Nailing it: Students share their experience as at-home nail technicians

The week before WPA is always chaotic. On top of students' regular school work, they have to find time for last-minute outfits and hair appointments. And with each day coming closer to the date of the dance, the stress builds up quickly.

In the midst of it all, there’s one tiny detail that can make or break your outfit: your nails.

Whether they’re gel, acrylic, tips or natural, nails are the finishing touch to any outfit — especially when it’s an important event like a school dance. 

The only problem is that a basic manicure can come with a price. A $30 manicure can quickly turn into $80 or more with the addition of gel, tips and designs.

For students who are already spending money on dresses, boutonnieres, corsages, dinner and tickets, nails become another pressure-filled expense.

To cut costs, some students are forming their own nail business in their homes. Throughout the years, DIY manicures have become a popular alternative, offering a polished look for a fraction of the price. 

Here are stories about three students who’ve created their own at-home nail salon.

Ella Ash: Junior Ella Ash creates her nail business after the high price nail salon costs

It's the end of then-freshman Ella Ash's school year and she's attended two dances. And after one too many overpriced nail appointments, just for one night, Ash decided that she needed to learn how to do her own nails.

“After my teammate, who was a senior when I was a freshman, used to do my nails and left for college, I then didn't want to go pay $70 for nails anymore,” Ash said. “I decided to learn by myself.”

Now-Junior Ash has been doing nails for over a year and a half, and she's good enough that she does other people's nails for a smaller price. She also has an Instagram account, @nails_by_ella1234 that is open to the public for direct messages to book.

Doing nails wasn't always easy, according to Ash. DIY nails are a product of time, patience and practice — things many students don’t have time for during their busy school weeks.

“It was definitely hard in the beginning,” Ash said. “The hardest part is learning how to use the drill because you don’t want to cut yourself or other people, and being patient is hard as well.”

The pleased clients and money earned make doing nails at home worth the practice and work, according to Ash.

“I like being able to do people's nails for cheap and to have them excited to have nice, fresh nails and not have to pay a ton of money,” Ash said.

Marley Sides: Sophomore Marley Sides has an ongoing nail business with multiple new and original clients

Marley Sides first picked up nail supplies for fun and to avoid high prices,  but she never expected to be taking clients. Now, she works in her basement, taking new and regular clients.

“It's just a really fun hobby,” Sides said. “It gives me something to do in my free time when I’m bored, or my nails aren’t done.”

What started as a fun hobby quickly became a busy business as friends and family asked for sets. Word began to spread through her clients and her Instagram account as well.

After two and a half years of practicing, researching, and learning, Sides now offers Gel X—a full coverage soft gel tip-—acrylic and dip nails at prices ranging from $20 to $40—far less than the average $80 nail salons. 

Each design reflects the hours of patience and precision — skills that typically don’t come easily — put to work. 

Today, Sides balances school and a growing client base of about 10 to 15 clients each month, relying heavily on her Instagram @nails_by_ms1 to showcase her work and connect with new customers.

“I’m glad that my account has reached a wide following,” Sides said. “It was hard to learn how to do different designs and stuff, but each person helped make my designing better.”

Skylar Wilson: After eight months of learning to do nails, sophomore Skylar Wilson uses progress before perfection 

After months of scrolling through nail videos and closely watching professionals at salons, Skylar Wilson decided to use this knowledge and experience to practice doing her friends' nails.

Frustrated with the inconsistent results of the wrong designs, color, and shape, sophomore Skyar Wilson decided to take matters into her own hands.

“Watching people online and at nail salons really helped me learn techniques like Gel X,” Wilson said. 

Unlike a nail salon, where workers are trained in cosmetology school, Wilson’simprovement came from practice and observations on YouTube videos.

That’s why her progress is slower than usual. A single set takes 2 or three 3 hours, especially when experimenting with new designs and techniques like blooming gel, which quickly became a challenging part of the process.

When Wilson took her first client, a close friend—she received an honest critique, saying Wilson would definitely need to practice more. Instead of feeling discouraged, she was motivated and used this feedback as a guide to improve for her next set. 

Today, her nails are less about perfection and more about practice. While juggling her busy day-to-day schedule, Wilson makes an effort to create several sets a month.

“I like to do them with my close friends since I can’t do them quickly yet,” Wilson said. “But I hope I can do them faster and better in the future."