TECH TALK: Katie Baulk of Katie’s Beauty Room

Scratch chats to Katie Baulk of Katie’s Beauty Room about the next steps in her career and her advice for aspiring techs…

What is your all-time favourite nail product?

This would have to be CND Shellac. I have used it religiously since 2011 and have never fallen out of love with it. It’s so amazing that it keeps my clients coming back, as they love the brand as much as I do. During lockdown, I started using Magpie Beauty too. I’ve always used the brand’s glitters and decided to try out some of its other products. ‘Give Me Strength’ is a game changer for me. It has given my clients the nails they have always dreamed of having, and it keeps them strong.

From where do you source inspiration for your nail work?

I have Instagram and Facebook to thank for all my main sources of inspiration. There are hundreds of amazing nail technicians on there, who I absolutely idolise. Beyond that, I draw inspiration from being spontaneous and wanting to try new things. My clients are incredible and are usually happy to go with the flow, to see where the journey takes us. We choose a colour and just run with it, whether that be with stamping, hand painted nail art, glitter, foils or sometimes a bit of everything! You can pick inspiration from anything if you have an eye for detail. It could be a bag a client brings in, to a bunch of flowers sitting on the side. Inspiration is everywhere – you just need to look!

If you had to pick one, what nail colour would characterise your personality?

I would definitely have to say baby pink. In my personal life, I’ve always been such a girly girl and pink has always been my colour. I also have a little girl who is four, and she is exactly the same as her mummy – my little ‘mini-me’! I think if you ask any of my friends, family or clients, they would all tell you that pink best represents my personality. To me, baby pink is a happy and loving colour. I’m often told by clients and friends how comfortable I make them and how they feel so safe with me. One of my main goals was always to have my salon to be a safe space for my clients to laugh, cry and talk to me about anything. I painted my salon baby pink recently as I think it helps me to set a calm, tranquil and open atmosphere.

What are your next career steps?

In the short term, my career steps are just to keep busy in these uncertain times and to try make people happy. I feel it is much harder to further yourself with all of the challenges the pandemic is throwing our way, so for now, my focus is on continuing to improve my skills and spreading happiness to anybody who steps through the door. Long term steps I would like to take to branch out more into the world of hand painted nail art, as it’s something I would absolutely love to do. I have taken some online masterclasses during lockdown and intend to continue to attend as many as I possibly can. It’s my dream to be able to run my own masterclasses someday in the future! I would also eventually love to have a separate building added to my house or even a little salon, so I can have one of my friends come work with me, as she’s incredibly talented.

Tell us about an average day in your nail life…

I set up my workstation and prepare for whatever my clients throw at me! My most popular treatment is Shellac, so I make sure everything is prepped and ready. I know which clients are coming, so I get super excited when I’ve got my clients in who literally say ‘Katie, do what you want to’. My days vary, which makes my job all the more exciting.

Do you have any funny or eventful career stories?

I think, strangely, for me, it’s when clients come to me for the first time and swear, they will never have glitter. Fast forward anything between six months and a year and they have gone from no glitter, to an accent finger, to glitter fade, to then having full glitter on every nail! I love glitter so much that my clients call me the glitter queen. I seem to be able to persuade my clients to have a little bit of sparkle, and it makes me so happy. That first glitter-less appointment becomes a distant memory and something we laugh about.

What tips do you have for aspiring nail techs?

I would 100% say don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. I avoided nail art for so long thinking I wouldn’t be able to do it, then my clients started to push me, and I soon realised just how much I love it. I’m improving and experimenting every day now. I was encouraged to find a job in the beauty industry straight after I finished my college courses. I was absolutely terrified, but when the time came and I stepped into a salon for the first time, I knew I was where I should be, and I haven’t looked back since.

I’ve worked in three salons and now I have a home salon, and I can hand on heart say I love every aspect of my job. I would also say what I know people will have already heard; practice makes perfect. Improving your craft is important, and the more people who are happy for you to experiment on them, the better you will become, and the more successful you will be.

Me and my friend would save up any pocket money we had and went to buy the latest nail varnish in our local Morrisons, and would spend all weekend painting our nails, just to take it off the next day for another colour. Everyone has to start somewhere, make that day today!

Follow Katie’s nail journey on Instagram, here.