Judges From Around the World that Support Nailympia Competitions
2 Nailympia Judge
Nina Lewis
United Kingdom
Academy| Session Stylist
Area of judging expertise: Nail technology / Make-up
Years as a judge: 1
Number of Nailympia events judged: 2
Nailympia events judged: London, Online
Are you an educator?: Yes
Industry accolades: Level 5 & 6 Diploma to Teach in The Lifelong Learning Sector (DTLLS), Make-up & Nail Artistry, HABC Level 3 Certificate in Assessing Vocational Achievement (QCF). Founder & owner of Nina Lewis Beauty Academy.
In 2019, Achieved 1st place in the internationally renowned Great Scratch Shoot Out competition & featured in various editions of Scratch Magazine.
In 2024, two of my students entered the Professional Beauty Nail Competition & was placed 1st & 3rd in the Salon Nail Student Category.
In 2024, Participated in the One Heart Festival charity event for Grenfell Tower.
Favourite nail brands: Cuccio, Lecenté, Chanel & Essie.
Industry figures you admire: Elizabeth Arden. I had the great pleasure of working at her flagship salon in the early 90s. What fascinated me about Ms Arden is she painted the door of her first salon in Fifth Avenue London red to ensure that it stood out from the crowd. She also used red as a symbol of independence & solidarity. Elizabeth Arden was also the first woman to train & send out a team of travelling demonstrators & saleswomen.
Career biography: I began my career in the nail & make-up industry in 1992. I started in the Harrods Hair & Beauty Department as a nail technician. I was then headhunted by Charles Worthington to work for Jessica Nails. This role included intensive training by Jessica herself. I then pursued a career in the music & television industry working with Simon Cowell for ITV. In later years, I joined The Joy Goodman Agency as an editorial nail specialist & worked on
advertising & editorial campaigns. In 2011, I became a qualified teacher & assessor.
In 2014, I became an educator for Cuccio Europe. I have worked in various further education colleges in Central London as a nails, hair & media make-up lecturer & I am considered to be a master in my field. In 2020, I was the nail specialist on BBC Strictly Come Dancing. I am currently a Hair & Make-up Artist on ITV's Deal or No Deal show.
Personal biography: I enjoy reading, drawing, upcycling furniture, DIY & travelling.
Why you believe in nail competitions?: I believe you need tenacity when entering competitions. I also think they are a great way of learning from your mistakes if you do not get the results you anticipated. It is also a great way to find like-minded people who enjoy the same things & do not mind talking 'nails' most of the time. If you do not win, do not be disheartened just go back with a positive attitude, mindset & approach.
Competitions are important as they keep standards high with participants & judges. We all need to engage in CPD no matter what your status is.
Advice to competitors: I believe the need to advance skills all the time is extremely important as products change or can be updated. In order to maintain proficiency, you constantly need to refresh or update existing skills to remain relevant & current in the nail industry.
Nail work
