his time unlike the last competitions. Some 354 competitors from 24 different countries, record numbers, were there to attend the festival and they’ve been in training for years to claw their way up the rankings. ‘This is one of the most important competitions in the world. You come to demonstrate your skill and show what your country can offer,’ says Carmelina Gandolfo, 32, from the Italian team, summing up the sense of occasion. Nail art involves glueing artificial acrylic pieces onto natural nails and then painting them. More exotic methods of decoration include airbrushing the acrylic nails and embedding them with tiny gems or trinkets.This is what the ‘fantasy nail art’ category is all about at the Nailympics Fairies, forests and angels are favourite designs, but some cute Beatrix Potter characters also put in an appearance this year. It’s gaining in popularity all the time, and this year was part of the Olympia Beauty Show at London’s Earls Court, wh...
