Appropriate Nail Length For Makeup Artists

Long, neatly polished nails are often associated with beauty, elegance and  being feminine, but unfortunately for a makeup artist this can look extremely unprofessional and unsanitary. I have come across many makeup artists that not only have long nails but also wear an acrylic layer to keep nails stronger and prevent their nails from breaking. Others, opt to have a fake nail tip. Acrylic nails, silk wraps or fiberglass nails can look very nice if kept at a semi-short length but are not ideal for makeup artists because long nails, natural or fake harbor more germs and bacteria.

A study taken by the Infectious Disease Society of America  showed that women with longer nails had more bacteria that could cause yeast & urinary tract infections, colds, pneumonia and blood stream infections. These tests were done on women who work in the medical field, women who are constantly washing their hands and sanitizing them. Having that in mind, it would be entirely unprofessional and inconsiderate on our behalf as a makeup artist to have long nails or fake nail tips while applying makeup on our clients.

I am the type of makeup artist that massages oils and moisturizer with my hands on clients, so long nails are defnitely a "no" for me. Even if you are the type of makeup artist that only uses brushes and sponges to apply products on clients, what about applying false lashes? Or how about when your nails touch the sponge tips as you blend?

The most appropriate nail length for makeup artist is short, without fake tips or acrylic and with a natural, clear or nude color. It looks highly professional and clean. Sure, I miss having my french tip nails, but I respect my clientele, respect my image and my profession more.

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