Scratch Star
spotlight
Who: Alice Nali
What:
Scratch Stars Nail Stylist of the Year 2023, Mixed Media Artist of the Year 2025 & finalist in both categories for 2026.
Why: Alice opened her first nail studio in Italy at the age of 19, before relocating to London, where she has established a successful salon and training academy. She has won multiple Nailympia medals, as well as the Nailympia London 2025 Art Winner of Winners trophy (Division 3).
How: Known for pushing creative boundaries, Alice specialises in intricate portrait nail art and mixed media designs.
WINNING WISDOM
I enter the Scratch Stars Awards because it pushes me to challenge myself and grow. Being part of the process builds trust with clients and students, and creates new connections.
Follow Alice:
@alynails.salonandacademy
/alynails.italianacademy
@alynails.salonandacademy
www.alynailsitalianacademy.com
MIXED MEDIA MASTERY: Queen of Hearts design
Step 1 Prep three nail tips for colour application and apply a base of white or cream gel paint. Cure, then apply a matte gel polish top coat and cure again. Use brown gel paint and a fine liner brush to paint the character outline. Cure.
Step 2 Paint the face using fair, medium and deep nude gel paints. Blend where the shades meet with a small, flat brush. Cure.
Step 3 Working in sections, add appropriate gel paint colours to the neck and facial features. Cure after each application.
You will need:
• Gel paints: white/cream, brown, brick red, orange, burgundy, black and nude tones (fair to deep).
• No-wipe gold gel paint.
• Nail brushes: fine liner, small, flat brush and flat, pointed brush.
• Glossy and matte gel polish top coats.
• White acrygel.
• Nail file and buffer.
• Small red gems, including heart shapes.
• Metal wire.
• Gem glue.
• Clear builder gel.
Step 4 Paint the hair using a flat, pointed brush and burgundy, brick red and orange gel paints. Use a wet-on-wet technique, adding lighter tones towards the top of the hair. Cure.
Step 5 Fill in the background with black gel paint and cure. Add strokes of brick red gel paint to enhance the hair. Cure.
Step 6 Sculpt four small playing cards from white acrygel and cure. File the corners to be rounded, then paint the cards’ details using red gel paint. Cure and set aside. Paint the bodice with brown gel paint and cure. Apply top coat to all nails and cure again. Add gold gel paint to the bodice and necklace, cure, then attach the playing cards to a nail using gem glue.
Step 7 Build the sceptre by securing a heart gem onto metal wire using clear builder gel, sandwiching with a second gem. Cure. Cover the wire with acrygel, cure and file to smooth. Sculpt three half-heart shapes, cure and attach to the top of the wire using builder gel. Paint the sceptre using gold gel paint and cure.
Step 8 Add a heart gem to the necklace using gem glue. Sculpt the crown with acrygel, cure and smooth with a buffer, then add 3D acrygel details. Cure.
Step 9 Paint the crown with gold gel paint, embellishing with small dots. Add gold detailing to the necklace. Cure.
Step 10 Paint a ‘Q’ with gold gel paint on one nail. Add red gel paint to the crown’s heart, and secure red gems to the crown and sceptre. Cure.
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TOP TIP
Plan the design by drawing it on paper.