According to Market.us, the US nail industry market was valued at over $13 billion at the end of 2024. This year, analysts continue to forecast rapid growth in this beauty sector. With such indicators, it is only natural that there is a demand for experienced and qualified nail art technicians and masters who use high-tech materials and proprietary techniques in their work.
In this interview, we talk to Indira Zhainakova, an immigrant from Kazakhstan who, in a relatively short period of time in the US, managed to establish the popular AIA Beauty Studio in Texas and become an extraordinary and talented specialist, certified in the US as a judge of nail aesthetics.
Indira, what trends do you think are driving the dynamic growth of the nail industry market in the US?
– First of all, I would like to mention awareness. Today, customers come not only for beautiful and trendy designs. The quality of service and materials, as well as the safety of the procedure itself, are beginning to play a dominant role. Manicures are becoming a personalized service, because in order to meet high standards and technological requirements, technicians need to take into account the structure of the nail plate, skin quality, and the characteristics of the client’s cuticle growth. Knowledge of nail physiology and podiatry will be a great help in this regard.
As you know, demand creates supply. Therefore, manufacturers respond to this demand with a wide range of materials with unique properties, and nail industry technicians introduce trends and techniques based on nail health and aesthetics.
– Why did you decide to open your own studio in the US, and how did you manage to do it?
– I have always had high professional standards for myself. That is why I am constantly learning, and I consider this an important part of developing the skills of every specialist. In my homeland, Kazakhstan, when I successfully ran my beauty studio for a long time, I invited top coaches, studied nail anatomy and podiatry, experimented, and identified high-quality materials for use in my work through trial and error.
After moving to the US, I gradually began to study the country’s nail industry market. As it turned out, European and Russian manicure techniques, which I have mastered, are highly valued here. In addition, as a client, I understood what practical knowledge and recommendations could improve the technique of a particular technician when performing nail extensions, for example.
As for preparing the studio and opening it, it was not an easy quest. In the US, this involves dozens of permits, inspections, and months of waiting without the possibility of initiating dialogue. A permit for the sign. A permit for the walls. A permit for the equipment. Since I am a person with an active lifestyle, it was unbearable for me to sit and just wait. At times, it seemed to me that I would never complete the process of obtaining the necessary permits.
– Tell us about your studio and team.
– AIA Beauty Studio has been operating in Texas for three years. During this time, we have formed a permanent staff of 15 masters. All of them are graduates of my author’s training courses and are now licensed specialists.
I consider my team to be a key element of success because, roughly speaking, it takes an hour to obtain high-quality materials and adapt innovative techniques to specific conditions, but teaching a technician to produce an aesthetic product, where understanding of shapes, lines, proportions, and nail physiology is important, is a long and painstaking process.
Besides, I can’t say that customer service is easy. Because we’re dealing with people. They have different moods, feelings, and problems. You need to know how to approach people, how to understand both customers and colleagues.
– What are the main differences between the services provided at AIA Beauty Studio and traditional American manicures?
– The differences compared to traditional American manicures are practically everything. It is a dry technique, without soaking in water and softening, complete removal of the cuticle, creation of perfect clear lines and nail shape, mandatory alignment of the nail plate before coating, and dense pigments with an emphasis on detail.
– You have achieved impressive international success. You are a certified nail aesthetics judge and winner of nine categories in the prestigious American Briliant World Cup 2024 competition, including one grand prix, five first places, two second places, and one third place. Without modesty, you are an outstanding expert in your professional field. What motivates you to move forward?
– I really love nail services and want to be part of this industry. My family, the gratitude of my clients, and the success of my students motivate and inspire me. When they tell me that they were able to help a client with an ingrown nail or increase their average check by improving their technique, it is more valuable than any award.
