I was visited by a Scratch Stars Award-winning mobile nailist. Here’s my experience
By Rebecca Hitchon | 25 November 2024 | Feature, Tech Talk
Here’s what happened when Stella Angelova, Scratch Stars Mobile Nailist of the Year 2024, paid Scratch’s deputy editor, Rebecca Hitchon, a visit…
Stella of Stella A. – Nail Artist is based in Swanley, Kent, and travelled six miles to my home in Orpington. It was a gloomy and wet day, but Stella was like a ray of sunshine when she arrived. She asked where she could set up, then quickly and efficiently unpacked her kit onto a towel on the dining table. While she did this, she handed me her phone to complete a consultation form about my nail type and detail any possible contraindications.
As a mobile nail appointment newbie, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would I find the experience at home relaxing, or strange? Well, an hour and a half later, as I said goodbye to Stella, tension had left my shoulders, my mood was elevated and my nails looked beautiful. It’s why so many of Stella’s clients haven’t looked back since booking her mobile nail appointments.
Stella’s story
Originally from Bulgaria, Stella moved to Romford, Essex, nine years ago. “I didn’t know any English and didn’t have a job, but nails have always been my hobby,” she shared. “I originally lived with two other families, and one of the women in the house noticed me doing nails and found a salon seeking techs. It was about four months after I had moved to the country, so my English was very basic and I didn’t have a nail qualification, but she spoke to the salon staff, who agreed to take me on as an apprentice.”
Around a month later, Stella made the decision to return to Bulgaria for six months to achieve a nail qualification. On her return to England, the salon offered her a job. “I was there for nearly two years, then fell pregnant. I didn’t work for three years, as I cared for my daughter, moved to Swanley and then, there was the pandemic,” Stella explained. “When my daughter started nursery, I decided it was time to work again, but I had moved away from my previous employer and couldn’t find any Swanley salons that allowed me to work around childcare.”
Stella turned to mobile tekking and discovered a platform for mobile beauty professionals to advertise their services. Local recommendations were limited, so she took the leap to self-employment in 2021. “There were no other mobile nail techs based in Swanley at the time, so my services were in demand,” Stella shared. “I launched my business soon after the pandemic, so many people were anxious to leave their homes and loved the idea of a service that came to them.” The pro offers classic manicures and pedicures, OPI GelColor overlays and Bio Sculpture enhancements, with gel polish services most popular.
An award-winning experience
As Stella tended to my nails, it wasn’t difficult to understand why she won a Scratch Star. It’s an accolade she was delighted to have scooped, having been a finalist for the Mobile Nailist of the Year category in 2023.
The biggest takeaway from my appointment with Stella was her professionalism: an aspect she described as ‘paramount’ in her Scratch Stars Awards 2024 application.
From her smart black uniform and PPE, to the way she explained each step of the appointment – while building a friendly rapport, I felt completely at ease. She shared that nail prep is her favourite step, noting its importance for long-lasting results. I watched in awe as she focused on my natural nailcare.
Rebecca’s nail look created by Stella.
The tech finds that OPI suits her client base: fans of ‘simple and elegant nails’, who opt for natural-looking shades and minimal nail art. Two coats of sheer, pale pink Bubble Bath is what she painted on my nails, before a coat of baby pink pearl, I Meta My Soulmate, and a small white heart on each of my ring fingers. Stella made the colour selection process fun and interactive, promising that she would create the ‘perfect’ shade to match my dress for an a wedding. While she layered the hues, her excitement was contagious and I felt her passion for healthy, beautiful nails and client satisfaction throughout the appointment.
As I admired my finished nails and moisturised skin, Stella handed me a drawstring pouch containing her business card, price list and aftercare advice. It also contained the orange wood stick she had used, a tiny buffer, handbag-friendly Famous Nails Dadi’Oil cuticle oil and Bio Sculpture Ethos Vitamin Dose treatment. I felt that Stella deeply cared about my nail needs and desires, and my mood and self-esteem had been boosted as a result. I came away with a renewed appreciation of the importance of high standards – not just in nailcare, but in the client experience.