Senior shares passion through nail art business

Addison Gordon | The Chronicle

Gel, Gel-X, nail art – you name it and she can do it to your nails. 

Senior Eliava Li has always had an interest in nail art. When she was younger, Li fell in love with it from watching her aunt’s nail art. Li started to study her aunt’s techniques. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Li’s isolation from extended family led her to start experimenting with her own nails. 

“My mom also wanted to learn how to do her own nails,” Li said. “So, we had all the supplies at the house.”

After years of practice doing nails, she decided to start doing her friends’ nails. Li  received positive reviews from her friends and they encouraged Li to start her own business so she could share her love for nails with others.

“All my friends were like, ‘You should turn this into a business,’” Li said. “I said I didn’t know since I wasn’t comfortable with my experience yet.”

A couple of weeks later, Eliava was in the car with her friend who suggested making an Instagram account to post her nail designs. Li jumped on the idea since nails are her passion and it was a way to meet new people. From there, she started learning how to do different types of nails like gel, Gel-X, as well as various types of designs.

“I did my friends’ nails for free for about a year to gain experience, and when a friend suggested making a page on Instagram again, I said okay.”

After years of practice, during her junior year, Li started her business, began accepting new clients and word began to spread.

“My base price for a standard gel nail is fifteen dollars, and for extensions I just add ten dollars onto that since it takes more time,” Li said. “For designs, the price depends on the difficulty of each design.” 

Once she decided on a price, there were a lot of other things that needed to be organized in order to start the business. Li faced some challenges while getting everything prepped for business.

“When I first started, I didn’t have a set location where I could do nails professionally,” Li said. “I would usually set up at my couch but since then, I have upgraded to a table for my business.”

The newly organized business space created a more relaxing atmosphere for clients. With the new setup, Li said she continued practicing complicated designs on her own nails. Being an artist already, Li said she was driven by her creativity to design hundreds of different nail designs for her clients to choose from, even when it was challenging.

“Using such a small canvas, one nail, was really hard to overcome,” Li said. “I have done art for a while like paintings and digital art which were on a much bigger scale than a nail.”

One of her current clients, senior Iris Zhu, said she has had positive experiences with Li’s nail business.

“She made me feel extremely comfortable during my appointment,” Zhu said. “[She] was very detailed with her work which made me feel taken care of,”. 

“She is very professional and lets you know her nail care process regarding cuticles and UV spikes,” Zhu said. “Her setup was also nice and cozy, which created a peaceful environment, and it was also very sanitary. She had a nice selection of colors which is always a plus.”

Another client, Kajal Brahmbhatt, said she had an enjoyable experience at her nail appointment with Li.

“My experience with Eliava doing my nails is delightful as she keeps the conversation fun and interesting during our session,” Brahmbhatt said. “She did my nails very well and was patient with me so I didn’t feel uncomfortable.

Brahmbhatt said she was impressed with the quality of the nail art in combination with Li’s welcoming personality. 

“She made the experience of getting my nails done very convenient and efficient as my nails were done in about 45 minutes,” Brahmbhatt said. “[They] looked in great shape with the price points.” 

Despite the struggles of creating a small business, Li said her journey with her nail business has brought joy to her life. She said she encourages others to run with their dreams like she did herself.

“To anyone who is questioning starting their own business, or wondering if it’s possible, don’t be afraid to reach out to people or build a portfolio, because it makes it easier for your business to grow and for the name to be known,” Li said.