Funky Pride rainbow nails: LGBTQ+ Wigan tech shares nail art tutorial

Seasonal & Occasions, Step by Step

Co-owner of Haus Of Wildes, Jake Wilde, opens up about his LGBTQ+ and nail journeys, and shares a fun Pride nail step-by-step…

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Jake wilde

From a young age, I knew I was different. I didn’t feel the same about girls as the other boys at school. After talking to my best friend, I realised that I am gay. Little did I know that from that moment, life was about to get a lot harder. The bullying, name calling and abuse I experienced after coming out almost made me regret who I was. Luckily, I found creative freedom by studying art and textiles GCSEs, loving how I was able to express myself in different ways. People would judge my work before me, and my art put smiles on their faces.

After school, I moved to Wigan and things got easier. I met my amazing husband, Adam, who I have been with for eight years. I found new avenues of support, including by opening hair and beauty salon, Haus Of Wildes, with Adam in 2020. My clients have celebrated me so loudly that I don’t care about those who don’t accept me. I pride myself on the fact that the salon is a safe, zero-judgment zone for all. A person’s sexual orientation, gender, ethnicity or disability isn’t an issue; kindness is everything.

With my husband, Adam, on our wedding day.

What does Pride mean to you?

It means staying true to myself: my values, journey and everything I’ve overcome. It’s about not shrinking myself to make others comfortable, and feeling confident in my achievements – even if they aren’t visible to others. Pride is also about knowing my worth, refusing to settle for any less than I deserve and living in alignment with my truth, no matter who is watching.

Why are you proud to be part of the nail community?

I love that nails tell a story; they allow people to express themselves and bring joy. A career in nails has given me the opportunity to showcase my creativity and artistic abilities, and provided freedom in terms of work-life balance, which is extremely important to me. Being a beauty pro is about more than making clients look good; you are trusted to boost people’s confidence, and help them unwind and show off their personalities. I take pride in knowing my work helps people feel beautiful, empowered and seen. The nail community is full of creativity, passion and constant growth, and its members support, celebrate and learn from one another.

Follow Jake & Haus Of Wildes on Instagram: @jake_wilde23 & @haus_of_wildes

Step-by-step: Funky Pride rainbow

You will need:

Kirsty Meakin Gel Polishes in White Out, Jessica Rabbit, Sham, Ibiza, Lime Light, Indie, Alex and Void.
Kirsty Meakin Cassidy Detailer Brush.
Kirsty Meakin Gloss Top Coat.
Kirsty Meakin Acrylic Powder in Glass Slipper.

All products are available via www.kirstymeakin.com

Step 1

Prep the nail. Apply two thin, full coverage coats of Kirsty Meakin Gel Polish in White Out, curing after each application in the Kirsty Meakin Cordless UV/LED Lamp.

Step 2

Decant drops of a rainbow of gel polish shades onto a palette, ready for painting. Your colour order should be: red, orange, yellow, green, blue then violet/purple, as showcased in the Pride flag. I placed Jessica Rabbit first, followed by Sham, Ibiza, Lime Light, Alex then Indie.

Step 3

With the Cassidy Detailer Brush, paint a curved line of each colour in the centre of the nail, to create the rainbow. Start with red at the top and work down to violet/purple. Flash cure each colour after application, to ensure the shades don’t bleed. When happy with the design, fully cure.

Step 4

Using black Kirsty Meakin Gel Polish, Void, paint separated curved lines in the white space around the rainbow, starting with those closest to the rainbow and moving outwards. Cure once happy with the lines.

Step 5

Apply a thin layer of Gloss Top Coat to the entire nail and cure for 60 seconds.

Step 6

Using White Out and the Cassidy Detailer Brush, paint over the curved white lines in the design, making sure to not go over any of the black, as this could result in shadowing. Dust over the nail with Kirsty Meakin Acrylic Powder in Glass Slipper, then cure.

Step 7