Sicily 2026 Rules
In the Arena – Live competitions
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 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 – 1 hand | 5 nails 90-minutes
The UV gel nail enhancements are to be competition-style nails on the model’s right hand. | 5 nails.
The competitor can choose to work on nail forms or traditional tips. Choose one technique, do not use both.
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).
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.
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.
Competitors will be given 90-minutes to complete the hand.
POLISH & HIGH SHINE
Competitors must polish 2 fingers, thumb & pinkie with a bright red cream polish/lacquer only.
No base or top coat, ridge filler, colour gel or gel polish is allowed.
All 5 gel nails must be finished with a transparent gel top coat.
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
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.
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.
Competitors are not allowed to touch the nail tips or forms prior to the start of the competition.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
When using forms, adhesive for tips is not allowed to be on the nail desk.
No hybrid/any kind of acrygel, dip system & no gel polish products are allowed in the traditional Gel competition.
No tools, cutters or e-files to aid the creation of smile lines are to be used. No paint-on French is allowed.
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.
JOY OF NAILS ｜Model’s hand / competitor’s hand｜3 nails 75-minutes
1. The competitor can choose to work on forms or tips. They can choose to use forms on one nail, tips on another or vice versa.
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. Dual forms & extreme-shaped tips allowed - must be in a box or original packaging of at least 10 to be inspected by floor judges.
5. You are only permitted to use natural or clear tips (this applies to extreme tips too) 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 (or 10 extreme tips for inspection). 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.
REALITY NAILS – 3 TIPS given out at briefing | 45-minutes
It´s a live competition at Nailympia Sicily - themes & 3 nails tips will be given out during the briefing.
Create nail art designs on three full-cover tips based on theme given at the competition site.
The finished nail designs should include a suitable shape & length for a salon client. The demographic/client that these 3 tips shall be created for will be given as direction on the arena during the brief.
All entries must be new to Nailympia & can only be entered once in this competition. Must not have been previously published or displayed in public or on social media.
All designs must be original & not seen in previous competitions or images.
ALLOWED
Flat art or embellishments with rhinestones etc. only.
Media Paints (non-toxic), Gel Polish, Glitters, Foils; Charms, Rhinestones, Flat stones, Decals, Embellishments, One-stroke, Dip System – anything goes – just NO 3D.
Nails have to be created during the competition.
NOT ALLOWED
No 3D art is acceptable. Flat art or embellishments with rhinestones etc. only.
All entries must be new to Nailympia & can only be entered once. No repeat entries from prior years allowed.
The work must not have been published on social media or entered into any competition or published in any journal beforehand.
No entries that have been changed from previous competitions allowed.
It´s not allowed to create the nails at home and bring them to the competition. All work must be completed during the competition. Crystal embellishments must not exceed 20% coverage on any nail, though every nail must include some crystal elements.
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!
14. No matte top coat or lacquer is allowed.
15. When using forms, adhesive for tips is not allowed on the nail desk.
16. No tools, cutters or e-files to aid the creation of smile lines are to be used.
17. No paint-on French is allowed.
18. Gel polish is not allowed.
ACRYLIC COMPETITION STYLE NAILS – 1 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.
FRENCH TWIST – 1 hand - 5 nails｜120-minutes
1. Nails to be sculpted on nail forms on the hand of the model or your own hand.
2. You must sculpt 5 different forms & shapes min. 1.58 inches/4cm long from cuticle area to the hair line.
3. All 5 nails – 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 5 nails. The colour of the nail bed needs to complement the skin tone and needs to be the same on all 5 nails.
6. Competitors will be given 120-minutes to complete the 4 fingers & thumb.
7. All 5 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.
RUNWAY NAILS – 3 press on full-cover nail tips｜45-minutes
1. Competitors must design 3 different nail styles they feel will enhance, accessories & interpret the brief/mood board that will be given out in the arena – one style brief will be given, 3 nails to be created that interpret this brief.
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. 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. Nails at a fashion show are photographed close-up for detailed beauty shots.
5. The finished nail designs should include suitable shape & length.
6. All entries must be new to Nailympia & 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.
STILETTO NAILS – 1 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.
ACRYGEL PINK & WHITE ALMOND NAILS - 1 Hand | 5 nails 90-minutes
Competitors complete a full set of nails on one hand only, using the ACRYGEL system.
The challenge is to create the most natural finish on a set of almond shaped nails.
1. Three (3) nails - index, middle and ring fingers - must be sculpted using forms (these must NOT be pre-cut).
2. The pinkie and thumb (2 nails) must be created using nail tips – to showcase the tip & overlay technique.
3. Only clear and natural tips are allowed (white tips are NOT permitted).
4. Competitors are required to use professional products, all of which must be clearly labelled or will be removed from the nail desk.
5. The use of glitter, coloured acrylics or additives is NOT allowed.
6. Judges are looking for the most natural and aesthetically pleasing set, suited to the model’s hand shape and skin tone.
7. Camouflage (cover) acrygel is allowed, provided it matches the model’s skin tone. The judges want to see the nails and skin colours working in harmony.
8. No decorations or encapsulated designs are permitted.
9. The nail bed can be extended for elongation purposes and aesthetics.
10. The competitor must choose the most appropriate length, suited to the model’s fingers and hand and then craft an almond nail.
11. The two nails (pinkie and thumb) must feature a perfect French manicure, with a well-defined smile line, using: camouflage pink and white acrygels.
12. The remaining three nails may be designed in the Baby Boomer (ombré) style.
13. Cleansing liquids and hydrating products (oils, creams, lotions) are allowed.
14. The use of top gel and sealant top coat is allowed.
15. Gel polish soak off systems, gel or acrylic paint / colour or dip systems are NOT permitted.
16. 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.
17. No paint-on French is allowed. Must be sculpted.
18. 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.
19. Competitors may not touch the nail tips or forms prior to the start of the competition.
20. 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.
21. 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.
22. 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.
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.
OFFLINE/ HAND-in /Mail in
DESIGN NAILS FOR AN ALBUM COVER - theme - Tarantella Siciliana | 5 nail tips
Design a set of 5 nail tips to fit the brief – for an album cover.
Imagine this is a commercial brief, to design and style a set of 5 tips to be worn by a model for a photo shoot for an album cover in the above themed music genre.
3D art is acceptable, but must be wearable art – no higher off the nail than 0.5cm (5mm); flat art, simple, stylish small embellishments with rhinestones, bullion, glitter, crystals. Maximum height 0.5cm (5mm) from the nail surface.
The 5 tips must be displayed simply by placing in a display box. Just 5 tips – that fit the theme.
FLAT ART BOXED – theme - SICILY – hand-in/mail-in | 5 nail tips /5 sizes)
1. Submit this flat art boxed display and written material to the organiser at the event or via mail earlier. Note: All damages incurred during mailing are the sole responsibility of the competitors.
2. This competition is an ‘Art Painting’ format. Nails to be designed on 5 different sized nail tips & placed together but not touching.
3. Do not stick the 5 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.
4. A written synopsis (no more than 50 words in English – can add Italian underneath) must be provided with your submission detailing how the look was achieved. This is for the judges to mark complexity & understand the journey to completed look. Please note points will be deducted for failing to include the text.
5. All entries must be new to Nailympia & can only be entered once in this competition.
6. All designs must be original & not seen in previous competitions or images.
ALLOWED
1. It´s a chance to go wild with nails & imagination but present a style.
2. Art acrylic paint & gel paints are allowed.
3. Competitors use only freehand artistic painting & one-stroke techniques.
NOT ALLOWED
1. Hand painting only – no airbrushing.
2. The work must not have been published, on social media or entered into any competition or published in any journal beforehand.
3. A maximum of one entry per competitor is allowed.
4. No decoration or acrylic/gel product L&P can be used; if this happens, there will be a 10-point deduction. This is flat painted art only.
5. Any embellishment of actual tips, whether attached to the tip or not, will be considered a violation & 10 points will be deducted.
6. Do not stick the 5 nails together to create one large canvas or push them together.
MIXED MEDIA BOXED 3D ART – 5 nails tips/5 sizes | open theme
1. Submit physical box and written material to the organiser on arrival or via mail. Note: All damages incurred during mailing are the sole responsibility of the competitors.
2. Competitors must use 3 of these 6 nail art media: airbrushing, embellishments (rhinestones, striping tape etc), L&P acrylic, gel, hand painting, one stroke. Failure to use 3 will result in a 10-point deduction for each media less than 3.
3. For continuity, please describe the theme that is featured in the written material.
4. All work must be original and not added to after a previous comp, copied from a masterclass or another tech’s work. Completely original.
5. This competition is a ‘show & tell’ format. Nails to be designed on 5 different sized nail tips and placed together.
6. Art on the nails must not exceed 6.35 mm (1/4 inch) in height from the surface of the nail. Having a display any larger may result in it not being displayed and if it’s too large, it may not be accepted. This is left to the discretion of the Nailympia. The displays are measured by the judges. Any embellishment to the actual tips, whether attached to the tip or not, will count and must not extend further than 6.35 mm (1/4 inch) from the nail surface or 10 points will be deducted.
7. All entries must be accompanied by a description (50 words maximum in English – Italian can be added underneath) of the work involved including types of nail art media and techniques used. Points will be deducted if no description is provided.
9. All entries must be new to Nailympia & can only be entered once. The work must not have been published, on social media or entered any competition or published in any journal beforehand.
ALLOWED
1. All media used must be used in an artistic way.
2. It is the competitor’s responsibility to clarify anything questionable prior to the event and the judges’ decisions are accepted as final.
NOT ALLOWED
1. Don’t stick the 5 nails together to create one large canvas – there must be a gap between the tips and there must be at least 5 different-sized tips used. This is art on many tiny canvases.
2. No decals / nail stickers allowed.
FULL COVER CREATIVE – 10 press-on full cover tips | theme: My Africa
1. Submit display box and written material to the organiser by the deadline or via mail. Note: All damages incurred during mailing are the sole responsibility of the competitor.
2. This is a commercial competition.
3. Place 10 finished nails into display boxes, ensuring sufficient space between each nail.
4. Nails to be designed on 5 different sized nail tips and placed together but not touching in a display/presentation box.
5. The largest 2 nails must not exceed 2.5 cm in length and should be suitable for evening wear.
6. The tips must be displayed in a simple way with a short explanation or visual sketch of how the design fits the brief / theme.
7. The finished nail designs should include suitable shape and length for evening wear.
ALLOWED
1. Competitors may use any suitable materials that do not necessarily have to be nail products or can be a mixture of nail products and other materials. There are no restrictions on the creation of these 10 nails.
2. Commercial competition. 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.
3. 10 nail tips in 5 different sizes - no longer than 2.5cm maximum.
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 into any competition or published in any journal beforehand.
3. No entries that have been changed from previous competitions allowed.
4. The largest 2 nails must not exceed 2.5 cm in length
5. A maximum of ONE entry per competitor is allowed.
6. If you cannot attend the event in person, you can send your entries by mail, express delivery, or other technical means.
TO STILETTO & BEYOND – 1 nail | theme: Childhood Memories
1. Submit display box entry and written material to the organiser by the deadline or via mail. Note: All damages incurred during mailing are the sole responsibility of the competitors.
2. This is your chance to show the nail world how creative, imaginative & skilled you are. Design your own extreme style nail, sculpt & decorate it.
3. 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.
4. This offers the opportunity to demonstrate beautiful structure plus showcasing creative art & design skills.
5. All entries must be new to Nailympia & can only be entered once in this competition. Must be an original photograph or hand-in nail 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.
7. No artificial nail or finger required.
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. Moulds are allowed - but mean fewer points given. Sculpted, skilled work gets more points.
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.
Send jpeg via email
MANICURE POSTER - 1 or 2 hands in any composition | open theme
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 (can add Italian underneath) must be provided detailing how the look was achieved. This is for the judges to mark complexity & understand the journey to completed look. 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 hand or 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.
Email – Jpeg, tiff or PNG file or the poster. This means only 1 photo is required. (Photo size minimum 2MB / maximum 10MB.) Create a 50-word text document with your description of your work.