My client’s nautical-themed manicure went viral on her cruise ship holiday

Manchester nail tech, Natalie Reay, and her client, Joanne Darby, spent over twelve months planning Joanne’s nail design for her cruise holiday – a style that unexpectedly found fame among cruise-goers, sparking conversations, connections and creativity.

Imagine having ‘famous’ nails. This was the experience of Joanne Darby, who turned to her trusted tech, Natalie, for a cruise-ready nail design – one which neither expected to be met with such an enthusiastic response.

Natalie shares: “We talked about the cruise nail look for over 12 months! At most appointments we shared ideas, and constantly sent screenshots back and forth – including a design Joanne found online, which we used as inspiration.”

“The style featured blue block colour nails, one blue and white stripy nail and a white nail with an anchor,” explains Joanne. “Natalie is amazing at nail art, so I knew she could deliver what I wanted – and the look exceeded all my expectations!”

To create the highly anticipated design, Natalie used Glossify Naturabuild base gel in Nude and Gel Paint in Navy and Bright White. She used Brillbird Brush & Go Colour Gel in GO1 for the white stripe details, and Nail Stamping Queen Liquid Metals Chrome Gel Paint in Champagne for the rope detailing.

Ectastic with the result, Joanne shared a photo of her manicure in the cruise’s Facebook group and was met with an overwhelming response. “I didn’t expect to receive so many replies,” she shares. “I had so many comments from people saying how much they loved them and how great they looked!”

An example of a comment in the cruise’s Facebook group.

The nautical nail look continued to draw attention throughout the cruise, with fellow passengers frequently stopping Joanne to admire her manicure. One person even requested her own anchor nail art from the on-board salon!

Joanne sporting the nail design.

Natalie reflects on the impact of her creation: “I couldn’t believe it! It felt surreal to know that a nail design I had recreated sparked such a reaction, especially in such an unexpected setting like a cruise ship. I put so much passion into every style I create, so to see my work resonate with people on this level was incredibly rewarding.”

The experience also led to other realisations for Natalie. “It proves that nails hold more than aesthetic meaning; they are conversation starters and confidence boosters,” she shares. “Joanne’s nails sparked conversations, smiles and new connections. It shows how a set of nails can reflect personality, turn heads and bring people together in the most unexpected ways.”

She concludes with a message for fellow nail techs: “Your work really matters. You never know who’s going to see it or how far it will go. Every design has the power to make someone feel amazing and spark something bigger.”

Follow Natalie on Instagram and Facebook.