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NAIL COMPETITION Sponsored by:INK LONDON

Nail techs can take home industry recognition, improved skills and a coveted trophy at this year’s one-day Nail Competition, taking place at Professional Beauty London in March. This year, we’ve updated the format too, giving techs the opportunity to show off their ability to adapt to trends and sell their skill set in a social media world.

Across the nine categories, two will be video-only, with techs required to create a two-to-three-minute demo of Pink & White or Artistic that would work well on Instagram or YouTube. The video needs to be submitted to judges before the show, with all entries displayed on a running reel across the two days of PB London. The winners of the video categories will be announced on the Sunday (March 29).

Three nail categories will be performed live at the show - Salon Nail, Gel-Polish and Nail Masters - perfect for those who love the competition floor atmosphere, while the Mixed Media and Hand Painted box categories will need to be prepared beforehand and brought to the show for judging. The Classic and Nail Art Photography categories will also be returning, due to popular demand.

First-place winners will receive a trophy, second place gets an award and all other competitors will receive a participation certificate.

ONLINE CATEGORIES:

• Pink & White (video)

• Artistic (video)

• Salon Nail

• Photography Classic

• Photography Nail Art

LIVE CATEGORIES:

• Salon Nail

• Gel-Polish

• Nail Masters

PRE-PREPARED CATEGORIES:

• Boxed - Mixed Media

• Boxed - Hand Painted

Entry price: £24.50 per category, excluding video which are free. Entry deadline: Friday, March 13

TOP TIP from competition director Denise Wright

Be picky with your model choice “Get a good model - one with great nail beds - and manicure her for at least six weeks before the competition so those cuticles are nice and bouncy. Also, read the rules. So many people don’t and then they lose marks, but marks add up and that’s what wins the trophy.”

DON’T MISS: Gelish Workshop

On the Monday of the show (March 30), The Georgie Smedley Group (formerly Nail Harmony UK) will be hosting Gelish and nail art workshops for students and newbie techs in the competition area. This is your chance to learn some top troubleshooting tips from one of the best brands in the business.

Enter now at professionalbeauty.co.uk/competitions

LASH COMPETITION Sponsored by:Lash Perfect

Top talent will once again go head to head to be crowned the UK’s best lash artists at the two-day Lash Competition, taking place at PB London. This is your chance to demonstrate your extension mastery in classic, Russian and Volume styles, with three divisions in each category to suit all skill levels.

CATEGORIES AND DIVISIONS:

• Classic: Expert, Professional and Novice divisions

• Russian 2D-4D: Expert, Professional and Novice divisions

• New Volume: Expert, Professional and Novice divisions

Price: Expert/Professional: £75 per category I Novice: £25 Entry deadline: Thursday, March 20

TOP TIP from competition director Heather Hughes

Watch the clock “My top piece of advice is to practise your look on your model two or three times prior to the competition, working to the time limits so you’re comfortable with the tight schedule on the day. This is an amazing opportunity to test your skills, build your profile and gain valuable industry experience.”

MAKE-UP COMPETITION

The one-day (Monday, March 30) student Make-Up Competition at PB London is the perfect opportunity for budding MUAs to show off their creativity.

Judges will be looking for particular application techniques in each category. For example, in Bridal, the hair, make-up and outfit are all key for the final scoring; while in Editorial, you need to bring a comprehensive mood board with you that explains your final look and product choices.

CATEGORIES AND DIVISIONS:

• Bridal: Bridal Evolution - a day look that can be transformed into an evening one using just three products.

• Editorial: Spring Fever - a spring look designed for a magazine shoot using seasonal colours and textures.

• Art of Illusion: Inspiring Beauty - your bold vision of what inspirational beauty looks like. The work can only be done on the model’s head and shoulders.

Price: £20 per category (which includes a £10 show voucher that can be spent on the Monday of the show) Entry deadline: Tuesday, March 24

Enter now at professionalbeauty.co.uk/competitions