Winn, owner of The Nail Tailor, offers a unique nail experience at her salon in San Pedro, California. For health reasons, Winn is not able to offer acrylic nail services at The Nail Tailor and that is just fine. Her highly successful gel based nail services have captivated the residents of San Pedro. Winn’s specialty is structured gel nails, a gel-based technique that focuses on restructuring the look and shape of your nails.
“…it was my Mother who encouraged me to learn a trade. She insisted on hair, which I refused. I am not the biggest fan of touching hair, but I love the look of a well manicured nail. So, I compromised and went on to complete the Manicuring course in Lomita, CA. “
“I received my license in 2005. While in school, learning acrylic was enjoyable and I took pleasure in creating, but my body, nor my senses agreed with the product and it increased once I started working. I couldn’t see how I was going to make a living when the popular service was acrylics, so I quickly abandoned the profession. I returned to working in corporate settings, a beast I was familiar with, under the belief that I could never make a living doing nails and that the corporate setting was reliable.
This all came to an abrupt halt when the crash of the economy that began in 2007 finally came to my doorstep. In 2009 I found myself, a single Mother of two, without a job. Since very few were hiring for office administrators, I decided I would put that license to use until I got back into an office. Well, as you can see, that never happened. A sales rep introduced me to gel polish and through education, research and practice, I found a whole world of gel only products that allowed me to continue to hone a skill and create a niche upon which to thrive. I never knew I could have a profession which gives me such satisfaction.”
“The health of the nail is as important as the aesthetic of the end product. My focus is to care for the nail underneath as well. My product selection is geared to preserving the health of the nail. This includes keeping nail length that is conducive to healthy growth. If your nail bed or your lifestyle compromises length, we prioritize nail health over length.”
“My biggest achievement to date is going into business for myself and building a strong, loyal clientele that has supported my growth and continues to root for me. I love and am forever thankful for all of them along the way.”
Winn’s advice for future nail techs:
“Trust in what you know, but always be willing to learn and grow. You are here to your best self, no one else.”
The Nail Tailor offers structure gel manicures, nail art, and client education on growing and maintaining the health of their natural nail. Her favorite product is KOKOIST because of the “cosmetic grade pigment and non-toxic formulation.” Winn mentioned, “the product has an almost butter like texture that glides beautifully when painted.”
Instagram: @thenailtailor
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Website: Thenailtailor.com