Bright Spark

She’s a model, nail artist & educator– & now the talents of Egle Jaruseviciute are shining on the cover of Scratch. HELENA BIGGS shares the Lithuanian pro’s career story…

“If all students were like Egle, I’d be out of a job. She’s a bright light in the nail industry: focused, quick to learn and creatively curious.” It’s high praise from Ilona Vas, an award-winning international judge & founder of the prestigious Oniksas training centre in Lithuania. The educator was . contacted by Egle to support the creation of a series of nail posters, and it’s one of these posters that fronts this month’s edition of Scratch.

For the fourth consecutive year, the work of an Oniksas student has appeared as a Scratch cover, owing to Ilona’s eye for talent and desire to raise the profiles of deserving artists. “Creating nail posters boosts the confidence of my students and helps them to stand out in the global arena,” the tutor shares. “Their works are very different, and that’s the beauty of my training style. I encourage students to express their individuality, and I highlight their strengths.”

“My preferred nail styles feature clean lines, with a focus on the architecture of the enhancements.”

Starting points

Eglė showed incredible artistic promise at her first nail training course in spring 2017. Prior to that, she had been a model for a nail class and enjoyed it so much, that she told her mum she wanted to become a nail tech. “When I attained my first qualification, I was invited to work at the Edelveis beauty salon in Vilnius,” Eglė shares. “However, I was only 17, and had to wait until my 18th birthday before I could accept the job.

“I continued to hone my skills and received an award for dedication to the craft. The following year, I took part in my first nail championship: Empire Of Beauty in Vilnius, and scooped first place in the Salon French Extension Manicure competition – junior division.” Eglė then flew to Italy to compete in her first nail poster category, as well as a Salon French Nail Extensions contest, achieving second place titles in both. In a final competition before the Covid-19 lockdown, she achieved first place in a Stiletto category – master division.

Eglė continues: “When restrictions were lifted, I became keen to create a nail poster with ‘wow factor’, and contacted Ilona, as I have admired her work for some time. My preferred nail styles feature clean lines, with a focus on the architecture of the enhancements, and for the poster I wanted to feature bright colours. I crafted the nails using gel and acrygel, enhancing the look with neon powders and white paint.”

“I love the cohesiveness of the finished images. The make-up, nails and styling work harmoniously, and beautiful results have been achieved.”

Ilona worked with Eglė to create the concept, organise the team and fine-tune the details of the photo shoot, while supporting her with training to execute a striking nail look. “I love the cohesiveness of the finished images,” shares Ilona. “The make-up, nails and styling work harmoniously, and beautiful results have been achieved.”

Eglė immersed herself within the full-day shoot as both the nail stylist and model, and shares that she is delighted with the photos. Armed with confidence and a diverse skillset, the talented pro has opened her own nail salon in the Lithuanian capital, Vilnius, and shares her learnings with members of her team. “I hope that I will keep improving and that my career continues to grow,” she shares. “My work is also a hobby, and nail styling and training motivates me daily.”

“I want Eglė’s talent to be noticed across the globe,” beams Ilona. “I hope she continues to shine – not just as a nail artist, but as an instructor, and on an international stage.”

COVER CREDITS