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Model: Ashley Nedd, Photo: Caitlin Fisher, Manicure: Rachel Messick
I worked as a make-up artist for a really long time before I ever picked up a bottle of polish (professionally) and ventured into manicuring. The amount of times that I (as a makeup artist) was expected to paint and maintain nails was honestly astounding- especially considering I had zero experience and could barely paint my own nails (there is AMPLE and cringey photographic evidence of this in my personal Instagram).
Now that I’m on the nail side of the looking glass, I get to hear all of the horror stories from my model friends about being ditched at the end of the day with press-ons and no clue how to remove them or a sculpted 2 inch acrylic extensions that have been pried off with dental floss and throbbing nails (these are both real life stories, FYI). I also see the relief from photographers when they know they aren’t going to have to photoshop a fill on 4-week old white gel manicures (seriously though, it’s ALWAYS white manis). Trust me, I’ve had my share of learning experiences on set as well- so I’m not here to bash anybody. I’m here to share my absolute must-haves so that your nails aren’t the distraction of the shoot.
First Things First, the best advice I can give, from a manicurist perspective is to keep your nails clean and tidy and if you want to do gel, be sure it’s something that can be soaked off relatively easily and stick with simple nudes or clear. Dip and acrylic are both incredibly time consuming to remove and hard gel cannot be soaked off. Honestly, though, if you know you have busy seasons- just avoid anything other than nail polish or easily removable press-ons.
I’ve separated the list into two categories: things to have on hand at home and things to add to your travel bag.
Things to have at home:
100% Pure Acetone: If it’s on your nails and removable, it’s coming off with Acetone. Buy a big bottle, store in a cool dry place.
Nail Clippers: If you find yourself with long nails that you’d like to remove, you’ll want to clip the length down as much as possible before you try to soak them off. Trust me, it will make your life MUCH easier.
Removal Wraps/Foil: For wrapping and soaking off gel, acrylic, dip, press-ons, etc…
Cotton: For product removal and saturating in acetone, removing nail polish, etc…
High Quality Nail File 100/180: Use the more coarse side to file through product as much as possible before you soak off and the finer side to shape your natural nail.
Nail Clippers: These are optional on set, but essential at home. If you find yourself with long nails, you’ll want to cut the length down BEFORE you file and soak. It’ll save you a lot of time and energy.
Conair Warming Mitts (Optional): Warmth helps acetone work faster, so if you’re settling in for a soak off, pop your hands in the mitts and turn up the heat- it’ll cut time off significantly. For a more low-tech option, you can also wrap your hands in warm towels instead- you’ll just have to reheat them when they get cool.
Things To Travel With:
Press-On Tabs: My personal favorite are the Dashing Diva Virtual Bond tabs. They are super-strong, easy to remove and they won’t pop off while you’re changing outfits. Truly, they are the only tabs I’ve used that will stay on for multiple days if prepped properly- should you choose to keep your nails on.
Nail Guards: These are also by Dashing Diva and they are SO underrated and I love them so much. You place them on your nail before you apply an enhancement (press-on, acrylic, gel, basically anything that’s not nail polish). Once you’re ready to take them off, you simply soak in warm water and gently pop off the enhancement with an orangewood stick. No damage to your natural nails.
Cuticle Pusher: This is something you should have at home and in your travel bag. Use this to gently push cuticles back before applying any product for a cleaner application surface.
Orange Wood Sticks: These cuties are multi-purpose- you can use them to clean under your nails and also to clean up any wet polish that creeps into your sidewalls (that crease between your nail plate and your finger skin).
Nail Brush: Honestly, we should all have nail brushes in our purses. Use it to scrub your nails and clean underneath. Hygiene, baby, it’s a beautiful thing.
Pre-Soaked Alcohol Pads and Polish Remover Pads: I usually pick them up at Target, but you can find them at most drug stores. They are pre-soaked pads wrapped and sealed so you don’t have to deal with any spills. The alcohol pads are great dehydrating the nail plate so that you can apply product after using oils or creams, the polish remover pads are, well, for removing polish.
High Quality Nail File 100/180: I’m not talking about cheap emery boards, get a nice high-quality file. Grab a few and switch them out once they get dull. The more coarse side is for product removal, the finer side is for shaping your natural nails.
Medium Grit buffer (180/240): This is going to help with any odd surface texture or to smooth rough edges after filing. Use it in moderation, it’s nice to have a smooth nail but don’t do it too often.
Cuticle Oil: Grab a cuticle oil pen and use it to hydrate and prep nails before application and after. Just use it all the time, it’s literally a miracle.
Hand/Body Lotion: My personal favorite to use on set is Body Hero by Glossier. It has a lovely scent and just a HINT of opalescence that’s SUPER flattering on camera.
Hand Scrub: Hand scrubs are the easiest way to fake supple skin. The grit will exfoliate all the dead and dry skin (because hello, we all have zombie hands now from washing and sanitizing all the time) and they are usually paired with some sort of humectant to infuse moisture and make the hands look extra soft and supple on camera.
Nude & Clear Polish: Throw them in a plastic baggie before you put them in your bag (just trust me on this), grab your favorite sheer nude (something with enough color to hide imperfections and create a more uniform surface) and a simple clear polish. Some of my favorite universal nudes are: Sugar Daddy by Essie and Nourishing Nude by Orly.
Shiny Buffer (Optional): If you prefer to not wear polish at all, you can always run a shiny buffer over your clean nails to amp up the shine sans additional product.
Quick Dry Top-Coat or Spray (optional): Quick dry spray or top-coat will help your nails dry faster so that you can get dressed without smudging.
Nail Clippers (optional): Just a good idea to have on hand, although if your nails are on the shorter side you can omit this.
Press-On Nails (optional): Whether it’s custom or drugstore, something quick and simple that can be easily popped on and off. This one is super optional, but it’s nice to have the option when you’re doing creative shoots OR if you happen to be a nail biter.
Now go forth and model with those fabulous nails! I hope this serves as a starting off point to advocate for yourself and your nail health. Also, don’t share tools on set, and if you are a beauty pro, be sure to not share disposables between clients and that you are properly disinfecting all reusable non-porous tools.