Nail tech reveals the journey to launching her own product range
By Scratch Staff | 11 February 2020 | Feature, Tech Talk
Nail technician, Jessica Harris, from Chesterfield, has been in the industry for almost eight years – and has put her passion into practice with the launch of her own cuticle oils and hand lotions. Here, she reveals to Scratch how and why she launched the Nails By Jessica range – as well as her plans for the future…
Please detail your nail industry journey…
When I was 17, I was working as a concessions manager at Topshop. Many of my colleagues would arrive with amazing nails, featuring glitter, white tips and bold colour and would spend most of their shift discussing their next nail style. I really understand their excitement but treated myself to a gel manicure for my holiday, and it’s fair to say I fell in love with nails instantly! I loved the shine, the strength and longevity and couldn’t believe the difference in comparison to my normal nail varnish and started painting the nails of my friends and family and my career kicked off from there.
For three years, I worked on a mobile basis in the evenings after finishing my shift at Topshop. I then moved to a salon in my home town of Chesterfield and have been salon based ever since. I have been doing nails for almost eight years and love gel and acrylic design. Some of my clients have been with me since the very beginning and every client has been part of my nail family and journey. I am forever grateful for their support.
Why did you decide to launch your own products?
I couldn’t find a Cuticle Oil on the market that offered me the qualities I wanted; a vegan-friendly, cruelty-free formula made from natural products – with no alcohol or allergens.
At the end of my treatments, I wanted to use products on my clients that delivered me the results I desired, and the only way I could do this was to create my own. I made a few bottles to use at the end of my nail services and my clients began nicknaming it ‘Liquid Silk’ and asking if they could purchase a bottle for home use. After posting pictures on my Instagram, I started getting direct messages from people asking where they could purchase the oil from. I created an Etsy page and sell the six fragrances via the site.
Four months after the oils went live, I had an urge to create my own hand creams – which was not an easy task. After several attempts, fragrance mixes and ingredient alterations later, I unveiled the Sweet Tea hand cream, which has an Earl Grey tea base with hints of Bergamot, cucumber and vanilla. It’s packed full of Fig Extract and Vitamin E.
What was important to you in terms of the look & scent of your products?
I am a very minimalistic person, the look was inspired by the décor in my home; white, silver and black. I wanted my products to look stunning on nail desks, dressing tables and sinks and fit in with any kind of aesthetic or environment. They are simple, yet classy and effective!
The scents of the six cuticle oils are personal references to my family:
- Black Coconut – My mum’s favourite sweet was a coconut mushroom.
- French Vanilla – This is my favourite candle scent when I wish to relax and unwind. It’s such a luxurious yet simple scent.
- Jasmine – I link this smell with Centre Parcs Aqua Sana Spa, the most fabulous and relaxing spa I have ever been to. Jasmine also relieves stress and anxiety!
- Pomegranate Noir – This is my grandma’s favourite scent.
- Cherry Bakewell – My granddad (Pops) used to work for Mr Kipling and make Cherry Bakewells, which I always called ‘Pop’s Buns’. This oil does smell good enough to eat!
- Christmas Limited Edition – Gingerbread – My dad and I used to make gingerbread men from scratch throughout the year when I was a little girl and it’s still one of my favourite things to date.
The Nails By Jessica oils and hand cream moisturise and soothe the natural nail and surrounding skin – and they smell amazing. I love my products and am so thankful and overwhelmed other people love them as much as I do.
What are your hopes for the brand and your career?
I am currently working as a nail tech alongside full time office work which I love. I would like to becoming a full-time tech eventually as well as a brand ambassador and continue to do what I love.
I want Nails By Jessica to become a well known and popular brand for other nail techs to use and retail. I aim to double, if not triple the number of fragrances and generate sales all over the UK – not just my local area. I also want to take part in exhibitions such as Olympia Beauty and Beauty UK to showcase my products.
Follow Jessica on Instagram.