Judges instruction for Nail Structure Categories

• 10 points total on all categories.
• 1 point a nail.
• Half points may be given
• In a one hand competition, point total is reduced to 5 points.
• Each nail is judged on its own merit.
• The nail must meet all of the criteria for the category being judged to earn its point.

Convex

• The exterior contour of the nail form should be completely symmetric
• The surface of the nail should have no inconsistencies or appear to be uneven on the outer surface.
• The judge will examine the nail by looking at the nail head on and check zone 3 and from the back side perspective check zone 2.
• The convex or surface of the nail should contour symmetrically throughout the entire nail until it reaches zone 1. See example for nail zones
• The nail can earn a ½ point for each correct zone

Concave

• The interior contour or tunnel of the free edge must be completely symmetrical and concentric.
• The nail’s concave should have the appearance of the inside of a tunnel throughout the entire free edge that is apparent to the eye or until the c-curve stick touches the finger’s tip from the underside.
• The Concave should represent symmetry and be concentric. The nail can earn a ½ point for each that is correct.

Arch and Apex

• The high point (apex) of the arch should not appear overly apparent.
• It should have a subtle and gradual incline that is located consistently in the second zone of each nail. See example of zone 2
• The entire arch including the apex, should be not be overly apparent or appear too flat.
• The arch should not be located too far forward or back when looking at the entire nail from a profile perspective.
• The nail can earn a ½ point for each of these two criteria that are required.

Form Fit

• The nails extension should be free of any notches or gaps on the lateral side folds where the free edge extension begins.
• The notches are created during the application process and can’t be created with a file.
• The nail can earn a ½ point for each side of the nail that doesn’t have a notch.

Judges instruction for Shape and Refining Categories

• 10 points total for all of these categories
• 1 point for each nail.
• ½ points may be given    
• Each nail is judged on its own merit.
• The nail must meet all of the criteria for the category being judged to earn its point or ½ point.

Free edge thickness

• The nail must be consistently thin throughout the nails free edge and measure the same on the sidewalls and center.
• The free edge should not be any thicker than 1mm until it reaches the top of the finger tip from the underside of the nail.
• The nail can earn a ½ point for each of these two criteria that are required.
• See example of measuring tools used to measure the thickness

Sidewalls or groove-walls

• The Free edge must extend straight out from the lateral folds.
• The nail should not flare out or taper in when looking at the hand from a front perspective.
• The nail should be uniform on each side.
• There should not be any ridges on the free edge extension.
• The sides of the free edges should feel smooth and appear to be filed clean.
• There is a ½ point earned for each side of every nail being scored.

Lateral side extention

• To find the lateral side extension you must look at the extension from the nails profile.
• the free edge must extend straight out from the natural nails lateral fold.
• The nail should not drop down or appear to be tapered upward from the profile perspective.
• The nail should appear to have symmetry so the side extensions are consistently located.
• There should be no exposure of the natural nail’s lateral fold.
• There is a ½ point earned for each side of every nail being scored.

Judges instruction for Shape and Refining Categories continued

• 10 points total for all of these categories
• 1 point for each nail.
• ½ points may be given when the nail has multi-criteria that are required to be judged in that category. For example, there are two elements required to earn a ½ point. Therefor, ½ points may be given when judging C-curve
• Each nail is judged on its own merit.
• The nail must meet all of the criteria for the category being judged to earn points.

C-Curve

Division 1:

• The C-Curves must be a minimum 40% of a circle and no more than 50%
• Each c-curve should appear concentric.

Division 2:

• The C-Curves must be a minimum 40% and maximum 50% of a circle.
• Each c-curve should appear concentric.
• Both of these criteria are required to earn a ½ point for each nail. If a nail does not have symmetry and the proper degree of c-curve in will not earn ½ point
• To earn the second possible .5 point for each nail, each side edge of the c-curve must measure evenly on each side and appear completely symmetrical.
• To earn 1 point, the nail will have the first two criteria for ½ point and will have matching edges to earn ½ points, to make a total earned of 1 point.

Division 3:

• The C-Curves must be a minimum 40% and maximum 50% of a circle.
• Each c-curve should appear concentric.
• Both of these criteria are required to earn a ½ point for each nail. If a nail does not have symmetry and the proper degree of c-curve in will not earn a ½ point
• To earn the second possible ½ point for each nail, each side edge of the c-curve must measure evenly on each side and appear completely symmetrical. AND must look consistent in shape to its match finger. IF BOTH OF THESE CRITERIA ARE NOT PRESENT BOTH NAILS DO NOT EARN A ½ POINT

Judges instruction for Shape and refining

• 10 points total on all categories.
• 1 point a nail.
• ½ points are allowed
• If it is a 1 hand competition the point total is reduced to 5 points.
• Each nail is judged on its own merit.
• The nail must meet all of the criteria for the category being judged to earn all points.

Nail shape

• The shape of the nails must look consistent and uniform.
• The top of the Free-edge must not appear to be filed unevenly. If it is filed straight, it earns a ½ point
• The Free edge must look straight as it extends from the nail plate.
• It should not look as if the nail was applied crooked or that the nail is off in a tilted direction.
• The extension should be applied true to the natural nail.
• The nail should be straight to the nail. Not straight to the finger.
• The hand will be turned around so the nail is examined from the front perspective.
• If the nail has been applied properly and the shape appears to look straight the nails earns a ½ point.

Surface smoothness

• The nail should not have any file lines of demarcations on the surface.
• The finished product application should look and feel smooth.
• All production application should be filed and buffed completely smooth
• If there is only a small and extremely hard to see line of demarcation on the surface of the nail that can’t be felt, it is possible to earn a ½ point.

Judges instruction for Length

• 10 points total for this category.
• The points on the score sheet that represents the polished hand are the points earned for each matching finger’s length accuracy.
• The points on the score sheet that represents the French hand are the points earned for each nails accuracy with the French application ratios.
• If it is a 1 hand competition, each nail earns 1 point for the accuracy of the French extension.
• The matching nail length is NOT considered in a 1 hand competition

Length

• Points are given for two different criteria.
• The first point is earned with each nail being measured individually and then scored.
• The nail is measured from the Cuticle to center of the smile-line to match the length of the top of the Free edge to the tips of the smile-line.
• If the smile points are not matching from side to side and one tip appears to be higher, measuring the length is considered to the higher (longest) smile tip.
• The second point is earned with both hands being measured together. The nails must also match hand to hand from cuticle to free edge to earn 1 point for matching fingers.

Judges instruction for application and finishing

• 5 points total on all categories.
• 1 point a nail.
• There will be 10 points for this category if the competition has French application exposed on both hands with no red polish covering either hand.
• Each nail is judged on its own merit.
• The nail must meet all of the criteria for the category being judged to earn its point.

High shine finish

• The unpolished hand should have a high gloss shine that has a glass finish appearance throughout the entire surface of the nail.
• The shine should have a reflective appearance to earn a ½ point
• The sides, edges and cuticle area must be considered to earn a ½ point.
• Lines of demarcation are NOT considered as long as the shine is apparent.

Product control

• The application of the product should look evenly applied with a sharp division of color at the smile-line.
• There should not be apparent pink hue or shadow pulled over the white acrylic.
• The White acrylic should have a solid appearance throughout the entire nail.
• There should not be any shadows or transparencies in the white acrylic.
• There must not be any air bubbles and or pitting in the product.
• ½ point is earned for the white application and a ½ point is earned for the pink application.

Polish application

• Two coats of polish should be applied
• The polish should be applied close, consistently even at the cuticle.
• The application should not appear to be streaking in polish.
• The first two criteria are required to earn a ½ point
• There must not be any polish on skin or back side of nails.
• If the nail has a minimum of 2 of the 4 criteria the nail can earn ½ a point.

Judges instruction for application and finishing

• 10 points total on all categories.
• 1 point a nail.
• If it is a one hand competition, the point total is reduced to 5 points.
• Each nail is judged on its own merit.
• The nail must meet all of the criteria for the category being judged to earn 1 point.
• It is possible to earn a ½ point

Cuticle area

• The cuticle area and surrounding skin on the nail folds must not have any new and apparent cuts or irritation around the entire nail.
• There should not be any apparent ledge of product that can be felt or seen near the proximal folds.
• The application of product must be apparent and cover the entire cuticle area near the proximal fold without leaving a large margin between the cuticle line near the proximal fold.
• The product must not be overly filed and must be apparent.
• Each nail must have all criteria to earn 1 point and 2 of the criteria to earn a ½ point.

Underside

• There should no visible dust, debris, water, glue or excessive oil on the back of the nail.
• The nail will earn a ½ point for the nail to have a clean appearance
• The product application must appear smooth behind the nail with no excess product to earn a ½ point for each nail.
• Please note: If polish is present of on the underside of the nail’s free edge the point deduction will be given by the judge for the polish criteria.

Judges instruction for Smile lines

• This category is judged differently for each category.
• Division 1: Total points is 5. 1 point possible for each nail
• Division 2 Total points is 10. 2 points possible for each nail
• Division 3 Total points is 15. 3 points possible for each nail.
• Each nail is judged on its own merit.
• The nail must meet all of the criteria for the category being judged to earn its point.

Smile-line

Division 1: Total possible points per nail: 1

• The smile-line must be consistently shaped from nail to nail and have a sharp division on all exposed nails.
• The consistency of the smile line shape will be determined by the majority of the nails that appear to have the most similar appearance in style.
• If the smile line has a clean line AND represents uniformity with the other nails smile lines in earns 1 point

Division 2: Total possible points per nail: 2

• The smile-line must be consistently shaped and have a sharp division on all exposed nails.
• The consistency of the smile line shape will be determined by the majority of the nails that appear to have the most similar appearance in style.
• Each nail will earn 1 point when the smile line appears to have the first two criteria listed above
• Each nail will earn 1 point for the 3rd criteria listed below
• The line should be centered and evenly aligned on the nail plate so that it does not appear to be lopsided or sideways.

Division 3: Total possible points per nail: 3

• The smile-line must be consistently shaped and have a sharp division on all exposed nails.
• The consistency of the smile line shape will be determined by the majority of the nails that appear to have the most similar appearance in style.
• Each nail with an exposed smile line will earn 1 point when the smile line appears to have the first two criteria listed above
• Each nail with an exposed smile line will earn 1 point for the 3rd criteria listed below
• The smile line should be centered and evenly aligned on the nail plate so that it does not appear to be lopsided or sideways. If the smile is applied properly and centered it will earn 1 point
• Each nail with an exposed smile line will earn 1 point for the 4th criteria listed below
• The application of the smile line should be evenly applied so that the tips of the smile-line are parallel and match perfectly.