A reference photo is a useful start. It does not tell a supplier which details matter most: the translucent base, the thin line at the tip, or the position of a decoration. Two people can look at the same picture and take away different instructions.
Before ordering custom press-on nail samples, send a short design brief alongside your images. Mark what goes where, separate fixed requirements from preferences, and list anything you need the supplier to assess. You do not need a polished presentation. An annotated image and a few precise notes are more useful than a folder of unexplained screenshots.
This guide is for brands developing a nail design. If you want to keep an existing catalog design and change only the card or box, start with the private-label order options.
Give each reference image one clear job
Number your references and write a sentence beneath each one. For example:
- Reference A: base-color direction only; ignore the nail shape.
- Reference B: preferred line placement; do not copy the decoration.
- Reference C: side view showing the profile you want us to assess.
These are examples of useful notes, not specifications for a product we have supplied. Use your own artwork or references you have permission to share, and identify anything that is inspiration rather than an instruction to reproduce it.
Keep the original image beside the annotated version. A cropped close-up can explain a small detail, but the full view helps show its position within the design. If a finish changes as the nail moves, a short video can communicate something a still image misses.
Do not leave the supplier to decide which image takes priority. If Reference A and Reference B show different base colors, say which one controls the sample.
Describe the design piece by piece
“The same design on both hands” can still leave questions. Should a curved line be mirrored, or should every piece face the same way? Does an accent belong on a particular finger or on a particular position in the display?
Label the positions in your drawing and describe the artwork at each one. Keep those design labels separate from nail-size numbers. For each position, note the base, pattern, decoration and direction. State the intended piece count and size arrangement as requirements to confirm, not as assumptions about what a supplier offers.
Here is a short writing example. It is illustrative, not a customer order, an available SKU or a promise that every detail can be made.
- Base: Pale pink with a translucent appearance. Please assess the finish against Reference A.
- Line: A fine gold-colored curve near the tip, not a solid gold tip. Please confirm the marked line position before sampling.
- Accent: Keep the marked accent position. Assess the decoration and its side profile before quoting.
- Other positions: Leave the unmarked positions without extra decoration.
That last line matters. An empty space in a reference is not necessarily an invitation to add something.
Separate what must stay from what can change
A brief should give the supplier room to flag a problem without silently changing the design. Use three short lists:
- Must keep: the elements that define the design, such as the base-color direction or accent placement.
- Open to adjustment: details you are willing to discuss, provided you see the proposed change before sampling.
- Please assess first: uncertain materials, raised details, fine artwork or other features that need a feasibility decision.
For example, “Please assess a lower-profile alternative if this decoration cannot be made as shown” is different from “Use any decoration available.” The first asks for a proposal; the second gives permission to substitute.
Treat material names and techniques the same way. If your brand needs a particular material or construction, write it as a requirement and ask for confirmation. A photo alone is not evidence of what the nail is made from.
Use color references without treating a screen as the finished sample
Include an existing color reference if you have one, and identify the part of the nail it applies to. “Pink” could mean an opaque base, a translucent tint or a small painted detail.
A screen cannot show exactly how a physical sample will look. Adobe explains how different devices and color spaces can change the appearance of colors. A color code can help describe your intention, but it is not a promise that every material and finish will look identical to the screen.
For your brief, specify which color decision needs an actual sample. Also distinguish the nail color from the printed card color. Approving one does not settle the other.
When the sample arrives, use the separate sample-approval checklist to record what you accept and what still needs changing.
Keep one current version
Give the brief a design reference and version number, such as “Design A — v02.” If you change something, write a short change note:
“v02: keep the base and accent position from v01; assess a thinner line at the tip. All other notes remain unchanged.”
Send the revised brief together with the relevant images. Do not rely on a later chat message to override an older attachment without saying so. Ask the supplier to identify any unresolved details before work starts.
A revision to the brief is not approval of a physical sample. Nor does sending a new version mean another sample round is free. Confirm any effect on cost and timing before proceeding.
A design note you can copy
Use this as a starting point and replace the prompts with your own information:
- Design reference and version:
- Reference images, and what each image should explain:
- Requested shape, length, piece count and size arrangement:
- Artwork notes for each marked position:
- Must keep:
- Open to adjustment:
- Details to assess before quoting:
- Decisions I need the physical sample to help me make:
Add your intended quantity per design, destination country and whether you need a branded card or box. Keep these commercial details separate from the artwork notes so a change to packaging does not get mistaken for a change to the nail design.
At SENAILGLOBAL, new custom designs start from 100 sets per design. Design samples are USD 5 per design plus shipping, with the sample unit, piece count and sizes confirmed in the quotation. Custom samples usually take about one week after payment and specification confirmation; complex designs need a separate timing check, and shipping time is additional.
Card or packaging proofs are a separate item, usually about USD 20 plus shipping, depending on the materials, printing and specification. See the current sample terms before placing a sample order.
Send your brief and reference images to sales@senailglobal.com, or use the private-label inquiry page. For Japan-market or TikTok cooperation, contact visionailsjp@gmail.com.
If one detail is undecided, say so. A clear question is a better starting point than a specification neither side has actually confirmed.