Nailympia 2026 Global Banners_Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico 2026 Rules

Arena Caregories

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. 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 gelpolish 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|LEDlamp 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.

ACRYLIC COMPETITION STYLE NAILS –  5 nails 90-minutes

  1. The acrylic nail enhancements created are to be competition style nails on the model’s 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 & pinkiewith 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 clearor 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.

UV/LED Gel Competition Style Nails – | 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 & pinkiewith 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 aboutthe 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.

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 pinkieor 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.

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 namewritten 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 clearor 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.

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´tbe 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 clearor 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.

Turn in categories

REALITY  NAILS – 3 Nail Tips and 3 Themes

Topic: “Puerto Rico Through the Eras”
1. Before 1943: Taíno Era
2. 1850: Jibaro Culture
3. Present-Day Puerto Rico 2026

 

  1. The finished nail designs should include a suitable shape & length for a salon client.
  2. . All entries must be new to Nailympia & can only be entered once in this competition.
  3. All designs must be original & not seen in previous competitions or images.
  4. Nailympia will send an email with the sheet to print off & display your nails. The entries that have no sheet printed off will be deducted 1 point for not displaying as requested.

 

ALLOWED

  1. Flat art or embellishments with rhinestones etc. only.
  2. Media Paints (non-toxic); Gel Polish; Glitters; Foils; Charms; Rhinestones; Flat stones; Decals; Embellishments; One-stroke: Dip System – anything goes – just NO 3D.

 

NOT ALLOWED

  1. No 3D art is acceptable. Flat art or embellishments with rhinestones etc. only.
  2. Use the print off sheet emailed by Nalympiateam to display the nails. Do not use your own moodboard.
  3. All entries must be new to Nailympia & can only be entered once. No repeat entries from prior years allowed.
  4. The work must not have been published on social media or entered into any competition or published in any journal beforehand.
  5. No entries that have been changed from previous competitions allowed. 6. A maximum of ONE entry per competitor is allowed.

RUNWAY NAILS

Theme: "Puerto Rican Heritage Couture"

Presentation

 

This is a turn-in competition - on a moodboard that you create to show your inspiration & journey to the nail designs.

 

Design a high-fashion nail set inspired by the official theme of the competition.

The design should convey a visual story and complement the model's artistic concept.

The competitor's ability to combine fashion, design, structure, and creativity will be evaluated.

The nails must be original and created exclusively for this competition.

The work must reflect an advanced level of technique and artistic direction.

The harmony between the nails and the model's overall styling will be an important part of the evaluation.

  1. Competitors must design 3 different nail styles they feel will enhance, accessories & interpret the brief outlined above and create a moodboard that depicts the inspiration and ideas that led to the nail styles.
  2. The designs must be reasonably easy & quick to reproduce (100s would need to be made for a fashion show). Think in terms of this when designing, as the judges will be in this mindset. If the designs are too complicated or busy, they would not win the commission with a fashion designer & will score poorly.
  3. 3. Note that the main focus of a fashion show is the designer’s collection. Nails can be a ‘statement’ accessory, but should not overshadow the complete look.
  4. 4. Nails at a fashion show are photographed close-up for detailed beauty shots.
  5. The finished nail designs should include suitable shape & length.
  6. 6. All entries must be new toNailympia& can only be entered once in this competition. Must be original work that has not been previously published by the competitor or displayed in public, on social media or published in any journal beforehand.
  7. Competitors may use ANY suitable materials that do not necessarily have to be nail products or can be a mixture of nail products & other materials. There are no restrictions on the creation of these 3 nails.
  8. A maximum of ONE entry per competitor is allowed.
  9. The moodboard must not exceed an A4 in size -s o it can be displayed and judged in the arena. Any larger and points will be deducted.

TO STILETTO & BEYOND

THEME – Wild Essence of Borikén - Flora Y Fauna

MORE THAN 2 INCHES LONG – SCULPT ONE NAIL ONLY

  1. This is your chance to show the nail world how creative, imaginative & skilled you are. Design your own extreme style nail, sculpt & decorate it.
  2. This requires just one nail of any length over 2 inches/ 5cm length from the cuticle. This is extreme nail shaping sculpture with art expression on top.
  3. This offers the opportunity to demonstrate beautiful structure plus showcasing creative art & design skills. Keep the cuticle area of the nail free from large boxed in design feature. The stiletto nail must be seen and not overly structured so the nail itself is obscured. This is not a figurine competition.
  4. Create a desirable & gorgeous shape using design with style & masterful skills.
  5. All entries must be new to Nailympia & can only be entered once in this competition. Must be an original photograph that has not been previously published or displayed in public or on social media.
  6. Points will be awarded for the nail finish, architecture & overall wow factor. All designs must be original & not seen in previous competitions or images.
  7. Nail moulds, covering small objects in gel paints & 3d printingare not acceptable to this competition. Judges want to see your true skill, style & creavitity come to life. In your text description, highlight the skills & techniques used.

ALLOWED

  1. Any nail product may be used with crystals/rhinestones/bullion etc. accepted for bling & design purposes. Go wild & create a stunning nail with design on top, underneath, to the side – wherever.
  2. The more advanced & original the architecture is, the more points will be awarded. The architecture & structure of the nail is an important feature and where skills are highly praised.

NOT ALLOWED

  1. All entries must be new to Nailympia & can only be entered once. No repeat entries from prior years are allowed.
  2. The work must not have been published, on social media or entered any competition or published in any journal beforehand.
  3. No entries that have been changed from previous competitions allowed.
  4. A maximum of ONE entry per competitor is allowed.
  5. Nail moulds, covering small objects in gel paints & 3D printing are not acceptable in this competition.If obvious use has been made of these elements, points will be deducted. 
  6. No points are given for any props or display material. The nail only is assessed.
  7. Do not create a figurine or a large structure for the base of this nail. The judges need to see the nail’s structure below. This is an extreme nail that will awardedfor its structure and architecture as well as its art & details.

FLAT ART DESIGN

THEME – Borikén - Echoes of the Ancestors

1. This competition is an ‘Art Painting’ format. Nails to be designed on varying-sized nail tips & placed together, but not touching.

  1. Do not stick the 10 nails together to create one large canvas or push them together - there must be an OBVIOUS gap between the tips & there must be at least 5 different-sized tips used (5 different lengths). This is art on many tiny canvases.
  2. A written synopsis of no more than 50 words in English must be provided with your submission detailing how the look was achieved. This is for the judges to mark complexity & understand the journey to completedlook. Please note that points will be deducted for failing to include the text.
  3. All entries must be new to Nailympia & can only be entered once in this competition. Must be an original photograph that has not been previously published or displayed in public or on social media.

ALLOWED

  1. It´s achance to go wild with nails & imagination yet present a style.
  2. Art acrylic paint & gel paints are allowed.
  3. Contestants use only freehand artistic painting & one-stroke techniques.

NOT ALLOWED

  1. All entries must be new to Nailympia & can only be entered once. No repeat entries from prior years are allowed.
  2. Hand painting only – no airbrushing.
  3. No entries that have been changed from previous competitions allowed.
  4. A maximum of ONE entry per competitor.
  5. No decoration/ embellishment or acrylic/gel product L&P can be used; if this happens, there will be disqualification. This is flat-painted art only.
  6. Any embellishment of actual tips, whether attached to the tip or not, will be considered a violation & will be disqualified.
  7. Do not stick the 10 nails together to create one large canvas or push them together.

POSTERS

MANICURE POSTER 

1 or 2 hands in any composition

NO THEME: Open 

  1. It is the ‘whole picture’ that will be judged, not just the work on the nails. Points will be awarded for the manicure finish & overall ‘wow’ factor. The style, background & theme of the picture will also be judged. Think ‘magazine cover’ when creating this poster.
  2. A written synopsis of no more than 50 words in English and Spanish must be provided detailing how the look was achieved. This is for the judges to mark complexity & understand the journey to completedlook. Please note 5 points will be deducted for failing to include the text.
  3. One or two hands, short, square, oval, almond elegant nails to be showcased in one colour, French can be in colour or a mix of colours or natural. No nail art to be added.
  4. NOTE: Can you see the nails clearly? Points are lost if the judges cannot see the nails clearly. They need to judge the quality of the finish of the manicure.
  5. All entries must be new to Nailympia & can only be entered one time in this competition. Must be an original photograph that has not been previously published or displayed in public, seen in any format/place or on social media.
  6. Image must be in colour. No black & white or sepia.

ALLOWED

  1. Finish on nails can be in nail polish or gel polish.
  2. Only 1 photograph is required.

NOT ALLOWED

  1. All entries must be new to Nailympia & can only be entered one time. No repeat entries from prior years allowed.
  2. No faces – only handor hands in the photo. This is a close-up image celebrating nails!
  3. No black & white or sepia image.
  4. A maximum of ONE entry per competitor is allowed.
  5. No nail extensions. Do not use UV hard gel or L&P acrylic systems to extend the nail.
  6. No nail art to be added.

Theme: “Queens of Borikén”

Inspired by the rich cultural heritage of Puerto Rico and the fusion of our three roots: Taíno, Spanish, and African. Competitors can portray a queen inspired by one of these heritages or create an interpretation that blends all three, reflecting the strength, elegance, and identity of Borikén with originality and creativity.

Extreme Nail Styling Poster -  Nails & Face

One or more hands with face (any length nails)

  1. Must show at least one hand of 5 nails - however, you can show face & body or just one or more hands. Nails must be over 2 inches/ 5cm in length. You can create a poster of many hands or many hands with faces & full or part bodies too. You choose.
  2. All entries must be new to Nailympia & can only be entered once in this competition. Must be an original photograph that has not been previously published or displayed in public or on social media.
  3. A written synopsis of no more than 50 words in English & Spanish must be provided with your photograph detailing how the look was achieved. This is for the judges to mark complexity & understand the journey to completed Please note points will be deducted for failing to include the text.
  4. It is the whole picture that will be judged, not just the work on nails.
  5. Points awarded for the nail finish & overall wow factor. The style, background & theme of the picture will also be judged.
  6. Think powerfulimage for a nail magazine cover when creating this poster. (But no text)
  7. Image must be in colour. No black & white or sepia photos.
  8. All designs must be original & not seen in previous competitions or images.
  9. No entries that have been changed from previous competitions allowed.
  10. A maximum of ONE entry per competitor is allowed.

TIP

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.