Nail Tech Spotlight Liliana Almeida

This month, we’re shining the HONA Nail Tech Spotlight Liliana, a talented nail artist whose journey proves just how far following your creativity and putting yourself out there can take you.

What started as a hobby just two years ago has already grown into an exciting career, from building her own clientele to stepping backstage at Fashion Week, assisting established lead manicurists and now taking her work to Paris Fashion Week.

As October also marks Black History Month, we wanted to use this month’s Spotlight to give Liliana the space to share her perspective as a Black nail tech. We chat about the undeniable influence Black women have had on nail culture, why representation within the professional industry still matters and what brands can do to champion Black nail professionals throughout the year.

Liliana also takes us behind the scenes of her move into fashion and session work, sharing how her first opportunity opened the door to something she didn’t even know existed when she started doing nails, and her advice for other nail techs hoping to break into that world.

From representation and opportunity to Fashion Week and putting yourself out there, this month’s Spotlight is all about recognising where nail culture has come from while celebrating one nail tech who’s incredibly excited about where her career could take her next.

Q&A With Liliana

Q: Tell us a little about you, your journey into nails and the career you’ve built so far.

A: I started doing nails as a hobby after never really being happy with the results I was getting in salons, so I decided to take matters into my own hands, literally! I started practising on myself, then friends and family, and eventually had the realisation that I could actually turn something I loved into a business.

Fast forward two years and I’ve had so many amazing opportunities within the industry, from building my own clientele to working backstage at Fashion Week and assisting some incredible lead manicurists. It’s crazy to think that something that started as a hobby has opened so many doors for me.

Q: This Spotlight falls during Black History Month, so we’d love to hear your perspective on the influence Black women have had on nail culture and the nail industry. What does that influence mean to you personally as a Black nail tech?

A: Black women have had such a huge influence on nail culture. From shaping trends and making nail art a form of self-expression, to creating some of the most recognisable nail styles and trends we see today, I think our influence is undeniable.

As a Black nail tech, it means a lot to be part of that culture and to be able to contribute to an industry that has been influenced so heavily by Black women. I also think representation is important because seeing someone who looks like you working in an industry can make you realise that those opportunities are possible for you too.

Q: Do you feel representation for Black nail techs and artists within the professional beauty industry has changed during your career? Where do you think there’s still room for progress?

A: I definitely feel like representation has improved, but there is still a long way to go. Like anything, there is always room for improvement, and we’re all constantly learning.

I think the biggest thing is making sure that opportunities are genuinely accessible and that Black nail techs and artists are being considered and given the same opportunities to work, collaborate and be seen within the industry. Representation shouldn’t just be something that happens occasionally, it should feel normal.

Q: What would you like to see nail brands and the wider industry doing to genuinely support and champion Black nail techs, not just during Black History Month but throughout the year?

A: I’d love to see more diversity within the content brands use throughout the year. For example, having more images of different skin tones on websites and social media would make such a difference. Sometimes when looking at colour swatches, there isn’t much variety in the skin tones shown, so it can be difficult to visualise what a colour will actually look like on a darker skin tone.

I’d also love to see Black nail techs receiving the same PR opportunities, being invited to brand events and having their work shared and reposted by brands. In my experience, sometimes there may only be one or two Black nail techs in the room, and it would be great to see more representation. I think genuine support means creating those opportunities consistently, not just during Black History Month.

Q: You’re taking your work to Paris Fashion Week this year, which is such an exciting achievement. How did that opportunity come about?

A: The fashion world and session work are still relatively new to me. I only really started exploring that side of the industry in March this year, and honestly, I didn’t even know this world existed for nail techs.

When you first start out, I think you have such a laser focus on building your clientele and becoming booked and busy. Then I saw an opportunity to assist on a London Fashion Week show and thought, “Wow, Fashion Week, how interesting!” I had no idea what to expect, but I thought it was something new, so why not give it a go?

That first experience, although it was an unpaid opportunity, opened my eyes to a completely different side of the industry. Since then, having that experience under my belt has helped me secure other opportunities and assist some amazing lead manicurists.

Sometimes an opportunity can be incredibly valuable even when the benefit isn’t monetary. The experience, connections, exposure and relationships you gain can open doors that you may not have had access to otherwise.

Q: Fashion Week can feel like a completely different world when you’re looking at it from the outside. What advice would you give to nail techs who would love to work backstage, editorially or at Fashion Week but don’t know how to get their first opportunity?

A: Keep an eye out for opportunities and don’t be afraid to reach out to nail techs and artists who are already working in that space. Sometimes your first opportunity may be unpaid, but that doesn’t mean it has no value. The experience, relationships and exposure you gain can be incredibly beneficial and can lead to paid opportunities further down the line.

Also, make yourself available when you can. A lot of lead manicurists need assistants at the last minute if their team is short, so being flexible and willing to take an opportunity can help you get on their radar. Once you’ve worked with someone and they know what you’re like to work with, you’re much more likely to be considered again.

Q: Looking ahead, what do you want the next chapter of your career to look like, and what would you say to the next generation of Black nail techs coming into the industry?

A: I’m taking it day by day. In just two years I’ve experienced so much and had so many opportunities that I never expected when I first started, so I’m excited to see where the next chapter takes me.

I think my biggest piece of advice would be to put yourself out there. Reach out, take opportunities, make connections and don’t be afraid to try something new. The worst thing someone can say is no, and there’s no harm in asking.

You never know where one opportunity, one connection or one “yes” might take you.

A Journey Worth Celebrating

In just two years, Liliana has turned a passion for nails into a career full of exciting opportunities, and we have a feeling this is only the beginning!

Her story is a lovely reminder of the importance of putting yourself out there, building connections and embracing opportunities that might take you somewhere unexpected.

This Black History Month, we're especially grateful to Liliana for sharing her perspective on representation and the influence of Black women in nail culture, reminding us why recognition, inclusion and opportunity matter all year round.