Washington LGBTQ+ nail artist: abstract bisexual Pride flag tutorial

Seasonal & Occasions, Step by Step

Salem Victoria, nail art specialist based in Tacoma, USA, shares the importance of Pride and inclusivity, and eight steps to create a bisexual flag nail design…

Salem Victoria

I have been fortunate that the people who find my art are typically members of the LGBTQ+ community, or are accepting and encouraging allies. I share that I am queer on social media, as I believe that positive representation inspires positive imitation. I have worked hard to curate an online presence that attracts other members of the LGBTQ+ community, because I want them to feel safe around me. It is important to me that queer individuals have people that they can look up to and be inspired by. By creating art that represents the LGBTQ+ experience in a positive way, it is my hope that it inspires others to express their art.

What does Pride mean to you?

Pride isn’t just a month: it’s existing with freedom to love and express love without fear. To be proud is to find strength in something, use it to uphold you, lift you, bring you peace and feel inspired by your belief in it. The things that bring us pride are the things that keep our heads up in times of judgment and dread. Pride propels us forward and gives us courage to make it through another day in a world that often tells us that we are ‘wrong’. I am honoured to have been born the way I am, with a soul so full of love and acceptance that it knows no bounds.

Salem Victoria nails 1

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

It is supportive, with peers taking the time to share their knowledge, techniques and uplift one another. I love the artistry of the nail craft and how there are truly no limits to what can be shown through a set of nails. The industry is also special as it is about self-care: clients visit pros to relax, vent, escape their anxieties and responsibilities, and know that they are safe to exist without expectations. I am honoured to be a part of my clients’ self-expression, too.

Inclusivity insight

Nail professionals must acknowledge that there is not just one type of client, and it is not clients’ jobs to explain or justify their choices – even if you don’t understand them. Be someone your customers can trust with any request or information.

To LGBTQ+ nail techs, I suggest connecting with other pros in the community by searching for hashtags on social media like #LGBTQNailTech and #QueerNailTech. Find accounts you resonate with and send them a message. You may be surprised by how others are open to chatting, lending an ear or offering advice.

Salem Victoria nails 2

Follow Salem on Instagram: @justthetip_tacoma

Step-by-step: Abstract bisexual Pride flag

You will need:

Pink and purple gel polishes.
Matte top coat.
Round, firm brush.
Blue and purple pigment powders.
Fluffy brush.
Liner brush.
White gel paint.
Dotting tool.

Step 1

Apply purple gel polish to a prepped nail and cure. Apply a matte top coat and cure.

Step 2

Pick up blue pigment powder with a round, firm brush and use patting, pressing and round movements to apply it randomly to the nail. Use the fluffy brush to remove any excess powder. Apply matte top coat over the nail with soft pressure, to avoid smearing the pigment, and cure.

Step 3

Repeat step two using purple pigment powder.

Step 4

Repeat steps two and three until you are satisfied with the intensity of the pigments.

Step 5

Using a thin liner brush (I opted for a 25mm brush) and white gel paint, paint long, curved lines in abstract shapes over the nail. Cure. Use a dotting tool to add pink gel polish dots throughout the design, creating balance.

Step 6

Ensure your liner brush is clean, then use it to pull through the pink gel polish: up, down, left and right. Cure.

Step 7

Add white gel paint dots to the design and repeat step six for these. Have fun with placement and number of dots.

Step 8

Using a dotting tool, add tiny pink gel polish and white gel paint dots throughout the design, to add balance and fill any negative spaces. Cure after each colour application. Apply a matte top coat over the entire nail and cure.