Comparing dozens of nail polish shades is overwhelming, especially when you want to start a manicure. Luckily, there is a way to “preview” your next nail look without pulling out polish bottles. Color swatches are the way to go. Learn how to organize all your nail color swatches and become an organizational pro!
Understanding Nail Color Swatches
When you enter a nail salon, one of the first things you do is select a nail color. You may view a wall of nail polish and compare the different options. However, many salons offer color swatches on nail tips. The swatches are a part of a laminated sheet with the names of the polish next to them. You can place the fake tips on top of your nails and decide if you want the color.
Nail color swatches are useful in salons and for at-home manicures. Instead of guessing how a color will look, you receive a “preview” of the polish. It’s a great way to select your ideal shade!
Best Salon Method
If you’re a salon owner or nail technician, you own many nail polishes. To help clients select a color, use a color swatch wheel to organize shades. This avoids pulling out all your polish bottles and having clients sort through various colors (which is overwhelming). Here’s an effective method to organize all your nail color swatches:
Tools You Need
- Nail wheels
- Nail polish
- Black marker or label maker
- Topcoat polish
Steps
Step 1: Gather your nail polishes and nail wheels.
Step 2: Apply a coat of nail polish on top of the nail wheel’s tips. Correspond the polish with the nail tip by setting the polish next to it. You don’t want to mix up shades, especially if colors are similar to each other.
Step 3: Apply a second coat of polish on the tips, then let everything completely dry. Plastic tips are different than natural nails, so drying will take longer (around thirty minutes to an hour).
Step 4: When the tips dry, apply a layer of topcoat polish. This protects the polish from chipping, and it adds a glossy finish (similar to a complete manicure).
Step 5: Let the topcoat dry.
Step 6: Now, use a black marker or label maker to mark the polish shades. Underneath the nail tip, write the name of the color. You can abbreviate names too (ex. Black polish can be “BLK”). If you’re using a label maker, stick the names underneath the tips.
What’s Next?
It’s essential to organize your swatch wheels after labeling them. You can create a color or alphabetical system that helps! For a color system, pair polishes within the same color range. For an alphabetical system, organize wheels according to the polish name.
At-Home Method
If you’re an at-home nail connoisseur, organization is important. You can follow the salon swatch method, but there is an easier way to showcase the colors without purchasing tips! Check out this cool technique:
Tools You Need
- White sticker page
- Nail polish bottles
- Hole punch
Steps
Step 1: Gather your nail polish bottles and then paint nail swatches on the white sticker page. Line up the polish bottles corresponding with the swatches to avoid confusing the colors.
Step 2: Let the swatches completely dry. It’s best to wait one hour. You should wait an additional thirty minutes for glitter polish.
Step 3: After drying, use the hole punch to remove the swatch from the sticker page. Then place the sticker on top of the polish bottle.
Step 4: Organize the bottles inside a basket or drawer. The next time you use the polishes, you’ll see the swatches and can select your preferred bottle.
More Organizational Tips
If you’re organizing personal polishes with the at-home method, store the bottles in a cool place and sit them upright. As previously mentioned, a basket or drawer is a good solution. Additionally, a polish briefcase can work too! The color swatches are the first thing you see when you view the bottles.
For the salon method, nail wheels need organization too. You can purchase a metal ring for nail swatches. Attach the ring to the wheels (like a keychain). All the colors will stay in one place. Store the large wheel in a drawer or keep them on the counter. Salon visitors can look through the wheel as they wait for service.
Salons should own a few nail wheels with all the swatches. Different clients can view the colors without sharing one wheel!
Alternative Method
Creating color swatches is a fun yet time-consuming task. If you want a simple way to receive swatches, purchase a polish set with a free swatch! You’ll have the exact color match and don’t have to paint fake nail tips. Many polish brands like DND DC come with swatches for their gel and regular polish sets. If this interests you, exclusively seek sets with the color swatches.
What To Do if You’re Out of a Shade
Polishes run out, and sometimes you don’t have extra bottles on hand. If you run out of a shade, mark the nail swatch wheel. You can place a dark sticker on the nail tip to indicate an unavailable color. When you receive a new bottle, be sure to remove the sticker.
If you’re running low on a personal nail polish shade, mark the bottle! Like the wheel method, place a dark sticker on running-low bottles. This will indicate that it’s time to purchase a new polish. Given that the swatches are on top of the bottle, you’ll need to create a new swatch for the updated nail polish. Keep white sticker paper on hand for these instances.
Selecting the Right Nail Color
Color swatch wheels are super helpful, especially for salon and at-home organization. However, it’s challenging to select the right shade. Fortunately, some guidance can steer you on the right path. Here are some ways to help you or your client select the right nail color:
- Select seasonal colors. For example, fall is notorious for deep shades like brown, purple, and maroon.
- Pick a nail shape first and then think of flattering shades. Perhaps round tips look best with light colors like pink or nude.
- Be adventurous. Sometimes, random colors totally complement your style! Select a shade you never tried before.
- Correspond nail colors with an upcoming event. For instance, muted colors are a great choice for weddings or daytime events.
- When in doubt, opt for neutral shades. You can never go wrong with an adaptable color like nude, beige, soft pink, or gray.
We bring the shades, and you bring the skills. Nail Company Wholesale Supply offers the best products. If you’re interested in DND DC nail polish wholesale, we have that! We also carry various tools and nail accessories. Browse our website today.
