#NOWTRENDING Rainbow Opals by Charlotte Wales
By Callie Iley | 18 August 2020 | Feature, Tech Talk
Charlotte Wales of Charlotte’s Salon Ampthill chats to Scratch about her passion for nail art, future goals and how she created this rainbow opal nail design…
“I have been in the industry for seven years. I got into the industry through college, and instantly knew that nails were my thing. I pursued further education, training in gel and L&P acrylic nails and started my business thereafter.
“I went on to complete gel extension training to further my knowledge. I have a flare for nail art, and because of this, I decided to train with one of The Gel Bottle Inc ambassadors at a nail art day master class. I felt that in Bedfordshire, there weren’t many techs offering unique, more technical nail art designs, so that’s what I focused on to create my identity.
“My signature style is definitely a square nude nail as a base, with some form of nail art over it, especially abstract and bright summer designs, which I love! My favourite products to use are from The Gel Bottle Inc, specifically the Blooming Gel, which is amazing for creating nail art design such as opal nails and smokey marbles.
“I created the rainbow opal nails by layering nail art. I used The Gel Bottle Inc in the shade Diana as a base, then applied The Gel Bottle Inc’s Blooming Gel over the top uncured. I then marbled bright colours, so they merged slightly, using a small round gel brush. Over the top of this, I then applied a glitter from The Gel Bottle Inc in the shade Opal, then finished with Glitter Arty Nails gold foil, which I pressed to create that opal look! Once you break it down it’s so simple but still so effective.
“The best thing about working in the nail industry is, firstly, being able to be as creative as you want. The way you can make clients feel when they walk out of your salon, all from a set of nails you’ve created is probably the best feeling. Secondly, the support from other nail technicians both in the local area and all over the country is so heart-warming. It’s like being one big nail family! You learn so much from each other, and the inspiration you get from another tech’s work is amazing.
“The highlight of my career would absolutely be going from working out of my Corsa, day in day out, to now having my own salon and having a team of girls who work under my brand. It’s proof that if you work hard enough, you really can achieve anything you put your mind to!
“My hopes for the future would be to become more recognised in the nail industry – one day potentially becoming a brand ambassador for big brands within the industry, such as The Gel Bottle and Navy Professional. Most of all, I really just want to keep improving, growing and inspiring others with my work.”
Follow Charlotte on Instagram here