Alana Lawson welcomes Nailpro to Trick or Treat Nails in Southampton, United Kingdom.
Details
Est. 2022
Owner: Alana Lawson
Location: Southampton, United Kingdom
Instagram: @trickortreatnails
The Backstory
My business and the motivation to start my salon was a complete and utter fluke. I was working in Vets during COVID and I got furloughed due to my mum being high risk so during lockdown I motivated myself to do my own nails and I absolutely became obsessed. I used to get my nails done as a luxury for me every month and during lockdown that was something we unfortunately couldn’t experience so I brought the salon to me and that’s honestly how it started by accident but a beautiful one like that.
The Look
The overall aesthetic of my salon is horror, dark gothic and Halloween. This inspired me because this is my daily aesthetic and I am a complete Halloween fiend and a huge horror fan so the two kind of go hand-in-hand. I wanted to create a space that was so different from the usual white clean aesthetic and make a space for the weird and the wonderful.
Signature Services
I do provide a gel nails, Après gel extensions along with builder gel. I mostly focus on natural nails/art which I absolutely adore and I love it when I start a builder gel journey with clients because they are always in disbelief on how long their nails can grow and they always get complimented with everyone thinking they’re extensions when they’re not. It’s cute!
The Goods
I use mostly Ballpit products as I am a brand ambassador for Maddox who is the owner. I absolutely adore her products and she is an incredible inspiration to me I truly am so grateful for her. Ballpit is cruelty-free and so unique. Her collections; you need to check them out! I also use a huge mixture alongside [it]. Après is my next go-to favorite [for] their extensions and gels, Willow Academy for their prep, Magpie Beauty…honestly, I love trying new products so it’s kind of hard to not list them all but I also do love the cuticles oils from Nail Order.
Social Butterfly
I am on social media. I mainly use Instagram as my main platform to which you can find links to my other social media. Here you will find the dark spooky element of my soul. You will find a lot of spooky creative weird things that just come from my mind. I really hope you love it.
What’s Next?
At the minute my salon is just me myself and I and I absolutely love it that way. Giving my clients one-to-one experience is so important to me for them to feel safe, protected and welcomed. I would love more space ideally mostly to decorate more and bring more spooky stuff into my world but at the minute I’m just happy to continue to grow and expand and hopefully one day potentially have my own side hustle relating to trick-or-treating nails whatever that may be… Who knows?
Up Close With Alana Lawson
What was your first job in the nail industry?
Press on nail artist is where I began to then expand and grow and get gain qualifications to scarily moving onto people.
What Inspires You?
A lot of horror movies, Halloween, the darker months, the darker colors. Autumn tones are so beautiful and also I work deeply spiritually mental health and self health definitely inspires me daily too and the witchy elements.
What was the most challenging thing that happened while opening your salon?
Going self-employed and doing this all on my own with no help I built this salon painted it decorated it all the products everything off my own back with no help was very challenging and incredibly scary but looking back at what I now have is hugely inspiring.
What piece of advice would you give to a new salon owner?
It’s so scary, but honesty if you truly love what you do go for it because you have to take the risk for the outcome to succeed and put your all in and don’t give up when it gets hard because trust me it gets hard and I still cry I get worried but I still keep going and I think people lose hope and give up too soon things that are meant to be are never easy.
“I can’t discuss my salon without mentioning…”
Spooky season, always.
What nail looks do you think will be trending this fall?
Honestly, I have no idea. I never ever ever follow trends and keep up with the trends unless I see them on Instagram or my client wants them. But I tend to keep myself and I tend to keep my aesthetic and my style so unique to me that I just do my thing and it’s so fun. I love just being me.