Rules for the ARENA nail competitions for Nailympia London 2026

These competitions take place at Professional Beauty, ExCel London on Sunday 4 & Monday 5 October 2026.

ARENA COMPETITION RULES for LONDON 2026

Gel Polish Manicure - 2 hands｜left hand French & right hand in red colour｜45-minutes

  1. 45-minutes to complete one left hand of French gel polish & right hand in red gel polish.
  2. The competitor chooses, if they want to use cover for the nail bed and/ or transparent pink or clear on all 5 nails.
  3. 3.This competition is done on natural nails only - duration 45-minutes to complete both hands-on the model.
  4. The model needs to complete the necessary manicure preparations in advance. During the competition, there is no need to do nailcare on-site. No manicure procedure is necessary during this competition.
  5. Nails ready for gel polish must be enhanced & coated with any type of gel polish/soak-off system/product.
  6. No design element is required. Just a picture-perfect flawless set of 10 nails.

BOTH HANDS ON MODEL

  1. Right hand to be created in a solid red gel polish on the natural nail plate.
  2. Left hand to be finished in a traditional French manicure style on the natural nail plate.

POLISH & HIGH SHINE

  1. Competitors must polish 5 nails with a red gel polish bright red only.
  2. All gel polishes may be of the competitors’ choice. Must not contain any metallic effect, glitter, matte or pearl effect.
  3. Must use gel polish top coat for the high shine. It is required on all 10 nails.

ALLOWED

  1. Cream, lotion, oil & polish dry products may be used.
  2. Water, soap & canned air may be used for finishing.
  3. E-Files are allowed.
  4. UV|LED lamp needs to be brought by the competitor.
  5. Any soak-off gel polish in a bottle is allowed.
  6. Rubber base and normal base is allowed.
  7. Use white soak-off gel polish in a bottle (no jar or tube) on the free edge for French.
  8. Use transparent pink, clear or cover soak-off gel polish in a bottle (no jar or tube) for the nail bed.
  9. Use a transparent soak-off top coat gel polish in a bottle (no jar or tube) for the finish – high shine.
  10. A classic bright red soak-off gel polish in a bottle is recommended.
  11. A thin nail art brush to create a smile line is allowed.

NOT ALLOWED

  1. Natural overlay, ombré or baby boomer designs/finish are not allowed.
  2. No other systems are allowed, only gel polish/soak off manicure system.
  3. No decals, pre-designed or printed appliqués to be used.
  4. No stamping of art allowed.
  5. No mixing of camouflage/cover pink or whites before or during the competition.
  6. All overlay products & material must be in original packaging – with clear correct label (except alcohol, cleanser & acetone, please write it on the bottle).
  7. Excess lotion & oil will result in point deductions. If a competitor is seen cleaning hands & nails after the competition is closed with any product, such as canned air, it is immediate disqualification.
  8. Competitors may not touch the nail prior to the start of the competition.
  9. The line between the transparent pink/clear or camouflage & white must be visible & clearly defined.
  10. No matte top coat allowed.
  11. No ridge filler, traditional sculpting gel or colour gel allowed.
  12. Any other bottles/soak-off gels are not allowed in the gel polish competition. On the desk ‘white’ for the French & ‘transparent pink’, ‘clear’ or ‘cover’ soak-off gel polish in a bottle for the nail bed & a ‘transparent’ soak-off top coat gel polish in a bottle for the finish, are allowed.
  13. No tools, cutters or e-files to aid the creation of smile lines are to be used. Brush to be used only.
  14. Acrylic paint, acrylic, hard gel/ sculpting colour gel, BIAB, painting gel or gel polish in a jar/pot /tube, sculpting gel or hybrid/acrygel are not allowed.
  15. No touching or pre-blending allowed before the competition begins.
  16. No glitter, shimmer, matte or frost permitted or any colour with pearl, glitter, metallic or shimmer in any of the products.
  17. No extension of the nail plate/natural nail is allowed. The nail plate/ natural nail must be free of product & natural to start the competition.
  18. Products without any label are not allowed.

UV/LED Gel Competition Style Nails – Model’s right hand | 5 nails 90-minutes

  1. The UV gel nail enhancements are to be competition-style nails on the model’s right hand. | 5 nails.
  2. The competitor can choose to work on nail forms or traditional tips. Choose one technique, do not use both.
  3. The competitor can choose to create classic French style (no camouflage, only clear and/or transparent pink) or French with a nail bed elongation (camouflage/cover and / or transparent pink/clear).
  4. Transparent pink, clear and/or camouflage/cover, need to be used for all 3 nails. The colour of the nail bed needs to complement the skin tone and needs to be the same on all three nails.
  5. 3 moons must be sculpted on the 3 pink & white nails. We don’t mind what you create under the two red nails. No moon is necessary, and no smile line needs to be seen on the thumb and the pinkie, it’s up to you.
  6. Competitors will be given 90-minutes to complete the hand.

POLISH & HIGH SHINE

  1. Competitors must polish 2 fingers, thumb & pinkie with a bright red cream polish/lacquer only.
  2. No base or top coat, ridge filler, colour gel or gel polish is allowed.
  3. All 5 gel nails must be finished with a transparent gel top coat.
  4. The red polish may be of the competitors’ choice but without any metallic effect, glitter, matt or pearl effect.

ALLOWED

  1. Cream, lotion, oil & polish dry products may be used.
  2. Water & soap may be used in finishing.
  3. For sculpture ONLY & EXACT 25 separate forms per comp are allowed. Floor judges will be closely inspecting every form.
  4. For Tip & Overlay a new box of a minimum of 100 traditional tips (10 per size) needs to be brought. Floor judges will be closely inspecting every form.
  5. You are only permitted to use natural or clear tips when you choose tip & overlay.
  6. E-Files are allowed.
  7. Adhesive is only allowed for tip & overlay.
  8. Only traditional sculpting gel in jars is allowed, no other systems or products.
  9. For the finish, only Top Gel in a jar or a Top Gel in a bottle is allowed. Any other bottles/soak-off gels are not allowed in the Gel competitions except for red polish/lacquer in a bottle.
  10. The line between the transparent pink/clear or camouflage & white extension must be visible & clearly defined.
  11. Nail bed needs to be sculpted with a traditional cover/camouflage and/ or transparent pink or clear gel. French needs to be sculpted with a white sculpting gel. Hand file or brush to be used only.

NOT ALLOWED

  1. No mixing of camouflage/cover pink or whites at the nail desk before or during the competition in the arena. All overlay products & material must be in original packaging – with clear correct label. Premixing of camouflage at home is allowed if seen in branded pot. Only for Acetone, Cleanser and Alcohol it has to be written on the bottle.
  2. Excess lotion & oil will afford point deductions. If a competitor is seen cleaning hands & nails after the competition is closed with any product, such as canned air, it’s immediate disqualification.
  3. Competitors are not allowed to touch the nail tips or forms prior to the start of the competition.
  4. Tips must be traditional clear or natural, no white tips or mold/dual tips, mixed tip boxes are allowed. Preparation of tips or sculpting forms prior to the beginning of the competition is not allowed & all prepared tips or sculpting forms will be confiscated by the floor judges. When the competitor makes the choice to use tips, the tip box should not have prepared tips inside.
  5. Every competitor must arrive with an organised tip box with at least 10 tips of each size in each allocated size compartment of the box. A disorganized tip box will be removed from the desk by a floor judge. Tips need to stay in the box until the competition starts.
  6. When the competitor chooses to use sculpting forms, the forms must be on a roll or 25 separate & not prepared or tailored. It’s not allowed to prepare the sculpting forms prior to the beginning of the competition. Aluminum paper used for support underneath the form is allowed but is to be flat & separate on the nail table at the beginning of the competition, uncut & not placed on the sculpting form prior to the beginning of the competition.
  7. No tip or form sizing, touching, cutting or pre-blending allowed before the comp begins. No preparation of any tips or forms in any way is allowed!
  8. No lacquer base coat, lacquer ridge filler, no lacquer top coat, no colour gel, no gel polish, no soak of systems, no thin colour gel (white or cover) or dip system allowed.
  9. When using forms, adhesive for tips is not allowed to be on the nail desk.
  10. No hybrid/any kind of acrygel, dip system & no gel polish products are allowed in the traditional Gel competition.
  11. No tools, cutters or e-files to aid the creation of smile lines are to be used. No paint-on French is allowed.
  12. All product trolleys, jackets & handbags have to be away from the table & the competitor is not allowed to use products from the trolley after the competition begins. If they need something, they have to ask a floor judge to get it.

Warning: Nailympia doesn’t allow any gel coating to be judged if not fully cured. Any uncured product found will be instant disqualification.

TIP

  • Choose a model with straight finger bones and straight nails. It´s about the perfect structure and French Style in this competition.
  • Read the content of the score sheets. Check out the point distribution. Where you will gain the most points & where you gain the least. This will help your timing & focus. Knowledge of where you can gain points & where you can unnecessarily lose them is helpful.

ACRYLIC COMPETITION STYLE NAILS – Model’s left hand | 5 nails 90-minutes

  1. The acrylic nail enhancements created are to be competition style nails on the model’s left hand | 5 nails.
  2. The competitor can choose only to work on nail forms or traditional tips.
  3. The competitor can choose to create classic French style (no camouflage, only clear and/or transparent pink) or French with a nail bed elongation (camouflage/cover and / or transparent pink/clear).
  4. Transparent pink, clear and/or camouflage/cover, need to be used for all 3 nails. The colour of the nail bed needs to complement the skin tone and needs to be the same on all three nails.
  5. 3 moons have to be sculpted on the 3 pink & white nails. We don’t mind what you create under your two red nails. No moon is necessary, and no smile line needs to be seen on the thumb and the pinkie, it’s up to you.
  6. Competitors will be given 90-minutes to complete the hand.

POLISH & HIGH SHINE

  1. Competitors must polish 2 fingers, thumb & pinkie with a bright red cream polish/lacquer only.
  2. No base or topcoat, ridge filler, colour gel or gel polish is allowed.
  3. All 5 Acrylic nails must be brought to a high shine using only files & buffer.
  4. The red polish may be of the competitors’ choice but without any metallic effect, glitter, matt or pearl effect.

ALLOWED

  1. Cream, lotion, oil & polish dry products may be used.
  2. Water & soap may be used in finishing.
  3. For sculpture ONLY & EXACT 25 separate forms per comp are allowed. Floor judges will be closely inspecting every form.
  4. For Tip & Overlay a new box of a minimum of 100 traditional tips (10 per size) needs to be brought. Floor judges will be closely inspecting every form.
  5. You are only permitted to use natural or clear tips when you choose tip & overlay.
  6. E-Files are allowed.
  7. Adhesive is only allowed for tip & overlay.
  8. Only traditional Liquid & Powder is allowed, no other systems or products.
  9. The line between the transparent pink/clear or camouflage & white extension must be visible & clearly defined.

10.Nail bed needs to be sculpted with a traditional cover/camouflage and/ or transparent pink or clear powder. French needs to be sculpted with an Acrylic white powder. Hand file or brush to be used only.

NOT ALLOWED

  1. No mixing of camouflage/cover pink or whites at the nail desk before  or during the competition in the arena. Premixing of camouflage at home is allowed if seen in branded pot. All overlay products & material must be in original packaging – with clear correct label. Only for Acetone, Cleanser and Alcohol it has to be written on the bottle.
  2. Excess lotion & oil will afford point deductions. If a competitor is seen cleaning hands & nails after the competition is closed with any product, such as canned air, it’s immediate disqualification.
  3. Competitors are not allowed to touch the nail tips or forms prior to the start of the competition.
  4. Tips must be traditional clear or natural, no white tips or mold/dual tips or mixed tip boxes are allowed. Preparation of tips or sculpting forms prior to the beginning of the competition is not allowed & all prepared tips or sculpting forms will be confiscated by the floor judges. When the competitor makes the choice to use tips, the tip box should not have prepared tips inside.
  5. Every competitor must arrive with an organised tip box with at least  10 tips of each size in each allocated size compartment of the box. A disorganized tip box will be removed from the desk by a floor judge. Tips need to stay in the box until the competition starts.
  6. When the competitor chooses to use sculpting forms the forms must be on a roll or 25 separate & not prepared or tailored. It’s not allowed to prepare the sculpting forms prior to the beginning of the competition. Aluminum paper used for support underneath the form is allowed but is to be flat & separate on the nail table at the beginning of the competition, uncut & not placed on the sculpting form prior to the  beginning of the competition.
  7. No tip or form sizing, touching, cutting or pre-blending allowed before the comp begins. No preparation of any tips or forms in any way is allowed!
  8. No base coat, ridge filler, colour gel, gel polish or topcoat or other products are allowed to create a high shine. ALL P&W Acrylic nails need to be buffed to a high shine.
  9. When using forms, adhesive for tips is not allowed to be on the nail desk.
  10. UV or LED gel lamps are not allowed in the acrylic competition.
  11. Any other bottles/soak-off gels are not allowed in an acrylic competition except for bright red polish / lacquer.No gel polish, soak of systems, products/sealers, thin colour gel (white or cover), dip systems to be used to be used on the Acrylic categories.
  12. No paint-on French is allowed. No tools, cutters or e-files to aid the creation of smile lines are to be used.
  13. All product trolleys, jackets & handbags have to be away from the table and the competitor is not allowed to use products from the trolley after the competition begins. If they need something, they have to ask a floor judge to get it for them.

JOY OF NAILS ｜Model’s hand / competitor’s hand｜3 nails 75-minutes

  1. The competitor can choose to work on forms, tips, dual forms, fast forms, full cover tips, molds. All must be clean, untouched and not tailored before the start of the competition.
  2. 3 nails only, no pinkie or thumb – competitor can work on his/her own hand or model.
  3. Acrylic, Hard Gel, Acrygel – anything is allowed.
  4. Looking for desirable & gorgeous shapes, design, beauty, style & skill.
  5. Inviting professionals to show their most favoured & best nail designs, shapes & styles in 75-minutes.
  6. No restrictions on shape.
  7. These commercial nails can be extreme; they can be fantasy; they must be original & inspirational.
  8. Each nail must be different in length, shape & design. Points will be deducted if 3 different nails are not shown.
  9. They will be judged on the skill of a true nail professional. The judges will be looking for the ‘wow’ factor. The more skills & creativity used, the better. It’s a showcase for what you can bring to the nail industry to innovate & inspire.
  10. This competition is designed to showcase a range of your creative & technical skills. This is an aspirational competition where you show other nail professionals what you are capable of.
  11. Every nail must have a crystal adornment showcased- but no more than 20% of the nail surface can be covered. Every nail without crystal embellishment shall be deducted 5 points.

ALLOWED

  1. Cream, lotion, oil & polish dry products may be used.
  2. Water, soap & canned air may be used in finishing.
  3. For sculpture ONLY & EXACT 10 separate forms per comp are allowed. Floor judges will be closely inspecting every form.
  4. For Tip & Overlay a new box of a minimum of 100 tips (10 per size) needs to be brought. Floor judges will be closely inspecting every form & tip box.
  5. You are only permitted to use natural or clear tips when you choose tip & overlay.
  6. E-Files are allowed.
  7. Gel competitors must bring a UV or LED gel lamp.
  8. Any system is allowed.
  9. Anything can be applied to the nails.
  10. All nail work is to be done on the competition floor during the competition time.

NOT ALLOWED

  1. No more than 20% crystal embellishment on each nail. Each nail must show some crystal adornment.
  2. All nail work is to be done on the comp floor - no pre-made work allowed.
  3. All overlay products & material must be in original packaging – with clear correct label.
  4. Excess lotion & oil will afford point deductions. If a competitor is seen cleaning hands & nails after the competition is closed with any product, such as canned air, it is immediate disqualification.
  5. Competitors may not touch the nail tips prior to the start of the competition.
  6. Preparation of tips or sculpting forms prior to the beginning of the competition is not allowed & all prepared tips or sculpting forms will be confiscated by floor judges. When the competitor makes the choice to use tips, the tip box should not have prepared tips inside the box.
  7. Every competitor must arrive with an organised tip box with at least  10 tips of each size in each allocated size compartment of the box. A disorganised tip box will be removed from the desk by a floor judge. Tips need to stay in the box until the competition starts.
  8. When the competitor chooses to use sculpting forms, the forms must be on a roll or ONLY & EXACT 10 separate & not prepared forms. It is not allowed to prepare the sculpting forms prior to the beginning of the competition. Aluminium paper used for support underneath the form is allowed but is to be flat & separate on the nail table at the beginning of the competition, uncut & not placed on the sculpting form prior to the beginning of the competition.
  9. No tip or form sizing, touching, cutting or pre-blending allowed before the comp begins. No preparation of any tips or forms in any way is allowed!
  10. All product trolleys, jackets & handbags have to be away from the table & the competitor is not allowed to use products from the trolley after the competition begins. If they need something, they have to ask a floor judge to get it.
  11. Warning: Nailympia doesn’t allow any gel coating to be judged if not fully cured. Any uncured product found will be instant disqualification. All dispersion layers will be wiped clean by competitor or model, otherwise   competitor will be disqualified.

FRENCH TWIST –  3 nails｜75-minutes

  1. Nails to be sculpted on nail forms on the hand of the model or your own hand.
  2. You must sculpt 3 different forms & shapes min. 1.58 inches/4cm long from cuticle area to the hair line.
  3. All 3 nails – no thumb/no pinkie: Smile line needs to be created & visible; you can be inventive. Inlay art design in the extension of the nail is required & can be sculpted in any colour.
  4. The competitor can choose to create classic French style (no camouflage, only clear and/or transparent pink) or French with a nail bed elongation (camouflage/cover and/or transparent pink/clear).
  5. Transparent pink, clear and/or camouflage/cover, need to be used for all 3 nails. The colour of the nail bed needs to complement the skin tone and needs to be the same on all 3 nails.
  6. Competitors will be given 75-minutes to complete the 3 fingers.
  7. All 3 nails can have a different inlay design in the extension, but need to be created in the same colour palette.
  8. Everything must be created or sculpted as an inlay/ encapsulated, no 3D/overlay art.
  9. Gel competitors must bring a UV or LED gel lamp.

POLISH & HIGH SHINE

  1. No base or lacquer top coat or ridge filler is allowed.
  2. The surface needs to be even & must be brought to a high shine using files & buffer or sealed with a traditional gel top coat.

ALLOWED

  1. Colour palette: Any colours in any sculpting systems (LED/UV Gel, Acrylic or Hybrid-/Acryl Gel) with glitter or metallic effect are allowed.
  2. Only UV/LED hard gels, Acrylic or Hybrid Gels are allowed.
  3. Colour gels/gel polishes are allowed for the nail art in the extension only.
  4. Cream, lotion, oil & polish-dry products may be used.
  5. Water & soap may be used in finishing.
  6. E-Files are allowed.
  7. 3D encapsulated smile lines are allowed, flowers, swirls, marbling etc.
  8. Nail beds and French need to be sculpted with a traditional LED/UV Gel, Acrylic or Hybrid-/Acrygel.
  9. The line between the transparent pink/clear or camouflage & the extension must be visible & clearly defined.

NOT ALLOWED

  1. All overlay products & material must be in original packaging – with clear correct label. Only Acetone, Cleanser and Alcohol can be written on the bottle.
  2. Excess lotion & oil will afford point deductions. If a competitor is seen cleaning hands & nails after the competition is closed with any product, such as canned air, it is immediate disqualification.
  3. Sculpting forms must be ONLY & EXACT 25 separate (or on a strip) & not prepared forms. It is not allowed to prepare/tailor the sculpting forms prior to the beginning of the competition. Aluminium paper used for support underneath the form is allowed but is to be flat & separate on the nail table at the beginning of the competition, uncut & not placed on the sculpting form prior to the beginning of the competition. Floor judges will be closely inspecting every form.
  4. No form sizing, touching, cutting or pre-blending allowed before the comp begins. No preparation of any forms in any way is allowed!
  5. Tips, molds, dual tips, dual forms, fast forms are not allowed, only sculpting forms.
  6. All nail beds have to be in transparent pink/clear and/or camouflage. No glitter or other colours are to be used for the nail beds.
  7. No base coat or ridge filler are allowed.
  8. No tools, cutters or e-files to aid the creation of smile lines are to be used. Hand file or brush to be used only.
  9. No paint-on French is allowed. Must be sculpted.
  10. Colour gel is only allowed for the design/nail art in the extension e.g. to create a 3D smile line, but not for the first smile line attached to the nail bed. To clarify - the first smile line needs to be sculpted against the camouflage nail bed - without paint. The second smile line needs to be attached, and you can use paints against this sculpted smile line.
  11. Loose Foils, loose glitters, rhinestones, stamping, stickers, decals, or any other accessories are NOT allowed.
  12. Nail polish/lacquer is not allowed.
  13. Glitter needs to be original/infused in the system; no loose glitter is allowed.
  14. 3D and/or Flat Art on top is not allowed. Art needs to be encapsulated as an inlay in the extension.
  15. All product trolleys, jackets & handbags to be away from the table & the competitor is not allowed to use products from the trolley after the competition begins. If they need something, they have to ask a floor judge to get it.

STILETTO NAILS –  Left hand or right hand｜5 nails 120-minutes

  1. Stiletto nail enhancements created on the model’s hand or competitor’s own hand.
  2. Competitors will be given 120-minutes to complete the hand.
  3. The competitor can choose only to work on nail forms or traditional tips.
  4. The competitor can choose to create the 2 pink & white nails in classic French style (no camouflage, only clear and/or transparent pink) or French with a nail bed elongation (camouflage/cover and / or transparent pink/clear).
  5. The colour of the nail bed needs to complement the skin tone and needs to be the same on both nails.
  6. Artwork can be encapsulated, an inlay or on top of the nails, the height must not exceed 5mm.
  7. Stiletto Nails offers the opportunity to demonstrate perfect structure plus showcasing creative art & design skills.
  8. All designs must be original & not seen in previous competitions or any imagery.

ALLOWED

  1. Cream, lotion, oil & polish dry products may be used. Canned air is allowed.
  2. Water & soap may be used in finishing.
  3. For sculpture ONLY & EXACT 25 separate forms per comp are allowed. Floor judges will be closely inspecting every form.
  4. For Tip & Overlay a new box with a minimum of 100 traditional tips (10 per size and same colour) needs to be on the desk. Floor judges will be closely inspecting every tip box.
  5. You are only permitted to use traditional natural or clear tips for tip & overlay.
  6. E-Files are allowed.
  7. Gel competitors must bring a UV or LED gel lamp.
  8. Adhesive is only allowed for tip & overlay.
  9. Nails have to be sculpted using Acrylic or Sculpting Gel, Hybrid/ Acrygel. Choose one system and run with it! Don´t mix!
  10. You can mix systems only for nail art, not for structure!
  11. For the finish, only Top Gel in a jar/pot or a Top Gel in a bottle is allowed. Any other bottles/soak-off gels/gel polish are not allowed!
  12. For the three design nails: Colour Gel and coloured Acrylic (with or without glitter), acrylic paint, and colour gel (thin viscosity but no gel polish), 3D nail Art & Paint is allowed but shouldn´t be higher than 5mm.
  13. Striper foils, colour foils (plain only), rhinestones & bullion are allowed for decoration.
  14. All overlay products & material must be in original packaging – with clear correct label. Only for Acetone, Cleanser and Alcohol it has to be written on the bottle.
  15. For the three design nails: no gel polish, soak off systems or dip systems to be used.

NOT ALLOWED

  1. No dip system or gel soak-off systems.
  2. Choose one system to create the structure of the nails, don´t mix the systems. e.g. Hybrid and Gel or Acrylic and Gel etc.
  3. You can mix a system only for nail art, not for structure.
  4. Excess lotion & oil will afford point deductions. If a competitor or model is seen cleaning hands & nails after the competition is closed with any product, such as canned air, it is immediate disqualification.
  5. Competitors may not touch the nail tips or forms prior to the start of the competition.
  6. Tips must be traditional clear or natural, dual tips are not allowed. Preparation of tips or sculpting forms prior to the beginning of the competition is not allowed & all prepared tips or sculpting forms will be confiscated by floor judges. When the competitor makes the choice to use tips, the tip box should not have prepared tips inside the box or mixed tips (colour) in one box.
  7. Every competitor must arrive with an organised tip box with at least 10 tips of each size in each allocated size compartment of the box. A disorganized tip box will be removed from the desk by a floor judge. Tips need to stay in the box until the competition starts.
  8. When the competitor chooses to use sculpting forms the forms must be on a roll or 25 separate & not prepared forms. It is not allowed to prepare/tailor the sculpting forms prior to the competition. Aluminum paper used for support underneath the form is allowed but is to be flat & separate on the nail table at the beginning of the competition, uncut & not placed on the sculpting form prior to the competition.
  9. No tip or form sizing, touching, cutting or pre-blending allowed before the competition begins. No preparation of any tips or forms in any way is allowed!
  10. No lacquer, base coat, lacquer ridge filler, no lacquer top coat is allowed.
  11. No decals allowed. This means no pre-designed or printed appliqués or decals to be used.
  12. No stamping of art allowed.
  13. No paint on in general!
  14. When using forms, adhesive for tips is not allowed to be on the nail desk.
  15. For the two smile lines (pink & white) French nails: no tools, no electric file, cutters are to be used. Hand file or brush to be used only.
  16. For the two smile lines (pink & white) French nails: no gel polish, soak off systems, gel or acrylic paint / colour or dip systems to be used.
  17. All product trolleys, jackets & handbags have to be away from the table & the competitor is not allowed to use products from the trolley after the competition begins. If they need something, they have to ask a floor judge to get it.

SALON NAILS - 1 hand｜5 nails 60-minutes

  1. The nail enhancements created by the competitors are to be salon nails on the model’s hand | 5 nails.
  2. Show your skills as a salon nail professional: everyday nails for everyday clients.
  3. 60-minutes to complete one hand in a salon-style nail on your model.
  4. The competitor chooses which hand.
  5. The nail enhancements must be finished in a French style pink & white only.
  6. Choose between one of these artificial systems: LED/UV Gel, Acrylic or Hybrid-/Acryl Gel (mixing systems is not allowed), then shape, style & lengthen nails accordingly.
  7. The competitor can choose to work on nail forms or traditional tips.
  8. The competitor can choose to create classic French style (no camouflage, only clear and /or transparent pink) or French with a nail bed elongation (camouflage/cover or transparent pink/clear).

POLISH & HIGH SHINE

All systems must produce a high shine through files & buffer or using a Top Gel.

ALLOWED

  1. Cream, lotion, oil & polish dry products may be used.
  2. Water, soap & canned air may be used in finishing.
  3. For sculpture ONLY & EXACT 10 separate forms per comp allowed. Floor judges will be closely inspecting every form.
  4. For Tip & Overlay a new box of 100 tips (10 per size) must be on the desk. Floor judges will be closely inspecting every box.
  5. You are only permitted to use natural or clear tips for tip & overlay.
  6. E-Files are allowed.
  7. Adhesive is only allowed for tip & overlay.
  8. Top coats/Sealer is allowed on every system.
  9. The line between the transparent pink/clear or camouflage & the white extension must be visible & clearly defined.
  10. French needs to be sculpted with a traditional LED/UV Gel, Acrylic or Hybrid-/Acryl Gel. Hand file or brush to be used only.
  11. Nail beds need to be sculpted with a traditional LED/UV Gel, Acrylic or Hybrid-/Acryl Gel.

NOT ALLOWED

  1. Natural overlay, ombré or baby boomer are NOT allowed.
  2. NO gel polish, soak off system or dip systems to be used.
  3. No embellishment or encapsulation – judges want to see natural looking enhancements in any shape. The competitor is to choose the most relevant shape to suit the fingers & nail condition.
  4. No decals, pre-designed flowers, pre-designed or printed appliqués to be used.
  5. No stamping of art allowed. NO ART.
  6. No mixing of camouflage/cover pink or whites at the nail desk before or during the competition in the arena. All overlay products & material must be in original packaging – with clear correct label. Acetone, Cleanser and Alcohol can have name written on the bottle. Premixing of camouflage at home is allowed if seen in branded pot.
  7. Mixing the systems LED/UV Gel, Acrylic or Hybrid-/Acryl Gel is not allowed.
  8. Excess lotion & oil will afford point deductions. If a competitor is seen cleaning hands & nails after the competition is closed with any product, such as canned air, it is immediate disqualification.
  9. Competitors may not touch the nail tips prior to the start of the competition.
  10. Tips must be traditional clear or natural, no white tips or mold/dual tips or mixed tip boxes are allowed. Preparation of tips or sculpting forms prior to the beginning of the competition is not allowed & all prepared tips or sculpting forms will be confiscated by the floor judges. When the competitor makes the choice to use tips, the tip box should not have prepared tips inside.
  11. Every competitor must arrive with an organised tip box with at least 10 tips of each size in each allocated size compartment of the box. A disorganized tip box will be removed from the desk by a floor judge. Tips need to stay in the box until the competition starts.
  12. When the competitor uses sculpting forms, the nail forms must be on a strip or 10 separate & not prepared or tailored. It’s not allowed to prepare the sculpting forms prior to the beginning of the competition. Aluminium paper used for support underneath the form is allowed but is to be flat & separate on the nail table at the beginning of the competition, uncut & not placed on the sculpting form prior to the beginning of the competition.

No tip or form sizing, touching, cutting or pre-blending allowed before the comp begins. No preparation of any tips or forms in any way is allowed!

  1. No matte top coat or lacquer is allowed.
  2. When using forms, adhesive for tips is not allowed on the nail desk.
  3. No tools, cutters or e-files to aid the creation of smile lines are to be used.
  4. No paint-on French is allowed.
  5. Gel polish is not allowed.

FANTASY NAILS – The Complete Look | 60-minutes

  • All entries must be new to the Nailympia competition arena and can only be entered one time at this competition. No repeat entries from prior years allowed.
  • The fantasy work must be adhered to natural nails only. NO polish colour, no French or natural enhancements, no gel polish – just natural nails on the competition floor. The natural nails can be pre-manicured. 10-points deducted if the nails have polish or base coat on them.
  • Only the model and competitor are allowed on the competition floor. The costuming, make-up and hair may be assembled before the competition and can be a team effort. The nails must be added to the complete look during the one-hour competition by the competitor with no additional help.
  • All pieces or embellishments to go on the nails may be completely created prior to the competition, then assembled and placed/adhered to the nails during the competition. You must create 10 separate tips to adhere to the 10 nails during the competition. It must be 10 nails for 10 fingers.
  • Three-dimensional, pre-cast embellishments, feathers, decals, gems, accessories, ornaments or any form of fantasy is allowed.
  • Models must wear their costume prior to the start of the competition, with final touches completed during the competition.
  • The costume is a large part of this competition (20 points), as this competition stresses creativity, difficulty and how well the theme of the entire design and costume work together. Dress the model in the theme from head to toes.
  • Complete your work with no more than 50 words on a small card (to be placed at the model’s feet during judging). Outline your theme and nail art media used. Explain what techniques, products and materials have been used for the creation.
  • No step-by-step photographs accepted. Photos of the work or artist involved will lead to point deductions or disqualification.
  • NOTE – Points can be lost if elements of design are bought ready-made and embellished.
  • TIP – Keep all elements neat & well finished with no visible signs of glue, dust or debris.
  • TIP – Difficulty is evaluated by the level of detail & intricacies noted within each element. Less is sometimes more and big does not always mean better.