Nail Tech Talk: Olga Armengol Palomino of Holy Nails
By Callie Iley | 13 August 2022 | Feature, Tech Talk
Olga Armengol Palomino of Holy Nails chats with Scratch about her introduction to the nail industry and pushing out of your comfort zone as a tech…
“Marble nails are on the top of my list when it comes to nail art,” Olga shares. “I find it super fun to mix a few colours and let the blooming gel do the rest. They always look gorgeous and it’s quick and easy. It’s my perfect go-to when I don’t have a lot of time!
“I also enjoy doing French tips, because there are infinite ways to do them, and you can add so many things to them to take your designs to the next level like chrome, swirls, flowers… Anything you like!”
“I would say I get my inspiration from Instagram – there are so many talented nail technicians on there, for example @safinailstudio @nailsbyheathere @Ibebeauty & @beautyspace_charlotte. I love every single design they do, they are unbelievable and when my inspiration doesn’t come, it really helps to check out their work.
“Most of the time I just pick some colours and start creating a design I have in mind,” she reveals. “In the end it might turn out completely different. It really depends on the day and my mood.”
“Being a nail tech requires creativity, which means you get to exercise your creative side every single day, and I love it,” Olga beams. “It’s expressing yourself through your art, you can tell so much from a person by only looking at the nail’s design.
“It also changes so fast, there are always new trends and new nail designs to try and different ways to do them. You keep learning every day and it’s fascinating.”
“The nail industry is the most supportive, welcoming and inspiring environment to work in.”
“One piece of advice that changed my career was, don’t be afraid, just do it.
“It was my husband who pushed me to do a nail course last year and I’m so glad he did,” she recalls. “He’s always been very supportive and that made me a bit more confident as I’m quite unsure at times, and a major perfectionist.”
“I’ve always worked in hospitality and I still am. My husband and I own a small coffee shop together and I do nails part time at but I’m looking forward to making it my full time job one day,” Olga smiles. “I’ve always loved doing my nails with regular polish, but when we had the lockdown in 2020, I was checking Instagram all the time looking at nail accounts.
“That was when I found out about gel polish. It was mind-blowing. I finally qualified in May last year after training with The GelBottle. I’m completely obsessed with their products and I’m loving every step of the journey.”
“The best advice I could give to other techs is don’t be too tough on yourself – no one is perfect. Don’t compare yourself with other nail techs that have probably been in the nail industry for longer than you.
“Just be yourself and practice, practice, practice,” she says. “With time and patience you’ll get there. Get out of your comfort zone and never stop learning!”