My Nail Journey: From DIYer to Doing Suzie's Nails!

My name is Serena, but many call me “Pinky!” Why you ask? Well…

Need I say more?

I’m from New Zealand and have a passion for nails and all things pink and glitter! I’m happy to say that I do nails for a living- and I love every minute of it! My life hasn’t always been like this, though. It’s changed drastically even from just a few years ago.

Let me share with you how I got here; my nail journey!

Developing my Passion

For about ten plus years I had gotten my nails done. I always loved nails, but had never tried my own hand at it. It wasn’t until 2014 when I decided to start doing my own. That’s when my real nail addiction began! I began to paint my nails every single day. I was just a beginner (aka not good yet, lol) but I remained persistent and I slowly began to improve. I watched countless nail videos on YouTube to help me learn. And when I started stamping, the options for my designs became endless!

It wasn’t too long before people around me began to notice. They’d ask me, “Who does your nails?!” and I’d happily be able to reply, “Me!” After a while of this, people started to also suggest to me that I should be a nail tech. “A nail tech?” I thought.

“I could be a nail tech! Why shouldn’t I be able to do my passion everyday?!” And just like that, the seed was planted!

In 2017, I completed a few nail courses focusing on gel application. I then began taking a few clients part-time while still working my existing full-time job. Later that year though, I knew that I needed to be doing nails full-time, so I quit my current job. After taking a few more nail classes, I decided that it was time to learn acrylic application as well. *Gulp,* the big one! Acrylic had always been tricky for me in the past. But, I knew going forward in my nail career that I wanted a good grasp on this medium as well.

It was also around this time that I found Suzie’s nail tutorials on YouTube. The first one I watched of hers was a chrome powder one. I loved this video because of Suzie’s excitement for the product- I loved that she got so excited about a new product, just like I did! I didn’t know too much about Suzie then, other than that she made me laugh out loud and she was passionate about nails. This shone through in all of her videos, which got me hooked!

Down the rabbit-hole of her video catalogue, I began to realize that she knows a thing or two about nails. Well, a lotactually. So, when thinking of where I should learn acrylic application and finding out that Suzie had a nail school in Victoria, BC, Canada and was opening courses up to international students, I thought why shouldn’t I learn from the best?!

I applied for her international workshop in early 2018 and was super excited to be accepted for her October class of that year. However, as life does, I was thrown a curveball. In February of that year, my sister-in-law was diagnosed with stage four cancer. Family comes first. So, Canada was not going to happen. Sadly, only one month later in March, she passed away. We had lost my mother-in-law in 2017 and my own mother passed away as well suddenly the year prior. In just three short years, my husband Simon and I lost three very close members of our family.

This was a huge turning point in both of our life journeys. Together, we decided that life is too short to not do the things you want to do while you still can. With that, we booked our flights to Canada and I was off to further my passion for nails as well as fulfill a small dream of mine- to meet as like to call her, “the Fairy Godmother of Nails!”

Taking Suzie’s Course

Suzie’s salon is gorgeous! I was in love the moment I walked in! And getting there wasn’t so shabby either- myself and the girls in this course were picked up by a stretch limo everyday! We stayed at the Empress Hotel, which was a victorian style hotel (looked like a castle!) with a modern twist. I felt so special and couldn’t stop smiling!

Like I said, acrylic and I haven’t always had the best time together. So, even though I knew I was in good hands, I was nervous about my ability to achieve what I set out to do with a product I haven’t had much luck with in the past.

Luckily, Suzie made me feel at ease and she helped me so much with my confidence. She made me feel like I could do it! She spent one on one time with each of us and gave extremely helpful feedback. I loved that the classroom was relaxed. Because of this, I felt very comfortable asking as many questions as I needed to. By the end of the course, I had a handle on acrylic application that I had never had before! I was ecstatic!

Suzie’s team was also amazing! Her head nail tech Chelsea, was great. She was super knowledgeable, supportive and always helping us out. Karly, who I nicknamed, “the Food Fairy,” was so kind- she got us Starbucks every morning! Did you know she’s an amazing singer/songwriter? Simon and I were able to see her perform one of the nights and we had a blast!

Suzie even brought in a special guest to share her expertise on one of the course days. Her name was Olga and she is a master at one-stroke nail art. It was incredible to watch her work!

The entire week was a dream!

I wish I had taken the course sooner! Our class had so many laughs too and Suzie and I even bonded over our mutual love for glitter! On the final day, I kept stalling because I didn’t want to leave! Getting into the limo for the last time was definitely bittersweet.

Doing Suzie’s Nails!

After the course was over, Simon and I had another five days on vacation in Vancouver. On a Saturday evening at dinner after we had been out all day doing touristy things, I received a message from Suzie that made me jaw drop. She was inviting me back to Victoria to come and be on her YouTube channel!

My first reaction was, “S*#T! OMG is this for real?!”

I freaked out as this was unbelievable! I couldn’t even finish my dinner! I was so excited- and so nervous! For Suzie to want lil ‘ole me, a pink kiwi girl, to do her nails and film it- I just couldn’t believe it!

It was a huge honour- not only being able to visit Suzie’s nail set- but to be a guest on her channel! The day before the shoot, I was so anxious. Much to my Simon’s surprise, I couldn’t even speak (very unlike me, hehe). He told me though, that once I see Suzie at the set, I’d feel much better.

The day came and walking onto the set was even more incredible than I had imagined! Cameraman actually painted the background of the set pink just for me! Like, was this a dream? It felt unreal, like a movie set!

I was extremely nervous to be doing the Fairy Godmother of Nails’ nails- and for the world to see! I honestly was nearly sick! But once again, Suzie helped me relax. We had so much fun too- so many laughs. And what colour did I do her nails? I mean, do you even have to ask?!

My journey from being a nail DIYer to doing Suzie’s nails, as you can see, did not happen overnight.

There were ups and downs as well as lots of time and work to hone my craft- and to even decide to go for my passion! I’ve learned so much from all of this. My trip to Canada for the course and meeting Suzie was the cherry on top. It was truly a trip of a lifetime for me. I now have such special memories that I will treasure forever.

If you want something, go for it! And be true to who you are. Whether that means becoming a full-time nail tech and wearing pink everyday or something completely different!

Remember, “Life is better when you are covered in glitter!”

Happy pink days!

Pinky