Nailympia Online sponsor Mirage Spa Education offers established online nail & beauty courses

Cheryl Thibault was ahead of the curve when it came to online learning. While many nail and beauty education organisations have only recently launched online learning platforms, Cheryl set up Mirage Spa Online Education in 2005 after recognising that many individuals who dreamed of becoming beauty professionals, found it impossible to attend a regular full-time, or even part-time programme due to various circumstances.

 

“I wanted a platform that would make quality education in this industry more accessible to a larger group of people, so I put the structure in place, the wheels in motion and haven’t looked back since,” Cheryl comments.

Mirage Spa Education Inc. offers seven diploma courses and boasts continuous enrolment, self-paced full or part-time study and global acceptance (subject to local regulations).

The company has successfully graduated thousands of students in Esthetics, Nail Technology and Spa Therapy who were looking to enter into a career, change direction to pursue a life passion or look for an alternative path in a very uncertain time.

Cheryl and her team pride themselves on comprehensive curriculums, one-on-one mentorship, a user-friendly and accessible platform for self-study and official certification in the form of a diploma and official transcripts.

Mirage Spa Education Inc. is a designated learning institution with the Private Training Institutions Branch of the Ministry of Education. CLICK HERE to see what renowned chemist/scientist Doug Schoon has to say about Mirage Spa Education Inc.

For more information, visit website and follow Mirage Spa Education Inc. on Facebook and Instagram

Mirage Spa Education Inc. is a proud sponsor of Nailympia Online – 2nd edition.

Meet – Kirsty Meakin – UK

Get to know a Nailympia judge…

NAME: Kirsty Meakin

Business name: Kirsty Meakin

Location: Stoke on Trent, UK

Nationality: British

Who Trained You: Youth Training Scheme, Trang Nguyen & I’ve learnt a lot through my own mistakes.

Years in Nails: 20+ years; I’ve stopped counting, as it can make me feel way too old.

Years Judging: 7 years

Nail Brand You Represent/Use: Kirsty Meakin

Role in Industry: Brand owner, YouTuber, nail artist, international educator, nail influencer, international nail competition judge.

Favourite Trade Exhibition: Nailpro Vegas (it’s gone now)

Favourite Nail Tool: My Allycia acrylic brush

Favourite Book: Aint Nobody Got Time For That

Favourite Movie: Terminator & Silence Of The Lambs

Favourite Food: Mac & cheese

Favourite Vacation Destination: Los Angeles, USA

Your Hobbies: Roller blading

What Inspires Your Work: The world, fashion & people

Who You Admire In Industry: David Fowler (educator in Germany, www.signature-nail.de)

Top Technique You’ve Mastered: Realistic gel painting

Advice to Competitors: Read the rules

Hot Tip or Trick for Competitors: Read the rules – again! Sleep well the night before & get a model with kick-ass nail beds.

What Lockdown Has Taught You: I need to slow down to be a better creative

A Funny Memory From Your Nail Desk: That’s a secret!

Why Nailympia: Because I love it for its international presence & damn – the skill level is off the charts.

“I believe in dressing how you want, not how you think you should! Creative expression feels and looks so damn good!” Kirsty Meakin

Kirsty’s workshops & classes can be found here:https://www.kirstymeakinacademy.com

Kirsty’s KM clothing line launched in 2021 – https://kirstymeakin.bigcartel.com/

Instagram: Kirsty Meakin

Twitter: Kirsty Meakin

Facebook: Kirsty Meakin nail artist

TikTok: Kirsty Meakin

 

Kirsty Meakin KM clothing line …2021

Meet – Marian Newman – UK

Get to Know a Nailympia Expert…

NAME: Marian Newman

Business name: Marian Newman Nails

Location: London

Nationality: British

Who Trained You: Too many to list from 1987

Years in Nails: 30+ years

Years Judging: All of the Nailympia seasons. Plus Pro Beauty in the ’90’s

Nail Brand You Represent/Use: Brand Ambassador (global) CND

Role in Industry: Expert, author, ex-salon owner, teacher, sessions tech.

Favourite Trade Exhibition: Olympia Beauty

Favourite Nail Tool: Any double-ended with a curette

Favourite Book: Nailed It

Favourite Movie: Ghost

Favourite Food: Italian

Favourite Vacation Destination: England or Australia/NZ

 

What Inspires Your Work: People

Who You Admire In Industry: Everyone who is talented.

Top Technique You’ve Mastered: Sessions & fashion shows.

 

 

Hot Tip or Trick for Competitors: Practice

What Lockdown Has Taught You: The world has changed.

A Funny Memory From Your Nail Desk: My salon business partner sticking her fingers to her tongue.

 

Why Nailympia: Nailympia is the most challenging and honest comp ever! New categories keep it fresh, great judging organisation and provides ‘a level playing field’.

 

Any Workshops/Classes you Offer Online: Nail Knowledge on www.nailknowledge.org

Instagram: MarianNewman

Twitter: MarianNewman

Facebook: MarianNewman.9

Facebook: The chair of the Federation of Nail Professionals: TheFNPUK

 

Meet – Jacqueline O’Sullivan – UK

Get to Know a Nailympia Expert in 23 Steps…

 

NAME: Jacqueline O’Sullivan

Location: Manchester

Nationality: British

Who Trained You: I’ve trained with many amazing people during my time in the nail industry. And I’m still learning now.

Years in Nails: 26 years.

Years Judging: 16 years.

Nail Brand You Represent/Use: Artistic, Rock Hard, Footlogix & Famous Names.

Role in Industry: Educator & ambassador

 

Favourite Trade Exhibition: Olympia Beauty UK

Favourite Nail Tool: My L&P Brush

Favourite Book: The Positive Habit by Fiona Brennan

Favourite Movie: Sliding Doors

Favourite Food: Seafood Paella

Favourite Vacation Destination: New Orleans

 

Your Hobbies: Nails, Nails, Nails!!!

What Inspires Your Work: My students and all the amazing people that compete at Nailympia

Who You Admire In Industry: I admire so many amazing people in our industry, the list is endless.

Top Technique You’ve Mastered: Reverse Application

Advice to Competitors: It’s vital that you arrive at the competition arena fully prepared and in good time for the briefing that’s delivered by the head floor judge prior to the start of each contest. Ensure you listen and understand the information given to you and if unsure of any points, ask questions. Points will never be deducted for asking questions.

  • Prior preparation prevents poor performance … practice, practice, practice
  • Ensure you read all the rules carefully prior to the competition; if unsure call the organiser to clarify.
  • Be organised; make sure you have extra products in your kit in case anything breaks or becomes damaged in transit.
  • Make lists as you go along, so you don’t forget anything.
  • Try to stay calm; things that go wrong on the day may be beyond your control. Panicking will never solve any issues. Staying calm will help you work through and become a better competitor or winner.
  • Look at past winner’s work and learn from them.
  • Your model is an integral part of the competition, so make sure they understand what is expected of them. Your model’s hands and nails are important, remember they are the canvas that showcases your work.

Hot Tip or Trick for Competitors: Study the work of past competition winners.

What Lockdown Has Taught You: Patience, positivity & Microsoft Teams.

An Affirmation You Love: The capacity to learn is a gift, the ability to learn is a skill and the willingness to learn is a choice.

Why Nailympia: This competition gives nail artists from around the world, including the UK, the chance to showcase their outstanding talent and creativity. Competitors are able to learn and create nails alongside other world class talent. I believe Nailympia has become the international industry standard, putting art, technical ability and creativity at the heart of our industry. Every year I’m astounded by the level of skill shown by competitors and humbled to be part of a superb team of world-class judges. Anyone who is anyone, from the pinnacle of the world of nails takes part and we all work together without any egos or bias to judge fairly and ensure the integrity of the Nailympia international competition model.

Facebook: Jacqueline O’Sullivan

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