TECH TALK
MUSINGS FROM A Nailympia medallist
Part 3
After experiencing success in the competition arena, NYC-based nail pro, MARGARITA YUTSAYTIS, shares her journey into creating extreme nail style posters
Participating in competitions – particularly those as prestigious as
Nailympia
– encourages most people to push boundaries and seek further accomplishments. Following
Nailympia San Antonio
in 2024, where I won a Division 1 gold medal for my
To Stiletto & Beyond
entry, I began to consider other categories I could enter.
I came across Extreme Nail Styling Poster, but at that point, I had never created nail photos at competition level. The process requires more than the creation of extreme nails: it needs a team to bring a concept to life, thus becomes a full-scale project. Nailympia’s Extreme Nail Styling Poster category has an open theme, which makes the process more challenging, as you have to pluck an idea from nowhere.
I studied the architecture of previous entries for this category and found that stiletto nails were used most commonly. These were crafted into various styles and shapes, and to me, it was obvious how much heart and soul each artist had poured into their work. Success in the Extreme Nail Styling Poster category depends on every member of the team being skilled, creative and invested in their field. That’s why every stage of the process is important, and there is no room for error.
ENTRY 1:
Nailympia Anaheim
2025
For this competition, I sought to create an unusual image, unlike anything previously submitted. I became fascinated by mythology, so considered a deity figure, but I didn’t want to create a classic god-like image. I explored the themes of cyberpunk and futuristic technology, but still didn’t settle on a final look.
I began crafting the nails and decided that I would develop the final character and styling as the extreme enhancements unfolded. I chose to create stiletto nails in white and gold, and as time moved on, a concept took shape.
A challenge I faced was putting together a team to bring the idea to life. Finding the right model presented its own difficulties, since she had to suit the image style, ooze confidence and feel comfortable in front of the camera. Fortunately, my client, Sofya Orlova, agreed to model and understood my vision, so everything started falling into place.
IMAGE CREDITS
Nail stylist: Margarita Yutsaytis
Photographer: Roemel Gaddy
Make-up artist: Alyssa Zabawa
Editor: Arthur Eroshkin
Model: Sofya Orlova
Coach: Elena Popova
Finding a suitable photographer was straightforward, as Roemel Gaddy had a strong creative vision and years of experience working with major brands and studios. He found the idea of creating such a poster intriguing. Next, we contacted talented make-up artist, Alyssa Zabawa, to complete the look. She has a glamorous style and flexible portfolio, which would prove handy if we needed to shift the wardrobe direction.
“Finding the right model presented its own difficulties, since she had to suit the image style, ooze confidence and feel comfortable in front of the camera.”
Setbacks & breakthroughs
As with all best laid plans, not everything about the photo shoot ran smoothly. I had crafted the extreme designs based on my nails, but Sofya’s nails were completely different sizes. On set, they wouldn’t stay in place. It took around and hour and a half until we found a solution.
We originally wanted to shoot against a white background, using light tones, props and a shiny outfit to match the concept of a mythological cyberpunk. However, during the shoot, the composition, styling and vibe didn’t come together, so we had to improvise. The team experimented with different lighting setups, a darker background and wardrobe options until Roemel stepped in and said we should stop obsessing over the concept and try new things. Thankfully, he had plenty of ideas and what he proposed gave a completely different result, which I liked much more than my original vision.
The entire shoot took around six hours, and ended with a photo we all loved. Thanks to the team’s collaborative efforts, the poster won first place in the Extreme Nail Styling Poster category – Division 2 at Nailympia Anaheim 2025, and caught the attention of not only nail professionals, but beauty experts and publications. Working on this project was far from easy, but incredibly inspiring and exciting.
www.marsnails.com
/margarita.yutsaytis
@marss_nails
@marss.nails
IMAGE CREDITS
Nail stylist, model & photographer: Margarita Yutsaytis
ENTRY 2:
Nailympia Germany
2025
The second Extreme Nail Styling Poster I created was for Nailympia Germany 2025 and was, in a way, accidental. The idea wasn’t complex or extravagant: I simply wanted to create an image that was elegant and classic, with red nails.
I had accrued experience working on a similar project and had a rough plan in mind. I gathered the props I needed from friends, borrowing pearls, rings and various accessories. All that was left was to fashion the classic red nails, which was a straightforward task, as I was the model.
I was excited about the idea and worked so quickly that just one day later, everything was ready. I set up the lighting in my Manhattan nail studio and, with help, took the photo on a phone. I knew exactly what I wanted to achieve, so a great shot was taken within the first frames. I did try a version with a black dress, but emerald tones won me over and the final image brought me my first Nailympia gold medal in Division 3.
The two posters I’ve created have been very different in spirit: one was a carefully crafted team project and the other a spontaneous solo experiment, yet both achieved victories and expanded my creative boundaries.
Nailympia’s Extreme Nail Styling Poster is more than a competition category. It offers an opportunity to merge vision, execution and emotion to form a powerful creative statement. Entering has taught me to trust the process, listen to a team and not be afraid to dismiss planned ideas in favour of something more ‘real’.
Whether the result is born from months of collaboration or a burst of inspiration in your studio, what matters is honesty, effort and bravery. That’s what transforms nails into art.