Maesteg-based nail tech, Emmie Williams, showcases her Y2k-inspired salon space, Angelic Nails by Emmie.
Emmie Williams initially undertook her nail training in Ireland with Crystal Nails, qualifying in 2014, then taking a refresher course in 2021 with Plymouth-based nail educator, Kirsty Parker.
She set up her own salon space for the first time in September 2021, renting a room at DG Hair Extensions & Beauty alongside salon owner Demi Goldsworthy, before DG Hair Extensions & Beauty moved on to a new premises in October 2022, located at Bowrington Arcade, Maesteg, where Emmie rents her current nail room. Here, Emmie works alongside Demi, who offers hair extensions, lashes, brows, tooth whitening and dermaplaning through her business separately.
The new location afforded Emmie more salon space, giving her more freedom with the design and décor and allowing her to tailor her nail room to suit her style. “With my first nail room, I played it very safe and stuck with a neutral colour scheme. I chose to do the complete opposite with my new nail room to create my dream Y2k-inspired space, and I couldn’t be happier.
“As I only offer nail services, I don’t need a lot of space. However, the space being bigger has allowed me to add an area for people to sit and chill, so clients can bring friends or family along,” Emmie smiles. “It’s made the room more cosy, and feels more like a hangout spot where you can come to relax and have a laugh.”
Emmie offers gel manicures, builder gel, full coverage tips and hand painted nail art. Her go-to product is Kirsty Meakin’s gel polish range, and her most popular treatment is full coverage tips. “My clients have fallen in love with full coverage tips as much as I have. I have a lot of clients tell me that they last longer than other nail enhancements, which is always great to hear.
“I find they’re a perfect option for nearly every client, and they offer an easy soak-off process, meaning my clients can have a brand new fresh set every time without having to sit for hours having them done. It’s a win-win!”
“My typical clients are usually aged from 20 to 30 years old, around my age,” Emmie shares. “I think this is because of the type of nail art I tend to do in the salon. The style is very young and trendy, and I make an effort to keep up-to-date with the latest nail art trends.
“I also offer custom hand-painted cartoon character designs, such as Spongebob, Care Bears, and Disney princesses. I think this helps to attract the younger generation more.”
Emmie wanted her salon to be entirely unique to her, undertaking a variety of DIY tasks alongside her fiancé to make it her own, including hand-making her sign and creating the framed prints for her walls. She took inspiration for her childhood bedroom in the early 2000s for the décor.
“I opted for a hot pink glitter wall and lots of pink lighting with lots of 90s and Y2k-inspired themes throughout the salon,” she explains. “My décor choices have made my shop stand out, and I receive a lot of great feedback.”
“My salon is like going back in time, everyone enjoys coming in and reminiscing on the late 90s and early 2000s!”
Emmie wanted the space to feel dark while still being well-lit, so she added LED lights and fairy lights to the space. “The lighting creates a calming atmosphere, which I’ve contrasted with eye-catching elements like my prints, rug and mirror. I wanted to add these so that my clients have something interesting to look around at while they’re sat at the nail desk.
“As a nail tech, I’m very creative, and I feel like my nail room now represents that,” Emmie enthuses. “It shows my love for colour and design, and it also inspires my clients to try something new and go bold, which is always fun!”
“My favourite part of the salon is my sign. My fiancé and I spent a lot of time working on it, and he made it exactly how I envisioned it looking. I wanted a custom sign of my logo that went with my room, but I was really struggling to find one within my budget,” she remembers. “I drew up an idea of my vision of how I wanted it to look, and my fiancé said straight away that he’d make it.
“I was delighted – we saved a lot of money, and I got a lot of sign that was exactly how I had imagined it being. He cut the shape of my logo into some MDF, which I went on to fill in and paint. He then fitted LED lighting behind the sign, and made a frame so it lifts off the wall. I now have my dream nail room thanks to the sign!”
