Competitor Spotlight…Francesca Paliotto Wins the 3rd Nailympia European Cup 2024

In 2024, Francesca Paliotto claimed the prestigious title of the 3rd Nailympia European Cup winner, receiving her award on the esteemed Nailympia London stage. This competition, renowned for its rigorous evaluation and judging criteria, determines its European champion based on scores from four key categories: Stiletto, Joy of Nails, Salon Nails and Reality Nails.

The Nailympia European Cup rotates across major beauty industry events, with active locations currently at Nailympia Germany hosted by Beauty Düsseldorf and the UK’s Nailympia London hosted at Pro Beauty Autumn 2025). The cup is presented at the London event, solidifying the competition’s status as a pinnacle of excellence in the nail industry.

Hailing from Ferrara, a city in northern Italy, Francesca’s journey into the world of nails began at just 12 years old, driven by pure passion. Six years ago, she took a significant step by opening her own nail studio, marking the start of her professional career. Her dedication to the craft led her to train with various educators, but she credits her mentor, Italy’s award-winning Deborah Cocco, as a fundamental influence in her journey through nail competitions.

“I love everything about nails, from the simplest salon manicures to the most technical and complex works,” Francesca shares. Her success in competitions is rooted in her relentless training, keen attention to detail and commitment to continuous improvement. She believes that every small mistake presents an opportunity to refine her skills further.

Francesca finds immense motivation in competing against the best nail artists worldwide. “Meeting and comparing myself with top competitors is invaluable – you always learn something new,” she says. Her advice to aspiring competitors is clear, “Train hard and always believe in your abilities.”

Winning the Nailympia European Cup is a milestone that Francesca holds dear, as it symbolises the rewards of her hard work and sacrifices. This achievement has significantly contributed to her personal and professional growth, reinforcing her belief in perseverance and dedication.

Francesca has a particular preference for UV hard gel and acrygel systems, as they were the first techniques she mastered and feels most comfortable working with. Looking ahead, she plans to expand her academy’s training courses and participate in more competitions, though she prefers to embrace opportunities as they come rather than plan too rigidly.

Francesca remains optimistic about the future of the nail industry, believing that it will continue to evolve with innovative techniques. One thing is certain – she will keep competing, as the experience not only enhances her skills but also brings an unmatched sense of accomplishment and excitement.

 

After dedicating the past two years to competitions, Francesca acknowledges the challenges but affirms, “Even though it was hard, I did it.” With her unwavering determination and love for the craft, there is no doubt that she will continue to leave her mark on the global nail competition scene. We look forward to seeing more stunning nail work from Francesca in 2025.

FB: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61558412801294

IG: francesca.paliotto

 

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 – Milena Mingozzi – Italy

Get to Know a Nailympia Expert in 23 Steps… 

NAME: Milena Mingozzi

Business name: I’m ROXY

Location: Italy

Nationality: Italian

Who Trained You: I attended my basic preparation and nail art courses with the greatest nail artists in the world: Malsaeva, Shanskaya, Sacripante, Bonvicini, Trang Nguyen, Khabelkaeva … and many others.

Years in Nails: 31 years

Years Judging: 5 years

Nail Brand You Represent/Use: I’m Roxy

Role in Industry: Master nail art educator, competition coach & mentor

 

Favourite Trade Exhibition: Cosmoprof Bologna

Favourite Nail Tool: Sculpting brush and my L&P acrylic powder system

Favourite Book: Divine Comedy

Favourite Movie: Pride & Prejudice

Favourite Food: Fish & chips

Favourite Vacation Destination: When with family – everywhere

Your Hobbies: Model making, doing puzzles, embroidery & gardening

 

What Inspires Your Work: The world around me, nature, colours & the wind.

Who You Admire In Industry: Alex Fox, Malsaeva, Khabelkaeva, Bonvicini.

Top Technique You’ve Mastered: Nail & 3D sculpture

Hot Tip or Trick for Competitors: Always believe in it and never give up. Participate in competitions, always observe other’s at work, because with your eyes you can steal the secrets of the trade.

A memory from the nail desk: A client, a long time ago, asked if she could move the nail extensions back and forth every day!

An Affirmation You Love: Always love never hate.

Why Nailympia: It has always been the most important nail competition circuit in Europe. It’s the one which the whole nail world watches, and which many have used as an example and benchmark when organising their own national events.

Instagram: Milena.Mingozzi

Facebook: Milena Mingozzi