With a passion for art and big dreams for the future of her beauty business, Oxfordshire-based tech, Joss Neaves of Cloud Nine Nails, works from her home studio, offering hand-painted nail art to clients.
“I was originally attracted to the nail industry because of the nail community. When I got into the job, I was overwhelmed by the amount of support from other techs. It’s what I love most about the industry,” Joss reveals.
Joss explains that her family surrounded her with art growing up, which sparked her passion and creativity. Her love for art has rubbed off on her clients, with the many visitors to Cloud Nine Nails leaving with mini masterpieces. “My clients love the brights and the neons for sure. I’m lucky to have clients that let me have free reign on their nails, as far as colour choice and art style. More often than not, clients are leaving my chair with something super fun,” she beams.
“My ‘typical client’ usually always gets nail art. I hand paint all of my work, so it’s the best time when they come in asking for a sick new design that they may have seen somewhere online. Arty sets are what really get me through the day, so these are my favourite type of client.”
Joss specialises in hand-painted nail art, utilising her creative talents and artistic ability for her designs, which range from detailed character art to trending styles including neon mix and match designs, bright and bold French tips, and eye-catching 3D creations.
“Looking back at old photos of nails and knowing you did it all by hand is so rewarding,” she enthuses. “Stickers and stencils are always good fun, but nothing beats picking up a brush and giving it a go yourself.”
“I’m so passionate about hand-painted nail art because of the hard work and talent that goes behind it.”
Joss’ inspiration for her designs comes a variety of places, including traditional artistic mediums, such as gallery paintings; bright, eye-catching, graphic design work; and different textures, colours and styles from textile prints.
“Taking inspiration from other nail artists is always a great option, but I really enjoy taking a textile print or a piece of clothing to spark creativity in a nail design and I think it’s a really incredible way to find inspiration.”
Cloud Nine Nails is an inclusive salon, sourcing cruelty-free products and brands as a key part of its ethos, stemming from Joss’ personal values and views towards animal testing.
“It’s important for me so that my clients know they’re receiving a service that uses only the best and safest products. Animal testing has become too normalised,” she says. “Seeing more and more brands going completely cruelty-free is fantastic to see.”
“My favourite thing about working in the nail industry is definitely all of the amazing people I’ve met,” Joss beams. “If you’d have told me three years ago that some of my best friends in the whole world are people I haven’t even met, I wouldn’t have believed you.
“Our industry is all about uplifting those around you, as opposed to bringing them down. The community has the power to bring people together, and it’s amazing.”
“My hopes and dreams for my future in nails has always been big. I work from my family home in a small upstairs bedroom, but one day, I hope to have my very own salon.
“It’s a huge dream of mine to see my business name stretched across a store front, and to work alongside other super-talented nail technicians as a team,” she reflects. “In the future, I’d love to one day teach accredited courses in different nail services. I have such a strong passion for nails, and I would love nothing more than to educate others about it.”