Anaheim
Pivot Point & Nailympia Webinar: Insights into The Competition Arena
WATCH via this link: using Passcode – LB6*#7dJ – to access the video
The recent 90-minute Nailympia webinar hosted by education platform Pivot Point, featured Buddy Sims, learning experience (LX) specialist at Pivot Point and Alex Fox, global director of Nailympia Competitions. This session provided an in-depth look at Nailympia’s past, present and future, along with expert advice for competitors looking to enter this prestigious nail competition circuit.
Nailympia: A Global Phenomenon
Originally launched as the Nail Olympics in 2000 Las Vegas, Nailympia has grown into a globally recognised competition, owned by Scratch maagzine.
After discussing it’s 20-year long history and relationship to Scratch magazine, Alex Fox highlighted the first competition of the year, Nailympia Anaheim, (23-24 February at Premiere Anaheim), discussing how it compares to other locations and how themes vary across different events. Alex also covered the 2025 competition calendar, including opportunities for international competitors to participate remotely.
Competition Categories & Judging Standards
The webinar detailed the competition structure, including:
- Various categories available at Anaheim & other locations
- Thematic differences across different Nailympia locations.
- Eligibility based on three-division tier system of competing
- Digital & online integration for remote competitors.
To ensure fair judging, Nailympia follows strict guidelines and regulations, ensuring personal biases do not impact results. Judges adhere to standardised scoring methods and all participants must comply with clear competition rules.
Competing at Nailympia: What You Need to Know
For those preparing to compete, the webinar provided valuable insights:
- Preparation & training tips.
- Materials & tools provided during the event.
- Available support for competitors.
- Common mistakes & expert advice from judges.
- Feedback process after the competition
- Where to source a coach/mentor
Website Walkthrough
The webinar concluded with a guided tour of the Nailympia website, highlighting essential sections such as:
- The free downloadable competition guidelines
- FAQ.
- Event itinerary, rules & costs.
- News, picture galleries, judges’ profiles & trophies.
With its rich history, transparent judging and commitment to fostering nail artistry, Nailympia continues to be a premier competition in the beauty industry. Whether you’re a newcomer or a seasoned pro, this competition offers a platform to showcase talent, gain recognition and be part of a global nail community.
Navigating Nail Competitions: Skills, Strategies & Success with Pivot Point /Nailympia webinar
On Wednesday 5 February at 6 PM GMT, Pivot Point will host an exciting webinar led by Buddy Sims, Learning Experience (LX) Specialist, in collaboration with Alex Fox and Vitaly Solomonoff. This online event will dive into the Nailympia competition, its roots, its ethos and its direction for 2025. The host Buddy Sims will also join the esteemed judging panel at Nailympia Anaheim on 23 February at Premiere Anaheim.
Buddy Simms, Pivot Point – Nailympia Anaheim judge
This virtual interview promises to provide an in-depth exploration of Nailympia. Topics will include the history and unique qualities of Nailympia, an overview of the competition categories, and invaluable advice for participants. Additionally, attendees will receive insights into what judges are looking for and get a guided tour of the Nailympia website to locate essential resources.
Joining Buddy Sims are Alex Fox, Nailympia’s organiser, and Vitaly Solomonoff, a nail expert and judge, who will bring their expertise to the room to enrich the discussion. Whether you’re a seasoned competitor or a first-timer, this webinar will equip you with the knowledge you need to join the circuit.
Vitaly Solomonoff of Cleanestiq. Nailympia international judge
Meet Buddy Sims
Buddy Sims is a seasoned expert with over a decade of experience in the beauty industry. He began his career as a Nails Subject Matter Expert, achieving recognition as both a finalist and judge for Next Top Nail Artist. Over the years, Buddy has worked with distributors, manufacturers and cosmetology boards. He has also owned a salon and holds an educator’s license.
Currently, as the Learning Experience Specialist at Pivot Point International, Buddy channels his vast knowledge to support beauty professionals, educators and students. His passion lies in fostering growth, success and innovation within the industry by combining effective teaching methodologies with cutting-edge technology.
Join this webinar to benefit from Buddy’s wealth of experience and to prepare yourself for success in the competitive and rewarding world of Nailympia. Click here to join the webinar – Here is the Registration Link!
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Unleash your inner artist!
Nailympia Anaheim, Germany & China are NOW OPEN for registration
Dive into the dazzling world of creativity and innovation at Nailympia Anaheim 2025! This is your ultimate opportunity to break boundaries, showcase your artistry and shine on a global stage. With five electrifying turn-in categories, each crafted to spark your imagination, Nailympia promises a spectacular celebration of bold ideas, expert techniques and jaw-dropping designs.
Whether you’re in it for the thrill, the recognition or the inspiration, this is your moment to connect with fellow visionaries, push your skills to new heights and leave an unforgettable mark on nail artistry.
But the excitement doesn’t stop there! Registration is now open for:
✨ Nailympia Anaheim – 23 – 24 February at Premiere Anaheim CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE
✨ Nailympia Germany – 28 – 30 March at Beauty Düsseldorf (deadline for Online categories is 31 January) CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE
✨ Nailympia China – 8 – 10 May in Shanghai CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE
Don’t just witness the industry evolve – lead the revolution!
Secure your spot today, unleash your creativity and let your talent shine on the world’s most exhilarating nail stage.
The countdown to greatness begins now – are you ready to take the leap?
Nailympia Anaheim – registration is open for the first Nailympia of 2025
Unleash Your Inner Artist: Nailympia Anaheim 2025 Art Themes Announced!
Step into the vibrant world of creativity and innovation at Nailympia Anaheim 2025. This is your chance to push the boundaries of nail artistry and showcase your skills on a global platform. With four thrilling turn-in categories, each designed to ignite your imagination, Nailympia promises to be a celebration of bold ideas, masterful techniques and captivating designs.
Runway Nails
Craft a story that’s as dazzling as the runway itself! Submit three nail tips presented on a moodboard that captures your inspiration journey – exploring ideas, colours, textures and creative evolution. Let your moodboard be your narrative, where each nail tells a chapter of your artistic vision. It’s all about showing the synergy between concept and execution.
Reality Nails
Bring your imagination to life with three nails showcasing the given themes. Adhered to a printed sheet provided by Nailympia, these designs must communicate your interpretation and artistic flair. This category challenges you to make a bold statement within a structured format – think of it as your masterpiece in miniature!
To Stiletto & Beyond – 1 Extreme Nail
Go big or go home. This category is all about one long, extreme nail – an unapologetic showstopper. Whether placed on an artificial nail, a sleek plinth or standing solo, this is your opportunity to create a nail that transcends the ordinary. Push your skills and creativity to the edge – literally!
Flat Art
Celebrate detail and precision with 10 nails arranged with a small gap between each one. Using five different nail sizes, this category challenges you to play with dimensions and design cohesiveness while letting your imagination run wild across the set.
Extreme Nail Styling Poster
Take your artistry beyond nails with this highly visual category. Submit your high-resolution JPEG two weeks before the event to showcase your skills in creating an eye-catching, professional-grade poster. This is your moment to merge nails, photography and graphic design into a true work of art.
✨ Why Enter?
This is your time to shine, connect with like-minded artists, and elevate nail artistry to new heights. Whether you’re competing for the thrill, the accolades or the inspiration, Nailympia Anaheim 2025 offers a stage for you to leave your mark. Don’t just watch the industry evolve and be part of the revolution!
🎨 Ready to take the leap? Secure your spot, unleash your creativity and let your artistry be seen on the world’s most exciting nail stage!
Registrations are open for Anaheim (Feb), Germany (March) & China (May)
Here’s the links…
Nailympia Anaheim – https://www.premiereanaheimshow.com/en/education/competitions.html
Nailympia Germany – https://www.signature-nail.com/en/nailympia-germany-2025/
Nailympia China – https://www.nailympia.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/NAILYMPIA-CHINA-2025_Registration-form_for-web.pdf
Nailympia 2025 locations revealed
The world-renowned Nailympia competition has officially announced its locations for the 2025 season, with the first event set to take place at the Premiere Anaheim trade show in Anaheim, California. Scheduled for February, this marks an exciting start to a year packed with talent, creativity and global participation in nail artistry.
As part of the esteemed Premiere Show Group, Nailympia Anaheim will attract nail technicians, artists and industry professionals from around the globe, offering a platform to showcase unparalleled skill and innovation. Nailympia continues to hold its place as the ultimate competition for nail professionals, celebrated for its non-biased judging system and commitment to fairness.
Nailympia’s Unique Approach to Competition
Nailympia has built its reputation as a competition free from brand influence, ensuring that skill and creativity are at the forefront of its judging criteria. It caters to all skill levels and its evolved judging system remains true to its founding principles:
- Blind Judging: All competitions are judged anonymously. Judges have no knowledge of the competitor whose work they are assessing, ensuring fairness and transparency.
- Unified Divisions: Competitors from all divisions are judged together based on merit, allowing for instances where a Division 1 competitor can outscore higher divisions.
- Skill-Centric: Nailympia evaluates competitors purely on their technical skills and artistic creativity, making it an open playing field for all participants, regardless of the brands or systems they use.
Expanding the 2025 Schedule
While six confirmed locations are already in place, Nailympia is exploring the possibility of adding a second event in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, for 2025. This expansion aligns with the competition’s global mission of reaching new markets and providing opportunities for nail artists worldwide.
The Origins of Nailympia
Nailympia’s roots trace back to The Nail Olympics USA, a competition founded in 2001 in Las Vegas. Created by three organisations—IBD (run by Lee Tomlinson), Too Much Fun (Dianne D’Agnolo & James Johnson), and EZ Flow (David Daniel & Danny Haile) – its concept was revolutionary:
- Competitors could use any system or brand.
- Judging would be division-based and anonymous, ensuring fairness.
- Skill levels would determine divisions, with competitors ranked only after judging was complete.
This ethos laid the foundation for Nailympia, which was later introduced to London in 2005, with Alex Fox – then editor-in-chief of Scratch Magazine – serving as the global competition director.
Looking Ahead to 2025
As Nailympia prepares to dazzle audiences once again, it reaffirms its commitment to showcasing exceptional talent, fostering creativity and maintaining a fair and inclusive environment. Whether in Anaheim, Ho Chi Minh City, or its other global stops, Nailympia 2025 promises to be a thrilling year for competitors.
New rules & score sheets can be viewed on this website www.nailympia.de
Nail imagery for 2025 – with thanks to Elena Popova
Nails – Elena Popova @popovaelena_nfp
Photographer – Elena Gelberg @pena_litrova
Make-Up Artist – Varvara Tabutarova @varvara_tabu
Hair Stylist – Ksenia Golubeva @ksenja_golubeva
Model – Alina Philipskaya @alina__0606
1st AMERICAS CUP 2023: Katarzyna Kruszynska – Ireland
In the competing world, Katarzyna (Kate) Kruszynska has achieved the highest championship title in Ireland: ‘Irish National Nail Champion. She’s also a multiple award winner in nail styling championships’ all over the world. Recently, in the past year (2023), Kate has represented Ireland in Mexico, Germany, USA: Orlando, Texas and Ohio where overall she won 40 medals and trophies.
“This year I was honoured to achieve the Nailympia Americas Cup, The Nailympia Premiere Cup, Nailympia Art winner of winners and Individual Top Scorer awards. Also, the success of my business was recognised with the ‘Best Established Business’ award from the Local Enterprise Office in 2019.”
Born and raised in Poland, Katarzyna Kruszynska worked as a police officer in the Traffic Accident Department for a number of years, before deciding to follow her heart and move to Ireland.
In 2010 nails became her full-time job starting with a small nail table in the corner of her kitchen where she would find herself often in tears believing she wasn’t good enough.
However, with the support of her family and friends, Kate did do it and eventually opened a nail bar in 2015.
“I have been successfully running Beauty Vision Ltd and an accredited training centre and am the creator and owner of the Kohana Professional nail brand. Kohana is my brand of professional beauty products for nails, eyelashes and eyebrows. The name Kohana comes from many different places and is very unique. In the Japanese language it means ‘little flower’, but it has two more very personal meanings for me: I love Walt Disney productions, and in the movie Lilo & Stitch, I heard that: ‘ohana means family and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten’, and from there the Kohana name was born. Using ‘K’ for Kate, and ‘Ohana’ for family. Together they make ‘Kohana’, for Kate’s family.
1st Nailympia Premiere Cup 2023
“The other very special meaning with Kohana is in the Polish language Kohana means ‘loved one’, and so I thought that this was just prefect for my brand name, because every person is loved and considered family.
“Behind the business, I’m a loving wife and a mother to three wonderful children. I am an animal lover, with two dogs and one cat at home. I love travelling and trying different foods, and I’m hugely passionate about a fit and healthy lifestyle.
“I’ve been sharing my work and knowledge on social media to help others for a while now and absolutely love this element of my work. I started posting on different social media platforms three years ago and since then I’ve reached over 60,000 followers. The content I share is all about nails, nail art and beauty as well as my business.
“To think that I’m sharing my creativity with so many is an amazing feeling and being able to meet other nail enthusiasts through the world of social media is exciting. I enjoy teaching people who are also passionate about this line of work through my courses and I pride myself on Kohana being a place where someone can learn new skills in a great atmosphere.
“I’m so thankful for the life this business has given me. Not everyone can say that they love their job, but I’m one of the lucky few who can.”