// Nails · At-Home vs Salon · Skill & Handedness — L3 data

const OILY = {
  type: "Skill & Handedness",
  parent: { title: "At-Home vs Salon", href: "/en/nails/at-home-vs-salon/" },
  grandparent: { title: "Nails", href: "/en/nails/" },
  totalCount: 98,
  hero: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1604654894610-df63bc536371?w=1800&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop",
  heroAlt: "Close-up of hands painting nails — skill and technique context",
  h1: "The non-dominant hand problem — and what practice actually fixes.",
  deck: "Doing your own nails is a bilateral coordination problem. Some of the gap closes with technique. Some of it doesn't. This is the honest account of both.",
  intro: "Everyone who paints their own nails eventually faces the same moment: the left hand looks fine, the right hand looks like it was done in a moving vehicle. The non-dominant hand isn't worse because you lack talent — it's worse because the brush angle, the pressure, and the stroke direction are all running in reverse. That's a motor skill problem, not a product problem. Some of it resolves with practice: a few weeks of consistent painting builds enough muscle memory that the gap narrows. Some of it is structural — fine detail work, cleanup near the cuticle, and anything requiring a steady wrist while your arm is at an awkward angle will always be harder on your weaker side. The question isn't whether you can get good enough. It's whether you can get good enough for what you're trying to do. Polish with a wide, flat brush is very different from gel with a thin liner. Know what you're actually attempting.",
  byline: "Edited by Nelly · Beauty & Style Director",
  meta: { count: 98, updated: "Updated 2 May 2026", reading: "Avg. 4 min per piece" },
};

const TYPE_SIBLINGS = [
  { id: "cost",        title: "Cost & Cadence",     n: "01", href: "/en/nails/at-home-vs-salon/cost/" },
  { id: "skill",       title: "Skill & Handedness", n: "02", cur: true, href: "/en/nails/at-home-vs-salon/skill/" },
  { id: "gel-removal", title: "Gel Removal",         n: "03", href: "/en/nails/at-home-vs-salon/gel-removal/" },
  { id: "events",      title: "Events & Photos",     n: "04", href: "/en/nails/at-home-vs-salon/events/" },
  { id: "salon-risk",  title: "Salon Risk",          n: "05", href: "/en/nails/at-home-vs-salon/salon-risk/" },
];

const QUICK_FACTS = {
  defn: {
    h: "What the skill gap actually is",
    body: "The skill gap in DIY nails is a combination of motor coordination (dominant vs non-dominant hand), brush control under awkward arm angles, and knowing when to stop. It is not primarily about product knowledge. You can use the same polish a professional uses and still get an uneven result if the brush stroke technique isn't there yet. The gap narrows fastest with deliberate repetition — not watching tutorials, but actually painting, wiping clean, and painting again.",
  },
  myths: [
    { m: "With the right brush, the non-dominant hand problem goes away.",
      t: "Brush shape helps at the margins. The underlying issue is bilateral coordination — the brain routing a mirror-image movement through an undertrained hand. Product doesn't fix that." },
    { m: "Practice makes the two hands equal.",
      t: "Practice narrows the gap substantially. Equal is rare unless you train both sides deliberately, which almost no one does. Aim for 'good enough to pass' rather than 'identical.'" },
    { m: "Thin coats fix all technique errors.",
      t: "Thin coats fix pooling and slow drying. They don't fix off-center placement, uneven pressure near the cuticle, or shaky edges. Those are technique issues that only repetition addresses." },
  ],
};

const BEGINNER_PATH = {
  h: "Start here, if you're building the skill from scratch.",
  deck: "Five pieces, in order. Covers the mechanics before the products — because buying better tools won't fix the handedness problem.",
  steps: [
    { n: "01", t: "The non-dominant hand problem — what it actually is",      time: "3 min", note: "Motor skill vs technique. Understanding which part is trainable." },
    { n: "02", t: "How to hold the brush for your weaker hand",                time: "4 min", note: "Grip and angle adjustments that reduce the coordination demand." },
    { n: "03", t: "The cleanup method — fixing edges after the coat dries",    time: "4 min", note: "A fine brush and acetone handles the imprecision your non-dominant hand leaves." },
    { n: "04", t: "Stroke direction for each nail — the full map",             time: "3 min", note: "Some nails are easier painted toward you, others away. Most people do it wrong." },
    { n: "05", t: "When to stop and go to a salon — honest benchmarks",        time: "4 min", note: "If you've been at it 6 weeks and still can't pass the 3-foot test, recalibrate." },
  ],
};

const TRENDING = [
  { rank: "01", t: "The non-dominant hand — why it looks worse and what helps", time: "4 min", auth: "Nelly", date: "May 02", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1604654894610-df63bc536371?w=1100&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", reads: "10,540" },
  { rank: "02", t: "How to hold a nail brush for your weaker hand",             time: "4 min", auth: "Iris",  date: "Apr 28", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1522337660859-02fbefca4702?w=1100&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", reads: "8,220" },
  { rank: "03", t: "Cleanup brush technique — fixing edges without smearing",  time: "3 min", auth: "Nelly", date: "Apr 21", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1599948128020-9a44505b0d1b?w=1100&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", reads: "6,980" },
  { rank: "04", t: "How many practice sessions before you see improvement",    time: "3 min", auth: "Iris",  date: "Apr 15", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1608248597279-f99d160bfcbc?w=1100&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", reads: "5,640" },
  { rank: "05", t: "Nail art on yourself — where the skill bar actually is",   time: "4 min", auth: "Nelly", date: "Apr 09", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1604902396830-aca29e19b067?w=1100&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", reads: "4,880" },
];

const FORMAT_GUIDE = {
  h: "Skill level required, by technique",
  deck: "What you're actually signing up for. Rated honestly — not by what's possible with practice, but by where most people land after 4–6 weeks.",
  formats: [
    { name: "Regular polish, single color",     when: "First thing to learn — immediate feedback loop",      avoid: "Events before you've done it 10+ times",              note: "The base skill. Nail the cleanup technique and you can make this look clean.", verdict: "Learnable fast" },
    { name: "Regular polish, two-tone",         when: "Once single-color is consistent",                     avoid: "Free-hand lines until cleanup is second nature",       note: "Tape helps. But tape edges require clean removal timing.",                    verdict: "Intermediate" },
    { name: "Gel, single color",                when: "After you can do regular polish cleanly",             avoid: "Before you understand thin coat application",          note: "Gel punishes pooling at the cuticle more than regular polish does.",          verdict: "Intermediate" },
    { name: "French tip",                       when: "With a guide strip or tape, not freehand first",      avoid: "Freehand before you have 20+ hours of practice",       note: "The smile line on your non-dominant hand will be the problem. Use guides.",   verdict: "Hard freehand" },
    { name: "Stamping / press patterns",        when: "Anytime — technique is forgiving",                    avoid: "Over a still-wet base coat",                           note: "One of the few nail art formats that doesn't require fine motor control.",    verdict: "Accessible" },
    { name: "Fine line nail art",               when: "After dominant hand is consistent",                   avoid: "Non-dominant hand freehand in the first year",         note: "This is where the handedness gap is most visible and least fixable by tips.", verdict: "Advanced" },
  ],
};

const HOWTOS = [
  { t: "The non-dominant hand problem — what it actually is",          time: 4, tech: "Technique",   auth: "Nelly", date: "May 02", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1604654894610-df63bc536371?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Technique", pick: true },
  { t: "How to hold the brush for your weaker hand",                   time: 4, tech: "Technique",   auth: "Iris",  date: "Apr 28", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1522337660859-02fbefca4702?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Technique", pick: true },
  { t: "Cleanup brush method — fixing edges after the coat dries",     time: 3, tech: "Cleanup",     auth: "Nelly", date: "Apr 21", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1599948128020-9a44505b0d1b?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Cleanup",   pick: true },
  { t: "Stroke direction map — which angle works for each finger",     time: 3, tech: "Technique",   auth: "Iris",  date: "Apr 15", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1608248597279-f99d160bfcbc?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Technique", pick: true },
  { t: "When to stop DIY and go to the salon — honest benchmarks",     time: 4, tech: "Decision",    auth: "Nelly", date: "Apr 09", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1604902396830-aca29e19b067?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Decision",  pick: true },
  { t: "How many coats before you see skill improvement",              time: 3, tech: "Practice",    auth: "Iris",  date: "Apr 03", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1604654894610-df63bc536371?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Practice",  pick: false },
  { t: "Tape vs freehand French tips — which to learn first",          time: 4, tech: "Technique",   auth: "Nelly", date: "Mar 27", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1522337660859-02fbefca4702?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Technique", pick: false },
  { t: "Stamping as a skill shortcut — what it actually requires",     time: 3, tech: "Nail Art",    auth: "Iris",  date: "Mar 21", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1599948128020-9a44505b0d1b?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Nail Art",  pick: false },
  { t: "Wrist position — the adjustment that helps the most",          time: 3, tech: "Technique",   auth: "Nelly", date: "Mar 14", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1608248597279-f99d160bfcbc?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Technique", pick: false },
  { t: "Gel vs regular polish — which is harder to apply yourself",    time: 4, tech: "Comparison",  auth: "Iris",  date: "Mar 08", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1604902396830-aca29e19b067?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Comparison", pick: false },
  { t: "Thin coat discipline — why it matters more than the brush",    time: 3, tech: "Technique",   auth: "Nelly", date: "Mar 02", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1604654894610-df63bc536371?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Technique", pick: false },
  { t: "The 3-foot test — how to evaluate your own work honestly",     time: 3, tech: "Practice",    auth: "Iris",  date: "Feb 24", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1522337660859-02fbefca4702?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Practice",  pick: false },
  { t: "What a nail tech sees that you don't — the skill gap explained", time: 4, tech: "Comparison", auth: "Nelly", date: "Feb 17", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1599948128020-9a44505b0d1b?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Comparison", pick: false },
  { t: "Left-hand problems — specific adjustments for left-handed painters", time: 4, tech: "Technique", auth: "Iris", date: "Feb 10", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1608248597279-f99d160bfcbc?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Technique", pick: false },
  { t: "Fine-line nail art at home — what's realistic in year one",    time: 5, tech: "Nail Art",    auth: "Nelly", date: "Feb 03", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1604902396830-aca29e19b067?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Nail Art",  pick: false },
  { t: "How pros clean up cuticle edges — the actual method",          time: 3, tech: "Cleanup",     auth: "Iris",  date: "Jan 27", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1604654894610-df63bc536371?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Cleanup",   pick: false },
  { t: "Building a practice routine — what repetition actually looks like", time: 4, tech: "Practice", auth: "Nelly", date: "Jan 20", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1522337660859-02fbefca4702?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Practice", pick: false },
  { t: "Gel liner brush control — the technique that takes the longest to learn", time: 5, tech: "Nail Art", auth: "Iris", date: "Jan 13", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1599948128020-9a44505b0d1b?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Nail Art", pick: false },
  { t: "Brush shape guide — flat, oval, fan, liner — when each helps",  time: 4, tech: "Technique",  auth: "Nelly", date: "Jan 06", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1608248597279-f99d160bfcbc?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Technique", pick: false },
  { t: "The honest timeline — when most people get consistently good",   time: 4, tech: "Practice",   auth: "Nelly", date: "Dec 30", img: "https://images.unsplash.com/photo-1604902396830-aca29e19b067?w=900&q=80&auto=format&fit=crop", kick: "Practice",  pick: false },
];

const TECH_FILTERS = ["All", "Technique", "Cleanup", "Practice", "Nail Art", "Comparison", "Decision"];

const TYPE_CROSSLINKS = [
  { id: "cost",        title: "Cost & Cadence",  deck: "The 12-month math. When at-home saves money and when it doesn't.",           count: 112, href: "/en/nails/at-home-vs-salon/cost/" },
  { id: "gel-removal", title: "Gel Removal",      deck: "Foil wrap vs salon soak-off. What damage looks like, when to stop.",         count: 87,  href: "/en/nails/at-home-vs-salon/gel-removal/" },
  { id: "events",      title: "Events & Photos",  deck: "When to book the salon. What camera light does to nail color.",              count: 74,  href: "/en/nails/at-home-vs-salon/events/" },
  { id: "salon-risk",  title: "Salon Risk",        deck: "Tool hygiene, autoclave standards, what to look for before you sit down.",  count: 91,  href: "/en/nails/at-home-vs-salon/salon-risk/" },
];

Object.assign(window, {
  OILY, TYPE_SIBLINGS, QUICK_FACTS, BEGINNER_PATH, TRENDING, FORMAT_GUIDE, HOWTOS, TECH_FILTERS, TYPE_CROSSLINKS,
});