Tips to Stay Relevant as a Nail Tech

Tips to Stay Relevant as a Nail Tech

—Everything You Need to Know

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The nail industry is a killer place for career-savvy cosmetologists like you—but it can also be an incredibly competitive, mildly cut-throat industry, too.

Though all fields in cosmetology are pretty great, there’s something unique about the nail tech industry that we’re always happy to come back to.

Nail techs get to offer people advice and insight on the health and wellness of their nails, but they also get the chance to provide services that enable people to tap into their most creative selves. To us, that’s a pretty dang rewarding gig.

Still, being in the nail industry can be tough. Why? Because like other fields of cosmetology, it’s constantly changing—but unlike other fields, it changes so rapidly that the latest-and-greatest thing can be different every single day.

If you don’t keep up with it, it can end up being quite the whirlwind.

It’s your job to stay on top of new trends, offer consistent new services, and do everything in your power to avoid stagnation.

Every service you offer gives you a leg up in your market, and it opens you up to gaining new business and distinguishing yourself as a leader in the nail game.

So, this begs certain questions—what should you know how to do well, and what trending services and what nail technician continuing education is vital to your success?

Keep reading to learn more!

Always Stay Uppin’ Your Game

Once you decide that staying static in your career is fine, you can kiss growth goodbye.

Sure, there are plenty of people who will continue coming to you even if you’re not interested in growing or improving, but you’ll be missing out on so many potential customers if you’re committed to staying set in your ways.

It’s definitely not required for you to make an effort to step up your game every day, but it makes a difference in your career, your business, and especially your income.

Get Your Certs & Stay Relevant

If you’re steady sitting with just a certification or two to your name, consider adding a few more to your repertoire.

One of the best ways to bring in more clients, get more business, and make yourself more appealing is to diversify your services—tacking on new certifications that contribute to new services (maybe massages, esthetics, or otherwise) can open up your market, keep you relevant, and ensure you’re able to stay in the game.

Stay in the Know on the Latest Trends

We believe in work-life balance, but we also believe that being a badass nail tech is sort of a full-time, always-on gig. That means that you need to dedicate some of your out-of-work time to keeping up with the industry, what’s hot and what’s not, and investing your energy into learning how to do new and exciting things.

Why? Because we’re willing to bet that you’re going to have customers come in every time something new and trendy hits the scene—if you’re not able to give them what they ask for, they’ll just end up working with someone else!

That’s not to say your entire life should be dedicated to nail tech stuff and nothing else but try to keep your eyes peeled and your attention zeroed in on the nail world.

Master the Basics & All-Natural Services

No matter what new things come our way, basic, natural, and classic nail services are always going to be a staple. If you’re not able to offer some of the simplest but requested services, you’ll lose a spot in the market just as quickly as if you didn’t stay up-to-date on new styles.

In the same vein, all-natural nail care is always going to maintain as a strong staple in nail service offerings, so it’s crucial to learn how to offer services in a cruelty-free, vegan, and environmentally friendly environment.

Study Up

Did you know that a lot of trends and styles in the nail industry are recycled? It’s true— just like any other industry, things go out of style and they come back in just a quickly with a little revamp and reinvention.

Our suggestion? Study old nail trends to stay on top of what’s to come. 

Not only will you be at the cutting-edge when something does resurface, but you also might be able to kickstart a trend and gain a little notoriety for bringing it back to the industry.

Know the New Stuff, Too

We’re talkin’ appliques, embellishments, airbrushing, nail art, and beyond.

Yes, the all-natural nails will always  (always!) be in demand, but if you can’t keep up with the new stuff on the regular, you won’t reel in those clients looking for the latest and greatest trends.

If you’re able to teach yourself how to do the trendy, involved, and highly impressive stuff, you can bet you’ll be able to expand your clientele by a mile.