Nguyen finds new hobby with acrylics after parents open nail salon

Some find that a new set of nails makes them feel confident and bold. Others hope that it shows a little extra spark of personality, but for most it can just make you feel a little bit fancier. For junior Emily Nguyen, she has practically grown up in a nail salon. Nguyen’s parents own Star Nails in downtown Harrisonburg. Nguyen finds that after spending so much of her childhood observing her parents, she wanted to join and learn more about her parent’s work.  

“I’ve grown up with it all my life. Since I’ve watched my parents, I want to get involved too and then I just want to do it myself,” Nguyen said. 

Over the years, Nguyen has slowly learned to do more advanced things with her nails. Nguyen has worked on perfecting her regular painting of nails and toes and has practiced with applying acrylics. 

“I’ve done [acrylics] on my brother many times as my test dummy and also on my cousins,” Nguyen said. 

Nguyen finds that, for her, acrylics are a way for her to feel confident and can show that after working hard at something, she was able to accomplish something as difficult as acrylics can be. She also finds that she simply likes the way her nails look more when she is wearing acrylics. 

“If you do them right they look really pretty and it’s really satisfying that you did that yourself,” Nguyen said.  

While Nguyen enjoys doing and having acrylic nails, she also recognizes that they can be a pain both literally and figuratively. Nguyen has had to find different ways to do common things that she now has trouble with because of her acrylics. Nguyen also finds that spacing out the time that she has acrylics on, helps her keep her nails healthy and looking good. She recognizes that while they are pretty and fun to have on, it can be dangerous to have them on all the time. 

“It’s really pretty when people have them and it can boost self-confidence, but some people don’t like them because they do get in the way sometimes when you’re doing everyday tasks,” Nguyen said. 

Nguyen shares her insight that she has learned from spending lots of time around a nail salon and from personal experiences herself. 

“I wouldn’t get them done over and over and over. If you have them for a while, take a break for a couple of months and then you can get them again for any special occasion.”