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

 

 

Meet – Sam Biddle – UK

Get to Know a Nailympia Expert in 23 Steps… 

Sam Biddle & Melanie Lewendon- The Mel & Sam Show

NAME: Sam Biddle

Business name: Be Inspired Online

Location: Dorset, South West England

Nationality: British

Sam Biddle creating tutorial for Be Inspired Online

Who Trained You: Many different people. The best educators that I learned my craft from are Antony Buckley (UK) and MaeLing Parish (USA)

Years in Nails: 21+ years

Years Judging: 10+ years

Nail Brand You Represent/Use: I’m an independent artist, as well as an ambassador for Orly international * & Mystic nails UK

Role in Industry: I’m an educator/ambassador/ online course provider & hosting platform

Favourite Trade Exhibition: Olympia Beauty UK

Favourite Nail Tool: Katie Barnes scissors

Favourite Book: Miracle Morning by Hal Elrod

Favourite Movie: Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Café

Favourite Food: Chips and mayonnaise

Favourite Vacation Destination: My back garden, but if I must go abroad, Italy (it’s the food)

Sam BIddle with the Be Inspired competition team she mentored for Nailympia London

Your Hobbies: Digital painting and gardening

What Inspires Your Work: People. My work is helping techs and their genius, it’s through them that I find solutions and new ways forward.

Who You Admire In Industry: Melanie Lewendon, my co-host on the Mel and Sam Show.

Top Technique You’ve Mastered: Portraits in gel paint

AT WORK!

Hot Tip or Trick for Competitors: Visualise the process, sit and meditate your way through each step of your competition, then, when you come to do it, it’s like old hat. You have done it once in your mind, doing it in person will be a breeze. From lifting the kit out of your bag to buffing the last scratch out of the nail surface.

What Lockdown Has Taught You: That anything can happen. To trust and go with the flow and that life really does give you lemons so you can make lemonade. The trick is to make the lemonade and not moan about the sour taste of the lemons.

An Affirmation You Love: I think I can, therefore I can

Why Nailympia: Because it brings nail techs together from all corners of the globe.

Instagram: @sambiddle_inspired

Twitter: @sambiddle

Facebook: @beinspiredwithsambiddle

TikTok: @sambiddle_nailart

The Sam Biddle Be Inspired comp team at Nailympia London

Meet – Viv Clements-Simmonds – Australia

Get to Know a Nailympia Expert in 22 Steps…

 

NAME: Viv Clements (Simmonds)

Business name: VIVid Nails & VIVid Nails Academy

Location: Melbourne, Australia

Nationality: Australian

Viv Clements-Simmonds – Australia

Who Trained You: Too many names to list but predominantly; Tom Holcomb, Alisha Rimando, Catherine Wong, Antony Buckley

Years in Nails: Nearly 30 years

Years Judging: 8-10 years

Nail Brand You Represent/Use: Akzentz Professional

Role in Industry: ICE (International Certified Educator) for Akzentz, importer & distributor for Australia & New Zealand

Favourite Trade Exhibition: I used to love Vegas!

Favourite Nail Tool: My Art Liner/Detailer Brush

Favourite Book: The Godfather

Favourite Movie: Tombstone amongst many others

Favourite Food: Italian

Favourite Vacation Destination: Narooma & Lakes Entrance in Australia and Bali for overseas

Your Hobbies: Fishing, reading

What Inspires Your Work: Everything really. We are all surrounded by inspiration everywhere we look.

Who You Admire In Industry:  I love Anita Podoba’s work, Olena Ozman, Lilija Michalikova and way too many more to list! We have so many phenomenal artists in our industry!

Top Technique You’ve Mastered: Realistic hand painting with gel

Hot Tip or Trick for Competitors: Be prepared and organised. Know what is expected, practice, I strongly advise training with an award-winning educator, read then re-read the rules and criteria, check your kit twice to make sure you have everything you need.

What Lockdown Has Taught You: How much I took my life for granted I suppose, not that I didn’t appreciate everyday how lucky I have been to have done the things I have done, but I never imagined in my wildest dreams I would lose my freedom to travel, to hug someone without reservation, to jump in the car to go to the shops etc, even the most simple things as popping over to my brother’s house or a friend’s house that live just five minutes down the road.

Why Nailympia: The organisation of the competition with the judges line up, the professionalism, etiquette and opportunity to learn and grow professionally from a reputable, long-standing and world-renowned competition.

Instagram: vivsimmonds

Twitter: vivsimmonds

Facebook: Viv Simmonds

Nailympia Canada – a new location for 2019

Nailympia Competitions is delighted to add a fourth location to its world map – Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. This new event will be hosted by two fierce Canadian competitors Aigul Fritzke & Karen Dunn.

“It’s extremely exciting to add Canada to the Nailympia world tour. This location adds its own special flavour to the competition circuit and will appeal to those looking for a trusted competition further north. I’m pleased to be working with Aigul and Karen, as their love and hunger for competition is a perfect match for the global Nailympia team. It’s an exciting year as Nailympia branches into Orlando and Saskatoon.” Alex Fox , global director Nailympia.

The event will be held 9-11 November 2019 and will be the first location that can gain points for the 2020 Nailympia Global Cup.

The 2019 Global Cup will accrue points from 3 locations, Tallinn – Estonia, Orlando – USA & London – UK.

Registration for Nailympia Canada will open soon. Please watch Nailympia social media posts & visit the official website – www.nailympia.com

Meet The hosts…

Karen Dunn

Karen, born and raised in Saskatchewan, Canada, is a certified nail professional who also works as a high school maths teacher. For Karen, grooming nails satisfies a creative need in her life as well as a deep rooted need to keep furthering her education and learning, which has led to her offering classes across Canada and the USA. The opportunity to travel has led her to meet and work with many mentors in the nail industry, each time, gaining more insight and invaluable knowledge of the nail industry. More recently, Karen caught the competition bug, which quickly became a passion. She’s competed in various categories at numerous competitions and harnessed a special affection for 3D fantasy art.

Karen continues to compete as often as possible while also now bringing a prestigious competition brand to Canada. Karen is passionate about all things nails and is ready and willing to discuss nails over a good cup of coffee with all that are likeminded!

Aigul Fritzke

Master nail artist Aigul Fritzke was born and raised in Kazakhstan and moved to Saskatchewan in 1997. Aigul hones a natural talent for creativity and launched her dream career in aesthetics and art by combining her eye for beauty with an exceptional gift of artistry.

Aigul is a trained make-up artist from the Academy of Ottawa and has done glamour and special effects make-up for theatre, television, fashion, bridal and photo events.

In 2006 she became a certified nail technician and became an educator and distributor for Masterworks by Amy Becker. Aigul is passionate about teaching and is fascinated by the creative options of nail art as a medium for self-expression. She says, “Our hands convey a powerful first impression of ourselves as we use them to express as we speak, meet and greet others”.

Aigul also enjoys the thrill and stress of competition and is an international award-winning competitor in nails and make-up. She’s been featured twice in Nail Pro Magazine and her work can be seen across social media and YouTube tutorials. You can follow Aigul on Facebook/Instagram at aigulfritzkeartistry.

STOP PRESS – A NEW NAILYMPIA for 2019 – STOP PRESS

Nailympia Competitions is excited and thrilled to announce its new partnership with Premiere Orlando in 2019!

The Premiere Orlando show, an established, admired and exciting annual exhibition event, will be branding its 2019 nail competitions with Nailympia.

The show dates 1-3 June will host Nailympia Orlando on 2-3 June over 2 days.

“We are very excited to work alongside Nailympia & Scratch magazine this year for the nail competitions at Premiere Orlando. We are enthusiastic to offer this new and exciting opportunity to nail technicians from all over the United States and beyond.” Ed McNeill, Premiere Show Group vice-president

Nailympia Orlando will host 10 competitions in this first year including the three that accrue points towards the Nailympia Global Cup (Gel Tip & Overlay, L&P Sculpture & Stiletto nails).

For 2019 three locations will host Global Cup points, Tallinn in Estonia, Orlando in the USA and London, UK. 

“The opportunity to work alongside the Premiere Orlando show to host Nailympia competitions is a truly exciting new dimension to the Nailympia brand. Known for its popularity within the professional nail community across the USA and further afield, at Nailympia we are sure this new partnership will help invigorate the nail industry and inspire many more to get involved and enjoy the many benefits of competing while also enjoying an all-encompassing exhibition and education experience.” Alex Fox, global director, Nailympia Competitions

Registration for Nailympia Orlando opens on 1st March 

To register visit – www.premiereorlandoshow.biz

 

ABOUT US – Premiere Show Group

The Premiere Show Group is a trade show management company that organises exceptional events for the professional beauty industry; it currently produces Premiere Orlando, Premiere Philadelphia, Premiere Columbus and Premiere Birmingham all in the USA. Premiere Orlando, its largest event got its modest start in 1990 as a small 3-exhibitor show, fast forward to current day, it is the industry’s largest trade show with over 850 exhibitors across a 7.3-acre exhibition floor with more than 59,000 beauty professionals from all 50 states and over 44 countries in attendance in 2018. Premiere strives to provide beauty professionals (cosmetologists, nail techs, barbers, estheticians, professional make-up artists, massage therapists as well as salon and spa owners) with the education needed to succeed and currently offers over 650 classes at its event led by some of the industry’s most influential and legendary educators and manufacturers from across the globe.  

ABOUT US – NAILYMPIA

Nailympia is considered one of the leading and most prestigious professional nail competitions in the world today. It prides itself on being a non-biased forum where products and brands have no bearing on the placing of a competitor. This competition brand is all about skill and creativity. All skill levels are catered for – the judging system, which has evolved over time, holds true to its original concept of all competitions are judged blind – the judge has no idea who’s work they are assessing and all divisions are judged together in the same manner. The judges have no idea which division or competitor they are assessing. This keeps the system fair and even. It also means a Division 1 competitor can win with a higher score than seen in the above divisions – again showcasing that the skills and creativity are assessed on their own merit.

Tracks ARTE video about Nailympia London 2018

Tracks ARTE have created a video about Extreme Nail Art at Nailympia London 2018 featuring Alex Fox and Scratch Magazine! Make sure you watch the video below to see some of the incredible highlights from this competition and to register for your place click here!

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yck60tgkYcM&feature=youtu.be

“I’m so happy I now get the chance to be a judge…” says Nailympia Global Champion of 2017

“Nailympia has given me the opportunity to meet people from all around the world and see and learn from other nail techs too and got to measure myself against the best in the world. Nailympia offers the chance to develop as a nail professional. Everyone that competes can feel the lovely atmosphere on the competition arena and this is why you get a lot of new friends and learn so much from other techs. I’m so happy that I now get the chance to be a judge and see all beautiful nails from the other side of the competition arena!”
Madelene Wolf – Nailympia Global Champion 2017 – Sweden 

Breaking News!

Nailympia is celebrating 15 years in 2019 at its London location.
To mark this super milestone in its history, a new competition has been created by head floor judge from the UK, Marian Newman.
The Joy of NaIls with Bling! will invite competitors to create literally whatever makes them most happy in the nail salon. Be it butterfly, pipe, edge or stiletto nails – be it encapsulated, embossed, mixed media, elaborate or chic – the nail artist is invited to create 5 nails in 75 minutes showcasing anything at all!
The only stipulation is that every nail must have at least 20% bling!
Judges will look for the following…technical prowess, expertise, balanced and even nail structure and shape, correctly positioned apex, originality in design as well as ‘wow factor’ delivered by placement of the bling!
This is the ultimate competition – it’s fun, exploratory and  experimental  – it requires creative expression while showing technical skill.
This competition will be held in the USA, Estonia & London.