Today we’d like to introduce you to Ceirra Carlini-Smith.
Hi Ceirra, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
I originally went to cosmetology school because I wanted to do hair, but upon graduating and getting a job in a salon, I quickly found that it was not for me. The salon that I worked in was a full service salon offering nail services, massages, facials, waxing, and hair services. When I was there, I spent more time in the back with the nail tech, who taught me how to do a basic gel manicure and gel pedicure. I always had an interest in doing my own nails, so to finally learn how to do those things properly was so much fun to me. After I felt like I had the gel manicure down, I left to work in a nail salon full time in March of 2018. I practiced all day while I was at work and into the night when I got home. I had no idea what I was doing in any aspect other than a gel manicure and gel pedicure. I enjoyed nail art, but I did not want to bite off more than I could chew, so I started with the basics only: solid color nail polish, gel polish, and eventually onto solid color acrylic sets.
October is my favorite time of year, so when Halloween came around in 2018, I knew I wanted to try a fun design! I did a “complex” type of art – or so it was to me at the time – for the first time. It was just a burnt orange set with pumpkins I had painted at the base of my nails, and the design was only on one hand with a solid burnt orange on the other hand. That set took me around 5 hours at my dining room table. I received tons of compliments, and it made me so proud to be able to say “Thank you! I did them myself!” for once. From there, I figured that I could try something even more detailed, even if it took me hours.
In December 2018, we moved to St. Pete for one year and I worked in a nail studio that focused solely on nail art. Hardly anyone came in that didn’t want nail art. During that year, I spent every single second of my free time practicing hand-painted art trying to find my art style and perfect my craft. I practiced on myself and fake hands, and I would post on social media for people to let me practice on them for free. I also spent that time learning as much as I could about nail hygiene, nail safety, and how clients can most effectively maintain their enhancements. In 2020 right before the COVID lockdown, I started working in a salon back in Orlando to build a clientele because I knew that one day I would like to be on my own.
In April of 2021, I opened my own studio! Since then, I have grown a large, loyal, and amazing clientele that lets me do what I love most – freestyle sets. I produce my best work when I am given free rein on the nail art because no restrictions allows my creativity to truly flow. In addition to establishing a great clientele, I am an ambassador for Bio Seaweed Gel, a Canadian bottled gel polish brand that is highly pigmented and non-toxic. I have also become an educator for Leaf Gel Premium, a leading Japanese brand for non-toxic, highly pigmented, and durable potted gel polish. I have always tried my absolute best to educate clients on the importance of nail safety and nail hygiene. Working with Leaf Gel Premium has allowed me the opportunity to work with nail techs – licensed or DIYers at home – to spread that knowledge, as well as how to do specific nail art techniques, such as marble or French. French is a design that I specifically spent months practicing at home because crispy, even lines are incredibly important to a French manicure design, so being able to help teach other nail techs how to accomplish that much easier is great.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I have not had a smooth road. I have had to teach myself the majority of what I’ve learned throughout my career. Cosmetology school “teaches” one page about nails, so learning the information and techniques myself was a difficult journey. That journey was made even more difficult because there was only myself to keep me motivated. I did not have a lot of support when I decided that I wanted to do cosmetology, and I had even less when I decided to leave hair to do nails. It’s very easy to quit or put things off when you are constantly being questioned if you are making the right career decision. In addition to that, I had to build my clientele after moving around for 3 years. Building a clientele in a new area can take a long time, but fortunately, because I originally started in Orlando, there were a few familiar faces to come back to. The COVID lockdown was also a tough struggle that I know the beauty industry is still recovering from. When things get tough and cost of living is going up, beauty services are the first things that people start to do on their own.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I specialize in hand-painted nail art, specifically character nail art. I absolutely love Halloween themed nails, but anything where I can hand paint a design is fun to me. In addition to that, I take great pride in educating clients on nail safety and product knowledge. Working with clients to successfully grow out their nails when they haven’t been able to before, makes me incredibly happy. Such a large percentage of people don’t know what product is on their nails or they have an idea of what’s on their nails but it’s the wrong product or a “made up” product, such as “gel powder”. My hope is that by educating clients, the nail industry can change for the better.
Any big plans?
I am not sure what the future holds. I try my best to stay present and remain appreciative for what I have accomplished.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.instagram.com/ceirrasnails
- Instagram: @ceirrasnails
Image Credits
@ceirrasnails
