them, you make a coating that lasts well because the extensions last a long time or you have all your tools packed in craft bags, and so on. Depending on the client’s psychotype, you can understand what is important to whom.

By the way, for some clients the status of a master and the understanding that they are “playing” for a cool team are important. For example, when I went to championships, some of my clients always asked with interest what places I took, and proudly said that they were going to the champion and the judge for a manicure.

You can watch the continuation of the conversation with Ellada Lutsenko and learn more about popular myths in the work of a nail artist on our Instagram account .