Salon in the Spotlight: Nails With Kails, Andover, Hampshire

Kayleigh Watkins shares the story behind her home salon business, Nails With Kails: a space infused with personality and creativity…

While facing redundancy from her full-time job in 2019, Kayleigh undertook some nail courses with Magpie Beauty. “I wanted to find a creative and therapeutic outlet, as well as future-proof an income for myself,” she reveals. The nail pro began treating clients in her spare bedroom, but when looking to move in 2022, grabbed the opportunity to establish a salon space away from her home’s main living areas.

“Nails With Kails is located in a converted garage, accessible next to my house front door, and is relatively central to town,” Kayleigh continues. “It took me almost a year to decide on the vibe I wanted the salon appearance to have. In the end, I let my personality shine through and used lots of colour, fun prints and decorative items that make me happy. I feel with it being a creative space, it attracts clients who love nail art and makes them happy too. I would describe the salon as a mood booster every time I open the door.”

The decoration of Nails With Kails took around three weeks, with Kayleigh doing this between clients, working full-time and planning her wedding. “It was a labour of love,” she says. “The theme includes my favourite colours and there is a focus on abstract details, as this is my favourite nail art to create on clients and Dalmatian print has a special place in my heart! I have to admit, I was incredibly nervous when painting the ceiling, as I’d never done anything so adventurous before and the paint appeared brown at first. However, this turned out lovely and is one of my favourite parts of the salon.”

Kayleigh notes that her business is unique in her area, because of the one-to-one, personalised nature of appointments. “My clients love this as they receive a special, comfortable experience and are able to express themselves – but they can expect my cat, Billie, to seek out a warm lap,” she smiles. “I feel I offer a bespoke nail art service that isn’t necessarily available elsewhere in my town, using Magpie Beauty, which I am a brand partner for, due to the longevity of products and selection of base coats, builder gels, gel colours and glitters.”

Looking to the future, Kayleigh’s biggest goal is to make the move to full-time tekking. “After that, I’d love to look into becoming an educator and possibly taking on another nail technician to work alongside me in the business,” she details. “Having a home salon gives me the freedom to work when I want to, with full control over how the space is kept, and since taking on clients, I haven’t looked back!”