Nail Tech Talk: Angela Griffin of Strawberry Milk Nails

Anime nail art enthusiast, Angela Griffin of Strawberry Milk Nails, reveals her go-to tools for creating detailed designs and her hopes for her future in the industry.

“I love creating character nail art. Some of my most popular and recognisable designs are anime related,” Angela reveals. “However, I do love to create any style as my mood can vary so much, from cute and kawaii, to dark and gothic.

“Painting detailed and intricate images on such a small area has meant I’ve really had to experiment with a mixture of brands and products to find the right things that work for me, and l vary what I use depending on what style l am going for. Brillbird has several products I use every time I paint detailed designs, including their 0 brush, the Brush & Go Gel Paints and the Designer Gel in Black and White. I have also recently discovered the MPA nail art palette which has numerous thick and highly pigmented colours, perfect to stop your work from getting too bulky.”

“Inspiration can come from numerous sources. Instagram is a great source whether you use other nail artists designs to give you guidance or other artists and prints or patterns to guide you in designing some fabulous nails.

“Pinterest and Google are also great sources, particularly if you are trying to find original images from films or programmes,” she explains. “I always have numerous pictures saved that have aspects I would love to incorporate into a new design.”

“I’m starting working longer days as a nail technician, alongside my part-time in my other job as a scientist. Days really do vary, some are much busier than others, however I will always be painting, whether it’s on a client or creating new sets on press on nails. Practice really does make perfect!

“Having a career in the nail industry allows for so much creative freedom. No matter what style you decide to venture into, there is always a niche for it,” Angela smiles. “It’s an incredibly supportive industry – I’ve lost count of now many times other nail technicians have picked me up when I haven’t felt good enough, it’s like being part of such a special family.”

“I have had plenty of highs and lows since starting my journey as a nail technician, but there are definitely a few highlights that have really made my career,” she shares. “I was featured in an article for Allure last year which was an incredible opportunity.

“I also came ninth for Nail Technician of the Year in the Hair and Beauty Awards 2022. I have also been accepted entry for 2023 so hopefully I might place even higher!”

“Eventually, I would love to open my own studio where I can work full time alongside other aspiring nail technicians. I also have plans to do some nail tutorials and classes to help others improve their skills and share my knowledge.

“Practice is key for techs. You can never do enough to improve your skills, especially with new trends and products appearing all the time,”Angela says. “I would also like to say, don’t take other peoples criticisms to heart. It’s so easy for others to pass judgment on your work in a negative way when they themselves have never even tried it. We all have to start somewhere and you should be proud of everything you do, never let others pull you down, you are worth so much more!”

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