BEHIND THE GRAM

Get to know social media nail stars as they offer an insight into their lives & share content creation tips

Pria Bhamra – London @bhambnails 104K followers

My nail journey

I have an artistic background, and started creating nail designs for myself and my friends in 2016 using nail polish. This helped me to later secure a part-time job in a nail art-focused salon. The journey to launching my own business was long, but I worked tirelessly because I love being able to create. For a few years, I did nails in the evenings and at weekends to build up my client base.

I have amazing clients who have been with me from the beginning. I have also worked with some celebrities, and love being able to create relationships with them. These experiences have taught me how to work quickly and adapt to different situations.

A day in my life

I wake up at 5:30am to go to the gym and walk my dog. I am a morning person, so always clean my nail room first thing. Appointments usually begin at 10am and I see a maximum of four clients per day. I work on a mix of natural nails and extensions, and always create nail art. I try to finish by around 7pm, but if a client is a friend, we often extend the appointment to include dinner and wine. I end the day with another dog walk.

What makes me happy

Travelling, seeing friends and family, walking my dog and creating a new nail look for myself.

FUN FACT I tended to Serena Williams’ nails once, for an appearance at Wimbledon.

Favourite styles

The pictured designs really showcase my artistic style and character. They include a look inspired by Mikkel Westrup Ceramics, a Halloween tattoo-style mix and match design, and a French manicure featuring antique florals.

My inspirations

I take inspiration from artists and exhibitions, as well as everyday patterns and graffiti showcasing amazing designs and colours. I have a folder full of beautiful swatches to refer to.

Social media tips

I noticed my work attracting a lot of interest a year into my freelance career. Clients helped promote my work and celebrities started to notice me. Alongside this, posting as much as I could helped my profile grow naturally.

My top tips are:

1. Post your work as often as you can. It takes a lot of effort, but people love to see what you’re doing every day.

2. Create video and post drafts. This means that when you are tired and busy, you can post content instantly.

3. Develop your own style to stand out. You don’t always need to follow trends, and trying to can be stressful.

NAIL ART ADVICE

Practice on yourself. Challenging myself with my own nail art designs, and working on my non-dominant hand, forces me to focus on techniques.