Kerry Coote - CJP Educator - Suffolk

🍋 When life gives you lemons… apparently you need to hand paint the bloody things. 😂

A little reminder that mixed nail art doesn’t have to be busy. Repeat your colours, balance your detail and let some nails breathe. 💙🍋

Core powder- overload

Gel paints- bae watch and aquaholic, sunshine yellow, snow drop and jungle green

🖤🤍 PRETTY NAIL ART WILL NEVER HIDE POOR FUNDAMENTALS.

Black, white and a clean n**e base are incredibly unforgiving, and that’s exactly why I love sets like this.

Look beyond the flowers and look at the foundations 👀

✨ Clean, close cuticle application
✨ No visible step at the cuticle
✨ Consistent shape and length
✨ Smooth product application
✨ Crisp French work
✨ Nail art that complements the structure rather than disguising it

As an educator, one thing I will always drum into my students is that the nail art comes last.

You can create the most intricate design in the world, but if your application, structure and finish aren’t right underneath it, the nail art won’t rescue it.

Get your foundations right first. Then make them pretty.
Nail techs, what do you find harder to perfect: cuticle application, shape or French? 👇

Let’s talk cuticle application 👀

Getting product close to the cuticle is only half the job.

There should be no visible gap, no bulky ridge and absolutely no step where your product begins.

Your product should taper down so smoothly that the transition into the natural nail is almost invisible, while still keeping product safely away from the skin.

Close. Clean. Flush. No flooding.

Because beautiful nail art means nothing if the foundation underneath isn’t right. 👌🍒

Core powder- mai type
Gel polish- ride or die and stained glass black
Gel paint- jungle green, fire engine red, snow drop.

You don’t need complicated nail art to demonstrate skill. When the design is simple, your prep, application, shape and finish become the design. 👌✨

Core powder- mai type
Gel polish- vintage rose
Gel paint- snow drop
Glitter- sugar rush

🐆 Cat eye, but make it LEOPARD. 🔥

I absolutely love using cat eye underneath nail art because it completely changes the finished effect. Instead of the design sitting on a flat colour, that magnetic shift underneath gives it so much depth and movement.

Solar Flare was absolutely made for this combination. 😍

One thing I always tell nail techs: don’t be afraid to layer techniques. Sometimes it’s the combination of two relatively simple elements that creates the biggest impact.

Would your clients wear these, or are animal prints a definite NO in your salon? 👀🐆

🖤 A reminder that not every set needs to shout to make an impact.

As educators, we often focus on structure and technique, but design balance is just as important.

This set combines a soft shimmer base with delicate black lace detailing to create something elegant, timeless and wearable.

One of the hardest skills to master isn’t knowing what to add… it’s knowing when to stop. Every element should have a purpose, and leaving negative space allows the finer details to stand out.

Luxury isn’t always about doing more. Often, it’s about doing less, exceptionally well.

I’d love to know your thoughts. Do you prefer understated elegance or bold statement nails? 🖤✨

Fresh out of a relationship. Fresh set of nails. Fresh start. 🌈❤️

This one was created for a gorgeous LGBTQ+ queen embracing her next chapter, and I wanted every nail to reflect confidence, strength and a little bit of attitude.

This entire set was hand painted from start to finish. Halfway through I threw a tantrum, questioned all my life choices, and briefly considered giving up… 😂🍒💋✨

Using
Acrylic- Mai type
Gel polish- walnut
Gel paint- fire engine red, black jack, vanilla crème

When your client says, “It’s my 50th… don’t hold back!” 💎

We stayed true to her signature mixed-shape nails and turned the glamour all the way up with hand sculpted flowers, glitter and crystals.

Happy 50th! 🥂✨

Using
Core powder- mai type, Snow White.

Not every summer set needs palm trees and flamingos. Sometimes colour does all the talking. 🌈

Core powder-mai type
Gel polish- power surge and Bada bing
Gel paints- cyber lime, highlighter, bubblicious, high voltage, aquaholic