Photo by Daniel Carson
Our nails are perhaps one of the most overlooked parts of our integumentary system. They shield our fingertips from injury and are crucial to our fine motor skills. But for many students, the nail is an art canvas and a glimpse of personality in an unsuspecting place.
It is not uncommon for students to have their nails done regularly, but a new trend has been hitting Syracuse University’s campus in recent years: student nail artists. Working from their dorms, student apartments or off-campus houses, they provide their clients with a desired service for a fraction of salon costs. For these artists, nails are more than just a look: they’re a hobby, a break away from work and a way to connect with a diverse clientele on campus.
Junior Madi Reyes fosters a warm and welcoming environment for her clients in her South Campus apartment. Reyes offers a wide variety of nail services ranging from gel manicures to acrylic sets.
“I try not to be so strict because we’re all college students,” Reyes said. “I know a lot of [freshmen] don’t understand the South Campus shuttle hours, so I know it’s hard for them.”
This kindness permeates the hearts of her clients, as they often regard her as a thoughtful person.
“Every session we’re always just chatting and she really is attentive to detail,” sophomore Hannah Wilson—Reyes’s long-time regular—said.
Reyes even met her current best friend through her business. When Reyes’ best friend direct messaged her asking for a fill, that’s all it took for them to become good friends. The two went from having a transactional relationship to studying in the library and hanging out at the Schine Student Center together.
“She’s like my older sister that I always wanted,” Reyes said.
To Reyes, nail art is an escape from the rigor of her major as an engineering student. It also offers her an opportunity to make money while connecting with different kinds of people across campus. Despite her passion, she said doesn’t want nail art to become her career.
“I feel like [it’s] a good outlet for me to showcase my talent,” Reyes said.
However, some SU nail artists feel differently. Junior Taryn Sileno got her cosmetology license her senior year of high school and has been doing nails ever since. As a marketing and entrepreneurship dual major at the Whitman School of Management, she hopes to have a career in a cosmetic-related field.
“I [thought’d I’d] open my own salon…but now it’s kind of shifting a little bit into beauty marketing or like beauty social media,” Sileno said.
Priding herself on her artistic ability, Sileno takes the most joy in the creative freedom she can exercise when doing nails. She loves challenging herself and being able to work around problems to make sure her clients are satisfied.
“Sometimes people text me and say that one of them will pop off early or something, but I’m always there to fix it, Sileno said.
Sophomore Serena Gow also emphasizes the importance of establishing a healthy relationship with her clients. She believes that it’s this comfortable atmosphere that leads people to go to her instead of a salon.
“I feel like a lot of people like that I’m their age and a college student,” Gow said. “A lot of the time, people at the nail salons are quite rude.”
As an international student, Gow was able to find a community through both her positive attitude and her nail business. By cultivating this safe space within her dorm, Gow has maintained great connections through her business.
“I just love chatting to everyone. It’s so fun to meet new people,” Gow said. “The more I do their nails, the more I figure out their style and what they like.”
To many, nails are a form of self care. In the same way people spend loads of cash on facials, haircuts and tattoos, people expect their nails to live up to the cost of obtaining them. As students, it’s not only hard to find transportation to a salon, but it’s always a gamble if you’ll like the end product. By supporting SUstudents in their nail art, you can save money on rideshares, be happy with your end product, and not only leave with a new set, but a new friend, too.