Formulas for Success

COPIED

3 mins

SCRATCH COLUMNIST

Formulas for Success

HOW TO NAVIGATE THE NAIL EDUCATION MAZE

Explore online & offline training options to elevate your skillset with ELAINE WATSON, global education director at Light Elegance

Picture this: it’s 2am and one of your eyes is twitching from caffeine, while the other is glued to a tiny screen watching a video of a nail technique you promise yourself you’ll try tomorrow. You started by searching ‘how to fix a broken nail corner’ and now, seven hours later, you’re deep in a rabbit hole of Russian almond shaping tutorials, wondering if you have what it takes to build a miniature, jewel-encrusted Eiffel Tower on a pinky nail.

We’ve all been there. Whether you’re a fresh-faced student trying to make sense of your kit or a 20-year veteran keeping up with trends, the sheer volume of nail education available can feel like drinking from a firehose. My calendar is a beautiful, chaotic mosaic of planning sessions to meet your needs, and my team and I are constantly asking: how can we make this journey more straightforward, effective and fun?

The answer is to have a pathway. At Light Elegance, we’ve built an educational ecosystem designed to meet you exactly where you are and take you where you want to go:

STEP 1: The foundation: free and at your fingertips

For those new to nails or needing a refresher, the Light Elegance YouTube channel offers beginner-friendly content. It features the fundamentals: flawless prep for long-lasting wear, perfect P+ Gel Polish application and how to master the basics of BLINKTips. It’s free, accessible 24/7 and the perfect place to build confidence without pressure.

STEP 2: Your weekly educational espresso shot

Once the basics are covered, it’s time for a consistent dose of learning and community. Every week, Light Elegance goes live with Power Hour: hands-on Zoom demonstrations that cover the spectrum of a nail professional’s life. One week, we might be deep in the artistry of encapsulation or E-filing to support perfect structure; the next, we’ll tackle real-world business challenges like pricing your services for profit, managing client expectations and staying organised when your day feels like chaos. Power Hour is an interactive boost to get you through the week.

STEP 3: The deep dive with personalised feedback

Watching videos is one thing, but how do you know if you’re truly grasping the content? Light Elegance University (LEU 2.0) is for professionals ready to elevate their skills and achieve true mastery. The game-changer here isn’t just the advanced content, but the ability to submit your work and get personalised, constructive feedback from Light Elegance’s world-class educators. We evaluate application, structure and finishing to help you refine your skills with a level of detail that you can’t get from a video alone.

STEP 4: The gold standard: in-person connection

Finally, never underestimate the magic of in-person, hands-on classes. As much as I love the digital universe, nothing can replace the energy and learning that happens in a real classroom.

It’s where you receive immediate feedback, experience the consistency of products and connect with fellow artists. Always look out for in-person opportunities with LEU educators in your area. It’s an investment that pays dividends for your entire career.

We continually update the educational calendar at www.lightelegance.com, and want to create one tailored to you. What do you want to learn? What challenges are you facing at the nail desk? What topic would make you sign up for a Power Hour in a heartbeat or enrol in an LEU course tomorrow? Email me at elainew@lightelegance.com and help me to help you make this industry stronger, smarter and more successful.

Yours in great nails and even better education,

Elaine Watson Global education director, Light Elegance