Judges From Around the World that Support Nailympia Competitions
6 Nailympia Judge
Rachel Stevens
New Zealand
Salon
Area of judging expertise: Nail Art
Years as a judge: 11
Number of Nailympia events judged: 6
Nailympia events judged: Australia, Online
Are you an educator?: Yes
Industry accolades: National Certificate in Nail Technology NZQA 1996 INM educator
2005 NZ Beauty Exp 3rd place 3D Nail Art (novice)
2010 Sydney The Nail Awards 2nd place 3D Nail Art (open)
2011 Sydney The Nail Awards 1st place Photographic Nail Art, 2nd place Flat Nail Art ( masters)
2012 Manifest Nail Awards Sydney 2nd place 3D Nail Art ( masters), 3rd place Flat Nail Art
2013 - present : international nail judge
2017 New Zealand Nail Technician of the Year - NZ Beauty Association Awards
2022 NZ Certificate in Adult Teaching & Tertiary Teaching Level 4 NZQA
Trained with: Lorena Marquez, Tom Holcomb, Mindy Hardy, Sam Biddle, Sarah Elmez, Holly Schippers, Viv Simmonds, CND & OPI.
Favourite nail brands: CND & INM
Industry figures you admire: It's not lost on this girl from little New Zealand as to how fortunate I’ve been in my career to meet some of the biggest icons of the nail industry. Meeting my hero Doug Schoon was a bucket list moment. I've been lucky enough to judge alongside the incomparable, Marian Newman.
Meeting & training with Tom Holcomb of course was priceless. Lance Hazlett for so many reasons. Of course all of the amazing Nailympia judges (Elaine Watson!!) - there are too many to name, but there have been many laughs & great memories over the years. I cannot put into words how much I admire Alex Fox for her tireless work for the greater cause & her sensitivity. The one giant I haven’t met yet is Jan Arnold, the very reason I fell in love with the nail industry in the first place, for her edgy aesthetics & commitment to the science of nails.
Career biography: I’m a curious nail tech, always buffing away at the irksome surface. An exasperatingly dramatic wordsmith, an over thinker & an established pen thief. Honorary questioner & lover of simple truths, I’ve been involved in the nail industry for over three decades now & realise this makes me sound really old. My mission is to expose the big questions that lie within the mani-verse, whilst simultaneously peeling the spuds.
Fortunately, in my time I've seen standards rise, along with health & safety practices & a unity of the industry with more awareness of personal preferences & differences.
I created my first salon in the 90s (what a time!) & it has slowly evolved into the Christchurch Nail Studio ‘Polished’, brimming with the most beautiful guests who share my love of conversation & new nail trends. Fashion & art have been fuel for my passion & have kept my love of the nail industry alive.
Competing & judging are the cherry on top.
Personal biography: Just a girl from New Zealand who adores her family of boys. Lover of good coffee, red wine & long baths. Fluent in 90s gangster rap. Reader of books involving blood & murder & a fanatical listener of true crime podcasts. Give me the beach, long walks & yoga & get rid of all the politics. Published author & qualified teacher. A self-confessed neat freak & over thinker. Prince fan girl. Dreams of one day renting a cabin in the woods with a hidden wine cellar & writing that one good novel.
Why you believe in nail competitions?: "What if I fall?" "Oh, but my darling....what If you fly?"
"I hate trophies," said no one ever. Come on, who doesn't want a little reminder of their talent? Accolades are good for the soul, a healthy reimbursement for hard work & effort. But trophies aren't the only reason to enter a nail competition, I cherish the lifelong friends I've made & the experience & growth I've enjoyed far more than any trophy count.
I think competing in nail competitions is a superpower you can be proud of, this will enrich your career & give you lifelong memories, new relationships & potentially well-earned notability to enhance your career. I gained confidence & a more unique understanding of global trends, brands, new techniques & so many skills that I now incorporate into my business.
When I think back to my days as a competitor, I’m reminded of debilitating anxiety, cold sweats, nervous excitement (all of this before breakfast!) & exhilaration on steroids upon completion.
Advice to competitors: ENTER AS MANY CATEGORIES AS YOU CAN.
A: It's cost-effective.
B: You could end up winning more than you bargained for, take the chance especially if you're still a novice.
C: Don't waste this chance to take 'Winner of Winners'.
You're only entered as 'novice' until you move up to 'open'. As a novice, you get the chance to take out many categories. My advice to newcomers is to go hard, you never get that chance again.
Also, remember your manners. So you think you're all that & a bag of chips? Stay humble. It doesn't matter how many awards adorn your mantelpiece - if you were last seen hiking up Mount Ego, that's how people will remember you. The novice who is leaving with no awards is just as brave for entering, he or she also gave 100% & could be the winner of winners in a few short years with the right amount of determination. Dream big!
Nail work
