How Do I Choose the Best Nail Art?

When choosing the best nail art, the wearer and her nail technician must consider the art options from the perspectives of practicality, proper color coordination and whether the art reflects who the wearer is. The condition of the art items and safety of the wearer also is critical.

The most important factor to consider when choosing the best nail art is whether or not the nail art is functional. Even though fashion impact is a major goal of using nail art at all, there is little point to wearing it if the art quickly deteriorates or gets in the way. For instance, nail piercing is very dramatic, but the rings might catch on clothing or hair. The best options are those that easily can be embedded or coated for long-lasting protection. Keep the most impractical art for only very special occasions or shows, understanding that repair or touch ups can get expensive.

After eliminating non-functional options, the next step is to look at the wearer's personality. Match the art to how the wearer normally acts or things in which she believes so that she is comfortable with the art until it is time to remove it. For instance, if the wearer is an environmental advocate, a cosmetologist might create an intricate forest scene using swirls of brown and green. In the same way, someone who is naturally shy might not want as bold a design, while an outgoing person might choose ones that border on outrageous.

The best nail art works not only with the wearer's personality, but also the wearer's skin and hair colors. This is necessary because the wrong colors can make the wearer look sickly or clash in a way that is distracting. Cosmetologists and color professionals often base color choices on whether someone has a "warm" or "cold" tone, which sometimes is described using seasonal terminology such as spring, summer, autumn and winter. The art also should work with different colors in the wearer's wardrobe, because it will last one to two weeks and therefore must coordinate with multiple outfits. Holiday colors also sometimes come into play, such as choosing shades of pink and red for Valentine's Day art or red and green for Christmas.

On the technical side, the best nail art includes polishes, gels, varnishes and waxes that are of the proper consistency. These products should go on smoothly, distributing evenly over the nail without being overly thick or runny. Top-of-the-line products do not include toxic ingredients commonly found in nail care items such as formaldehyde. Instead, they include mostly natural ingredients that help nourish the nail, such as Vitamin E or aloe vera. The wearer also should have options for how to remove the nail art in a gentle, natural way that doesn't damage the cuticle or nail bed.