NAIL TECH TALK: Aminah Akhtar of Minnie’s Beauty Lounge
By Callie Iley | 13 February 2021 | Feature, Tech Talk
Scratch chats with Aminah Akhtar of Minnie’s Beauty Lounge about the messages behind her nail art and the progress she’s made during her nail career so far…
“The thing I love about nails is that it’s so much more than just painting nails. Nail art can be used to make a statement or spread awareness. For instance, I created a set of nails to support the ‘I stand with farmers’ movement in India, where for over two months, farmers have been taking to the streets of Delhi to protest peacefully for their human rights. Unfortunately, there’s very little media attention on the issue so being able to spread awareness through nail art is amazing.
“I’ve got a small platform, but I use it to raise awareness of things I feel passionate about. India is currently witnessing the biggest protest in its history, yet the voices of these farmers are still not being heard. I love how painting ‘I stand with farmers’ on my nails has helped spread more awareness of this story to my followers, and their followers, all thanks to the power of social media.
“I received many messages from people who were shocked to hear what was going on due to the lack of media coverage. In the industry, we appreciate nail art, but also the message and meaning behind it.”
“If not making a statement with my nail styles, I see design inspiration from Pinterest or Instagram. Sometimes I even look at my own work, and see what it would look like if I combined two designs together.
“I admire Joely Ocean Nails so much as without realising, she pushes me to be more creative with my nail art. I attended her online masterclass during the first UK lockdown, and I feel so much more confident in creating more complex nail designs.
“If I was to pick a nail colour to characterise my personality, it would be one that is comprised of multiple colours and sparkly, too. I have a lot of aspects to my personality, so I couldn’t pick just one colour!”
“During lockdown, I know most nail techs spent a lot of time on social media, comparing themselves to other nail techs. I was one of them! It’s so easy to be hard on yourself and not realise it. I remember seeing a positive quote on Instagram, ‘the only competition you have is with yourself’. Once I read this, my mindset completely changed. We all have our good days and bad days, but I constantly remind myself how far I’ve come.
“I began my nail journey in 2015 as a 17 year old, practising on friends and family, using the desk on which I did my homework. So much has changed since then – now, I have great clients, many of which I’m lucky enough to call friends, and I’ve been featured by Scratch Magazine!
“If I wasn’t a nail tech, I would definitely look at being a therapist. I think you automatically take this role when being a nail tech, and I honestly love that clients can talk to me and get some of their troubles off their chest.”
“Improving your skills and artistry as a nail tech is so important. You can stand out from others, charge more for certain nail designs or add different services. By doing so, you open yourself up to more custom. During lockdown, I have worked hard with Beauty Industry Approval to become a qualified teacher, in order to help nail techs enhance and expand their skill set, or help someone who wants to be in the industry find their way in.”