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Create the Perfect Smile Line

This includes shape, colour clarity, and the side view (the corners going right to the edge). After having a clear picture in your mind, you can achieve the end result by following these steps.



  • 1. Step 1

    Pick up a bead of white acrylic and blot the excess liquid from the back of your brush. This will intensify the white. Do not remove too much liquid as this will change the mix ratio, and might compromise the longevity of the enhancements.

  • 2. Step 2

    Place the bead on the tip or form at the highest point of the smile line. This is important as many people place the bead lower on the form or tip and then push the product back to the highest point. This leaves debris or residue on the nail plate and will reduce the sharpness of the smile line.

  • 3. Step 3

    Press the bead down to spread the product to the width of the nail. The pressing motion will release monomer from the brush, aiding the maneuvrability of the bead. Using the barrel of your brush, press down the front of the bead going to the right, then to the left, to create a V shape. Smooth over the product to even out texture.

  • 4. Step 4

    Check from the side view for two things:

    1. Evenness of the product. It should be the same depth around the smile line for density, while tapering to thinness at the extension edge. This will help create the apex for strength at the smile line and achieve a natural look at the free edge.

    2. Check the corners for tapering into a point. You don’t want the white to have a blunt stop on the nail.

  • 5. Step 5

    If you need to deepen the corners of the smile line, remember that you are doing it for look, not bulk. Pick up a tiny bead, blotting out the liquid from the back of your brush and place exactly where you need it to be. Brush the product through to link the white acrylic together, then as before, turn the finger round and brush from the center of the smile line, into the corners. Finally, check that the points of the smile line are equal.

  • 6.

    For gel users, you still place the bead at the highest point and work into the V. Clean your brush and bring to a point to backbrush the V into a smile line. Do not over work the product as it will not hold its position. Check the points at the side that they match, then freeze each smile line in a UV lamp for 10 seconds. For heavily pigmented gels (like white gels), NSI recommends using a full hand lamp with four 9watt bulbs to ensure a complete cure.

    By Denise Wright:

    Her calm and collected persona has landed her 1st place finishes in 13 competitions. Because of her keen eye for detail, she is currently is an international judge and competition director in the UK. Not only does she run her own salon and nail academy, she has worked for celebrity clientele, including Pamela Anderson, and is a columnist for trade magazines.