Kupa Thumbnails: Chapter 5 - How to Properly Fit a Nail Form

Struggling with applying Nail Forms? Download Chapter 5 of Kupa Thumbnails to answer your questions!  

Chapter 5: How to Properly Fit a Nail Form:  Whether sculpting square, almond, ballerina or stiletto shaped nails, the first step is fitting a nail form properly to obtain strong and beautiful results.  

CHAPTER 5:

How to Properly Fit a Nail Form

Whether sculpting square, almond, ballerina or stiletto-shaped nails, the first step is fitting a nail form properly to obtain strong and beautiful results.

NAIL FORM BASICS:

A nail form is used to help sculpt a nail shape. It’s a scaffolding of sorts, used to help shape the nail as it cures and can be used for sculpting acrylic or building with gel. Forms are sticky on one side so they adhere to the finger and are attached under the natural nail’s free edge. Kupa’s Infinite Sculpting Forms are thicker, longer, and stronger than the average sculpting form, with extra adhesion and a twist. This is the first form ever with a perforated end that allows you to easily adjust the style from daily casual to more extreme.

PREPARING THE NAIL FORM FOR SQUARE NAILS:

To properly fit a form for basic square nails, first peel the form away from the backing. Next, remove the center of the finger hole and place it on the backside of the form along the free edge to add additional strength to the form, making sure it doesn’t overlap into the hole. Next, roll the form with your thumbs and forefinger, and pinch the tabs at the front of the form to create an arch. (Rolling the form will give you a strong C-curve.) Take the ears of the form and pull them apart to open up the smile line area of the form. Place the form underneath the free edge of the natural nail plate. Make sure tab at the back is flat on the finger. Press the corners at the end of the form at the free edge together to push the form up toward the natural nail, making sure there’s no gap in between. The end of the form should be round and open. You are now ready to construct a square nail extension.

TIP: When the form is attached to the sides of the fingers, look down the barrel of the form to make sure it is straight.

PREPARING THE NAIL FORM FOR ALMOND, BALLERINA, AND STILETTO NAILS:

Basic form application is the same for almond, ballerina, and stiletto, shapes, but with some variation in placement. Again, peel the form away from the backing, remove the center of the finger hole and place it on the backside of the form. Roll the form with your thumbs and forefinger, and pinch the tabs at the front of the form to create an arch. Place the form on the nail and slide it up, but this time, tilt it slightly downward to make sure the tab at the back is slightly raised and to close the gap between the form and the nail. Pinch the tab at the back together and fold it flat, then pinch the form all the way down to the tip so that it creates a pointed end. With a square shape, you have a larger barrel that goes straight down evenly to the end of the form. This form placement gradually tapers to a tiny point at the end and is used for stiletto, almond, and ballerina nail shapes.  

The KUPA name is now synonymous with high-quality electric nail filing equipment. Many technicians refer to their machines simply as "The KUPA". 

KUPA is devoted to educating nail technicians through guides and videos to help nail technicians improve their business as well as their nail-filing skills.