Nail Tech Talk: Rachel Foreman of Effy Nails
By Callie Iley | 29 December 2023 | Feature, Tech Talk
With a wealth of experience both on set and in-salon, nail artist, Rachel Foreman of Effy Nails, shares how her colourful career in the nail industry began and offers an insight into her day-to-day life…
Rachel Foreman
Returning to education in 2008 to train for two years in make-up artistry, the year that Rachel Foreman joined college was the year that nails were added to the syllabus. After qualifying, she spent the first three years of her career moving around different salons, before deciding to explore options for self-employment. “2023 has marked 10 years of my self-employment, taking me to work behind-the-scenes for films and fashion shoots, which I’ve been celebrating,” Rachel reveals.
“I work a lot with people who want to grow their natural nails, rather than wear extensions, or people who want to keep their nails short but still decorative,” she explains. “Builder gel is an absolute staple in my kit – I love a long, square enhancement, but not everyone wants to commit to those.”
Of her own nails, Rachel says: “These days I give them a quick mini mani every week, but nothing fancy. By the time I’m done for the day, I don’t have any juice left for my own. However, I visited New York this summer for the first time and booked in with Shani of @happyhandsnyc for medium, almond gel-X enhancements with light blue and lime ombré cat eye and silver chrome 3D details!
“I love experimenting with textures and 3D gels, mixing foils and chromes for futuristic looks. I think the unique nail looks appearing in the last few years are definitely a sign of products being as good as they’ve ever been, mixed with post-pandemic clients wanting to try something new.
“I’m inspired by Japanese styles on short nails, mixed with inspiration from random beautiful things and blending those with graphic prints,” Rachel shares. “Anything from illustrated book covers and jewellery to nature or my ‘discover’ page on Instagram gives me plenty of gorgeous paths to follow.
“I have three kinds of typical working days,” she reveals. “The first one is with clients to do their nails one-to-one. The second is teaching nail techs online, with how to prepare for working on shoots. The third is working behind-the-scenes for a film, commercial or fashion shoot and to do the talent’s nails on set. I love the range.
“I actually got into working as a session stylist because I read an article in Scratch in 2012. A nail tech was talking about doing nails for a James Bond film, the same time that the OPI Skyfall collection was out. It didn’t even occur to me that this kind of work was a possibility until that point. I wanted to see my work in print and on screen, and I soon realised the earning potential. Plus, I loved the idea of going on set with a crew of people that are all the best in their respective fields.
“The highlight of my career is moving to another country and starting again with nothing and no plan, just experiencing everything that came next,” Rachel continues. “I admire any self-employed nail tech who goes for it and makes it work. They’re constantly learning. They course-correct and change it up. They take time to rest and look after themselves and play with new ways to express their creativity. They do all of this behind-the-scenes, as well as showing up for their clients.
“I’m loving the stage I’m at now with teaching nail techs how to prepare for being on set and advocate for themselves. It’s something I had to figure out myself over the years, so it feels good to be able to share it with others,” Rachel beams. “The way the online world has connected opportunities with creative people is amazing. I hope the industry as a whole continues to support small businesses that serve nail techs themselves, as well as their clients.
“I love that the nail industry allows me to build a career around what I value in life,” she concludes. “It allows me to be creative, be social and show off new techniques and designs with clients, and I get to meet fellow creatives and people from all walks of life on set and in the studio.”
