Meet The Judges
Meet – Gemma Lambert-Lewis – UK
Get to Know a Nailympia Expert…
NAME: Gemma Lambert-Lewis
Business name: Nail Team Ltd
Location: Doncaster, Tamworth & Preston
Nationality: British
Who Trained You: So many: Antony Buckley, Trang Nguyen, Catharine Wong, Viv Clement-Simmonds, Barbara Ujvari, Kristina Ujavri, Agnes Sebestyen, Krisztina Kalmar, Gabriella Kovacs and more.
Years in Nails: 24 years
Years Judging: 15 years
Nail Brand You Represent/Use: Nail Team, Gems Nail Systems, Perfect Nails.
Role in Industry: Product owner, international educator & judge, product distributer & nail artist
Favourite Trade Exhibition: Olympia Beauty UK
Favourite Nail Tool: Gems airbrush
Favourite Book: Sorry – 50 shades of Grey – lol
Favourite Movie: Pursuit of Happiness
Favourite Food: Salad
Favourite Vacation Destination: Canada
Your Hobbies: I don’t really get time for hobies, so I guess it’s spending time with my family
What Inspires Your Work: Everything from clothes, nature, packaging and fashion
Who You Admire In Industry: Barbara Ujvari and Krisztina Kalmar, as their art is just amazing
Top Technique You’ve Mastered: One stroke nail art
Advice to Competitors: Speak to the judges after the comp, their feedback is priceless
Hot Tip or Trick for Competitors: Structure is more important than art, so concentrate on getting that perfected, as it gains more points.
What Lockdown Has Taught You: To be ready to change with the times
A Funny Memory From Your Nail Desk: The two that really stick in my mind are, my husband, who worked in the taxi rank behind my shop, walked into a full busy salon and asked me out on a date, bless him. And my son who is now 21, making aeroplanes out of manicure brushes.
An Affirmation You Love: Practice will never make perfect, but it will improve and give you better results. I also love, ‘never try to run before you walk’.
Why Nailympia: It’s the most widely recognised, international competition, with the highest standards of judges and the most organised scoring system. Plus, I love Alex to bits and love working with her.
Any Workshops/Classes you Offer Online: I offer over 75 courses online at www.thenailteam.com
Instagram: @the.nail.team
Facebook: the nail team
TikTok: the.nail.team
Meet – Kirsty Meakin – UK
Get to know a Nailympia judge…
NAME: Kirsty Meakin
Business name: Kirsty Meakin
Location: Stoke on Trent, UK
Nationality: British
Who Trained You: Youth Training Scheme, Trang Nguyen & I’ve learnt a lot through my own mistakes.
Years in Nails: 20+ years; I’ve stopped counting, as it can make me feel way too old.
Years Judging: 7 years
Nail Brand You Represent/Use: Kirsty Meakin
Role in Industry: Brand owner, YouTuber, nail artist, international educator, nail influencer, international nail competition judge.
Favourite Trade Exhibition: Nailpro Vegas (it’s gone now)
Favourite Nail Tool: My Allycia acrylic brush
Favourite Book: Aint Nobody Got Time For That
Favourite Movie: Terminator & Silence Of The Lambs
Favourite Food: Mac & cheese
Favourite Vacation Destination: Los Angeles, USA
Your Hobbies: Roller blading
What Inspires Your Work: The world, fashion & people
Who You Admire In Industry: David Fowler (educator in Germany, www.signature-nail.de)
Top Technique You’ve Mastered: Realistic gel painting
Advice to Competitors: Read the rules
Hot Tip or Trick for Competitors: Read the rules – again! Sleep well the night before & get a model with kick-ass nail beds.
What Lockdown Has Taught You: I need to slow down to be a better creative
A Funny Memory From Your Nail Desk: That’s a secret!
Why Nailympia: Because I love it for its international presence & damn – the skill level is off the charts.
“I believe in dressing how you want, not how you think you should! Creative expression feels and looks so damn good!” Kirsty Meakin
Kirsty’s workshops & classes can be found here:https://www.kirstymeakinacademy.com
Kirsty’s KM clothing line launched in 2021 – https://kirstymeakin.bigcartel.com/
Instagram: Kirsty Meakin
Twitter: Kirsty Meakin
Facebook: Kirsty Meakin nail artist
TikTok: Kirsty Meakin
Kirsty Meakin KM clothing line …2021
Meet – Madelene Wolf – Sweden
Get to Know a Nailympia Expert…the FIRST Global Cup Nailympia Champion in 2017
NAME: Madelene Wolf
Business name: Madelene Wolf Naildesign
Location: Sweden
Nationality: Swedish
First Global Cup champion for Nailympia Competitions 2017 – Madelene Wolf with organiser, Alex Fox
Who Trained You: So many… David Fowler & Najet Hamila Strand to name two that I’ve learned the most from.
Years in Nails: 25 years
Years Judging: 3 years
Nail Brand You Represent/Use: Madelene Wolf naildesign
Role in Industry: International educator & judge, salon owner & distributor
Favourite Trade Exhibition: Bologna Cosmoprof
Favourite Nail Tool: My brushes and cuticle scissors
Favourite Book: Lazarus by Lars Kepler
Favourite Movie: Mama Mia
Favourite Food: Tapas & Indian
Favourite Vacation Destination: South Africa & Mauritius
Your Hobbies: Golfing and nails of course!
What Inspires Your Work: Development & innovating
Who You Admire In Industry: I admire people who inspire others
Top Technique You’ve Mastered: Perfect French manicure in UV/LED gel& L&P acrylic
Advice to Competitors: Never give up! Find someone who inspires you and take their classes.
Hot Tip or Trick for Competitors: Know your system
What Lockdown Has Taught You: We don’t have lockdown in Sweden
A Funny Memory From Your Nail Desk: When I placed my clear gel inside my bra to soften it up before the competition began, and then I couldn’t find it!
Judges backstage at Nailympia London
An Affirmation You Love: Winners never quit; quitters never win.
Why Nailympia: Why not! Biggest professional competition!
Nails by Madelene Wolf
Instagram: madelenewolf_naildesign
Facebook: Madelenewolf_naildesign
Nails by Madelene Wolf – FRENCH
Meet – David Fowler – Germany
Get to Know a Nailympia Expert …
NAME: David Fowler
Business name: Signature Nail International
Location: Düsseldorf, Germany
Nationality: American
Who Trained You: Stefanie Fowler
Years in Nails: 20 or more, I’ve stopped counting
Years Judging: 15 years
Nail Brand You Represent/Use: I´m independent, so everything
Role in Industry: Company owner, international educator, consultant, international judge
Top Technique You’ve Mastered: Filing technique
L-R – Keri Blair (USA), Elaine Watson (USA), Tom Bachik (USA), Vicki Peters (USA), David Fowler (Germany), Steffi Fowler (Germany) , Marian Newman (UK) – NAILYMPIA LONDON 2014
Favourite Nail Tool: Acrylic Brush
Favourite Book: The Stand
Favourite Movie: American History X
Favourite Food: Mexican
Favourite Vacation Destination: USA – home
Your Hobby: Dogs
What Inspires Your Work: The success of others
Who You Admire In Industry: Colleagues with knowledge working as a nail tech and a nail business owner.
Advice to Competitors: Work your ass off.
Hot Tip or Trick for Competitors: Rhythm.
What Lockdown Has Taught You: The appreciation of live comps.
A Funny Day/Memory At The Nail Desk: Doing your nails in Bologna Alex!
An Affirmation You Love: That so many nail techs we have educated are so successful in what they now do.
Why Nailympia: Because of Alex Fox.
Steffi Fowler with husband, David Fowler
Instagram: david.fowler69
Twitter: Signature Nail International
Facebook: David Fowler
Meet – Steffi Fowler – Germany
Get to Know a Nailympia Expert …
NAME: Stefanie Fowler
Business name: Signature Nail International
Location: Düsseldorf, Germany
Nationality: German
Who Trained You: Competitions & David Fowler
Years in Nails: 25 or more, I’ve stopped counting…
Nail Brand You Represent/Use: I’m independent, so everything
Role in Industry: Company owner, international educator, consultant, international judge
Top Technique You’ve Mastered: Classic and nail bed elongation, sculpting pink & white
Steffi Fowler with husband, David Fowler
Favourite Nail Tool: Acrylic Brush
Favourite Food: Italian
Favourite Vacation Destination: USA
Your Hobby: Dogs
What Inspires Your Work: New goals
Who You Admire In Industry: Colleagues with knowledge working as a nail tech and running a nail business, both aspects.
Judging at Nailympia London 2014
Advice to Competitors: Never give up.
Hot Tip or Trick for Competitors: Don´t cheat!
What Lockdown Has Taught You: That I miss live competitions
A Funny Day/Memory At The Nail Desk: There are too many 😉
An Affirmation You Love: That so many nail techs we have educated are so successful in what they do.
Why Nailympia: Because of Alex Fox 😉
Instagram: Stefanie.Fowler
Facebook: Stefanie Fowler
https://www.signature-nail.com/de/home/
A special walk down memory lane with a smashing line up of judges
Meet – Rodica Munteanu – Romania
Get to Know a Nailympia Expert…
Name: Rodica Munteanu
Business name: Academy Nail Artist by Rody
Location: Romania
Nationality: Romanian
Years in Nails: 12 years
Years Judging: 3 years
Nail Brand You Represent/Use: Beauty Art – Germany
Role in Industry: Educator, salon owner & ambassador
Top Technique You’ve Mastered: Extreme stiletto
Favourite Book: Body Language
Favourite Movie: 365 Days
Favourite Food: I don’t have one, I like to try something new, everywhere I go.
Favourite Vacation Destination: Australia
Your Hobbies: Travel
What Inspires Your Work: Perfection
Who You Admire In Industry: Elena Shanskaya
Advice to Competitors: Believe in yourself & you will be unstoppable.
Hot Tip or Trick for Competitors: You will win if you don’t quit!
What Lockdown Has Taught You: Be nice for no reason.
A Funny Day/Memory At The Nail Desk: Too many!
An Affirmation You Love: Never say never. Miracles happen every day!
Why Nailympia: Always I want to be working at the top.
Instagram: @rodynailartchampion
Facebook: extensiiunghii.romanrody
TikTok: rodicamunteanu29
Meet – Aliz Dora Toth – Italy / Hungary
Get to Know a Nailympia Expert…
Name: Alìz Dòra Tòth
Business name: Aliz_D
Location: Lake Garda, Italy
Nationality: Hungarian
Who Trained You: Gabriella Kovacs, Zsuzsanna Fekete, Natalya Larina.
Years in Nails: 26 years
Years Judging: 10 years
Nail Brand You Represent/Use: Truscada
Role in Industry: Educator, ambassador and distributor
Favourite Trade Exhibition: Cosmoprof
Favourite Nail Tool: My recent invention – aluminium support to put under the nail form
Favourite Book: Anna Karenina by Tolstoy
Favourite Movie: Lord of the Rings
Favourite Food: Many varieties, but I love làngos, a typical Hungarian fried bread eaten for breakfast with garlic.
Favourite Vacation Destination: Mountains forever!
Your Hobbies: Wakeboarding, snowboarding, studying & my job as a stylist & creative director
What Inspires Your Work: Perfection.
Who You Admire In Industry: Marian Newman.
Top Technique You’ve Mastered: Everything to do with structure.
Advice to Competitors: Don’t be afraid to ask questions about the rules, if something is not clear.
Hot Tip or Trick for Competitors: Choose the right model, not only for the hands, but importantly for her personality too.
What Lockdown Has Taught You: Happiness.
A Funny Memory From Your Nail Desk: I have many, but the strangest happened during a training session, my student put the nail form on top of the nail up to the cuticle area, then asked me where to put the gel. This was funniest and scariest experience of my career.
An Affirmation You Love: Elegance is not about being noticed, it’s about being remembered.
Why Nailympia: I feel it’s the maximum level you can participate in on the global competition circuit.
Instagram: @aliz_d @truscadaitalia
Facebook: Aliz Dora Toth
TikTok: @alizdora
Meet – Samantha Goddard – Australia
Get to Know a Nailympia Expert…
Name: Samantha Goddard
Business name: Sam’s Nails & Training
Location: Canberra, Australia
Nationality: Australian
Who Trained You: Originally, a local beauty school, but I’ve also been really lucky to train with some amazing artists from around the world.
Years in Nails: 31 years
Years Judging: 5 years
Nail Brand You Represent/Use: Akzentz
Role in Industry: I work from a home salon, teach in a local school and educate for Akzentz Australia
Favourite Trade Exhibition: I love Olympia Beauty and Las Vegas Nailpro
Favourite Nail Tool: Fine liner brush
Favourite Book: Anything by Barbara Erskine
Favourite Movie: Lost Boys
Favourite Food: Pork belly
Favourite Vacation Destination: UK
Your Hobbies: Roller skating, dancing, knitting, cooking.
What Inspires Your Work: My fellow techs
Who You Admire In Industry: Way too many to mention, but if I had to say, then Viv Simmonds – who has always pushed me to better myself and Olena Oezman for her drive.
Advice to Competitors: If you haven’t ever competed, then give it a go, it will help you to grow as a tech.
Hot Tip or Trick for Competitors: Read all the rules & regulations, make sure you understand them, so you don’t lose unnecessary points.
What Lockdown Has Taught You: To make the most of life.
A Funny Memory From Your Nail Desk: Very early on in my career I managed to glue myself to a client. I was applying a tip, chatting away and the adhesive ran down the tip and stuck to my finger, I had to get one of the other techs to cut us apart.
Why Nailympia: As a competitor I loved entering the Nailympia comps, so it was a given that I would love to be picked to judge for them too.
Instagram: naillady1
Facebook: samanthagoddard2
Meet – Marian Newman – UK
Get to Know a Nailympia Expert…
NAME: Marian Newman
Business name: Marian Newman Nails
Location: London
Nationality: British
Who Trained You: Too many to list from 1987
Years in Nails: 30+ years
Years Judging: All of the Nailympia seasons. Plus Pro Beauty in the ’90’s
Nail Brand You Represent/Use: Brand Ambassador (global) CND
Role in Industry: Expert, author, ex-salon owner, teacher, sessions tech.
Favourite Trade Exhibition: Olympia Beauty
Favourite Nail Tool: Any double-ended with a curette
Favourite Book: Nailed It
Favourite Movie: Ghost
Favourite Food: Italian
Favourite Vacation Destination: England or Australia/NZ
What Inspires Your Work: People
Who You Admire In Industry: Everyone who is talented.
Top Technique You’ve Mastered: Sessions & fashion shows.
Hot Tip or Trick for Competitors: Practice
What Lockdown Has Taught You: The world has changed.
A Funny Memory From Your Nail Desk: My salon business partner sticking her fingers to her tongue.
Why Nailympia: Nailympia is the most challenging and honest comp ever! New categories keep it fresh, great judging organisation and provides ‘a level playing field’.
Any Workshops/Classes you Offer Online: Nail Knowledge on www.nailknowledge.org
Instagram: MarianNewman
Twitter: MarianNewman
Facebook: MarianNewman.9
Facebook: The chair of the Federation of Nail Professionals: TheFNPUK
Meet – Jai Harvey-Yin – Australia
Get to Know a Nailympia Expert…
NAME: Jai-Harvey-Yin
Business name: Journey to Fabulosity
Location: Melbourne Australia
Nationality: Australian / British
Who Trained You: So many amazing mentors – Phyllis Italiano, Lysa Comfort, Tom Holcomb
Years in Nails: 30 years
Years Judging: 19 years
Nail Brand You Represent/Use: Charisma Nail / Cuccio
Role in Industry: Mentor
Favourite Trade Exhibition: Las Vegas IBS
Favourite Nail Tool: Pedicure Bit for Efile
Favourite Book: Outlander
Favourite Movie: Lady Sings the Blues
Favourite Food: Watermelon (does chocolate count?)
Favourite Vacation Destination: Sabi Sands, South Africa
Your Hobbies: Airbrush Portraiture, audiobooks
What Inspires Your Work: The beauty of the abstract world
Who You Admire In Industry: So, so many; veterans of my era but mostly I love watching the new nail artists evolve grow and come into their own
Top Technique You’ve Mastered: I believe we can always learn and improve – but I love the theory of colour and was always known for my speed techniques for service delivery
Advice to Competitors: Just do it! Challenge yourself and you won’t believe the difference in your work.
Hot Tip or Trick for Competitors: Manage your time, and remember to take the time to understand what the judges are looking for. Often the underside cleanliness has the same point value as other higher skill techniques – so can be an easy way to gain (or lose) points.
What Lockdown Has Taught You: There are hidden blessings everywhere, even in the state of uncertainty and fear.
A Funny Memory From Your Nail Desk: Actually I was on the comp floor, one of my first, where I accidentally stuck the tip to my finger and thumb when applying to my model! I was stuck to her, literally! And of course, no acetone on the floor – what a panic?! In the end I pulled myself free, laughed about it; but what a stress at the time!
An Affirmation You Love: ‘Calm Blue Ocean’ is my mantra, and ‘it’s all about the love’ are words I live by.
Why Nailympia: As it has a vibe like no other, high calibre in every way whilst maintaining approachability as well. Simply the best.
Any Workshops/Classes you Offer Online: Having moved out of the industry, my passion now is for helping women in their own personal growth and self-belief. I help women over 40 who have lost their mojo or sense of identity, rediscover their passion, sparkle and a deep sense of confidence and well-being; so that their true self can step into a brighter, juicier, happier stage of their lives; their own Fabulosity. I do this through my online membership programme.
Instagram: @jaihy
Facebook: Jai Harvey-Yin
Facebook: journeytofabulosity