Educate
Ask an EDUCATOR
Carrie-Leigh Allen NAME:
How long have you been working in the industry? 18 years.
What first attracted you to the nail industry?
I was looking for a job while I waited for my GCSE results and the job I ended up applying for was a beauty position. When I went to the interview I was shown and asked to apply an acrylic nail - up until then I didn’t even know nail extensions existed! Through school I wanted to be an illustrator, so I think my artistic side saw the creative aspect of this career and won me over, since then I have never looked back. Fate definitely had a hand in this I believe.
Which qualifications do you hold? NVQ 3 in Nail services NVQ 2 in beauty therapy Ptlls Certificate in Education Assessors award
What does being an Educator involve? I think that educating involves much more than simply teaching students how to do nails. It is all about supporting them before, throughout and after the course to ensure they get the most out of their learning experience. As an Educator we must constantly update our own training to ensure we are offering our students up to the minute industry techniques.
18 | Polished Summer 2016
What do you love most about your job? It’s all about sharing my knowledge and encouraging confidence in my students, so that they too can learn to create beautiful nails. I love seeing my students build their skills and businesses.
What’s the most difficult part? For me the difficult part is when I come across a technician who is not trained correctly and is causing damage to a client’s nails. Due to no legislation in place in this country, unfortunately anyone can claim to be a nail technician and take money off unwitting clients.
What is your day-to-day like? Busy! I still work as a nail tech as well as educate. One day I may be back to back with clients then the next I could be teaching a course in-salon or at my own training room. I also like to enter the national nail competitions, so I usually fit practice for this in-between.
Who or what inspires you? I am inspired by many of the European and Russian nail artists. I have recently attended a course with Pisut Masanong and Hanna Vasko, both of which blew me away with their creative talents. I learnt a lot from both and use their techniques in my work.
Where are you Located? Bamber Bridge, Preston,
Lancashire
Career Highlights? Achieving 4 x 1st places in Beauty UK and Professional beauty nail competitions, Runner-up UK nail tech 2010 and many more 2nd and 3rd places.
What is your favourite nail trend this year? My favourite is Baby Boomer technique with acrylic, it goes against my usual lust for glitter but you can’t get anything more simple and effective.
What is your favourite nail brand and why? Artistic Liquid and Powder, my first and last love. I feel like I can create anything with acrylic, even the most bitten nails can be transformed with beautiful extensions. I also love Artistic Colour Gloss as it goes on smoothly and the colours are out of this world!
What’s your favourite nail art to create on a client? I love ombre and hand painting stencil roses with gel. Artistic Colour Gloss shades are highly pigmented so they are great for nail art. I also love the bubble effect using gel polish and gel cleanser.
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