Judges From Around the World that Support Nailympia Competitions
5 Nailympia Judge
Kelly Melanitou
Greece
Academy| Consultant| Online training
Area of judging expertise: L&P & gel ehancements, gel polish & nail art
Years as a judge: 12
Number of Nailympia events judged: 5
Nailympia events judged: London, Online
Are you an educator?: Yes
Industry accolades: Bold Professional Award 2008, CND™ International Educator Award 2009, CND™ International Educator Award 2012, Global Team CND™ Educator since 2009, Revlon Style Masters Head Nail Designer & Team Lead 2015-2018. Taught & mentored nail pros & educators in over 40 countries.
Favourite nail brands: CND™
Industry figures you admire: All nail pros who strive to be the best in what they do, through education, passion & creativity.
Career biography: Kelly was certified as a nail educator in 2006. In 2009, she was welcomed to the highly respected ranks of Team CND as a lead facilitator. She has served as the International Education Manager for CND™ for 5 years, developing education materials & programs that support nail professionals & educators in more than 90 countries.
She has been the lead designer & head of the nail team for the Revlon Professional Style Masters Show, has worked backstage at Fashion Week in New York, London & Milan & has been featured in industry magazines such as Scratch, Nails & Nailpro. She is an international judge for competitions in Europe & Asia, as well as online.
Guest Expert and blogger for NailKnowledge.org
Kelly holds an Adult Education certification and speaks 5 languages.
Personal biography: What many people do not know about me is that I was a professional ballroom dancer & educator for many years. I still enjoy a good shimmy on the dance floor! Being an island girl, my happy place is the beach, although I do like spending time in nature in general. Love traveling, experiencing new places & cultures, as well as tasting all the food. Very much an introvert, lately I have been working on creating true connections with others & reconnecting with my higher self.
Why you believe in nail competitions?: There is no better way to reach & exceed your nail skill potential than a nail competition. It takes determination, focus, commitment, effort & hours upon hours of practice. I believe that competitions helps you develop as a person altogether, understanding yourself & what makes you tick, what drives you & how far you can go.
Advice to competitors: Start by understanding why you want to compete. Is it the prize, the recognition or the advancement of your career? Or is it a test for yourself to see how far you can go? Knowing the real 'why' will help you find the drive & set your own goals.
Once you have that, focus on the practical side. Read & understand the rules, they are not always the same. Have a good coach & a good model. Find the right product line for you & then practice. A lot. Then keep on practicing every chance you get.
After the competition, study the score sheets & ask the judges for feedback.