My Other Life: Laura Prigg of Basic Witch Nails

Scratch chats to Laura Prigg, a nail pro who’s busy juggling her nail career alongside a very different role…

Laura Prigg has spent her working life in the retail industry, progressing from Christmas temp to store manager at Yankee Candle. She began creating custom press-on nails at the end of 2019 under the brand name Basic Witch Nailz.

When lockdown hit and all non-essential retail shops were closed, Laura found herself furloughed for most of 2020. This led her to invest more time into her press-on nail business, which quickly gained pace, and train as a nail technician.

“I found myself feeling the most inspired and impassioned that I had for a long time,” Laura explains. “It was an easy decision for me to train to become a nail tech, as the freedom to create and freedom that comes with being self-employed is amazing.

“While being self-employed comes with a lot of freedoms, the financial pressures can be heavy. I’m a mum, so need to not only support myself, but my family. Having another job has allowed me to push forward in my nail career without extra financial pressures.”

Organisation and flexibility are essential in both roles. “Diary management has become my specialty, as it’s much like creating a schedule for my team.

“In the store, I need to be quick when reacting to a situation and with tekking, I need to be flexible with my clients,” she reveals. “Sometimes one does interfere with the other, but I am always prepared for the unexpected. In both jobs, I meet all kinds of people and hear so many different stories.”

Laura explains she’s always met with support when others discover the two sides to her life. “So many techs start out in a different career and once you find the nail community, you quickly see how supportive it is,” she adds. “The reaction I get from customers in the store is great.

“My nails are always a great conversation starter, and customers always shocked to find out I do them myself,” Laura beams. “I think some people do assume that tekking is just a hobby, but it’s also a great advert for what I do, especially when some of my team members are also clients!”

Looking to the future, Laura plans to gradually move towards tekking on a full-time basis. “I’d like to start taking a step back from retail as I feel I’m getting to a place where I’ve accomplished what I have set out to do.

“Nail styling is a new challenge to conquer. There is fear and excitement in starting from the bottom again, but I can’t wait to start setting and smashing more goals.”

Laura stresses the importance of taking a break when needed, telling Scratch that working two jobs can be difficult to maintain. “I have learnt many times that I am just one person. It’s so important to make sure you check in with yourself and know your boundaries,” she nods. “No is not a bad word and you need to manage expectations.

“Take support whenever you’re offered and always trust your gut,” Laura smiles. “I have met some of the most incredible people through nails and it’s so exciting to see how many of us are navigating our journeys and achieving our goals.”

Follow Laura on Instagram, here.