Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabbie Leeper.
Hi Gabbie, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi! I am a nail artist, educator, and creative. I specialize in airbrush designs, hand-painted nail art, and content creation across multiple social media platforms.
I have always been an artist. I would use acrylic paint mediums or a pen/pencil and sit in front of a blank canvas for hours. I didn’t get my first set of acrylic nails until I was 19 and in college. I couldn’t open my soda when I got them for the first time; I didn’t even care!
Fast forward a few years, and I’d have a different design on each nail. Everyone would stop me and ask to see them. The louder and longer my nail designs were, the happier I was. It had never crossed my mind to look into the nail industry and be a nail artist, but I am so glad I did!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Starting out, one of my biggest struggles was learning about running a business. When I finished school, I had my own salon suite within six months. I believe having a salon suite is exciting and rewarding; however, I had a salon suite without steady clientele, which presented a big challenge for me. Salon suite rent runs from $225-330, depending on your location. I knew that great nail products were pricey, but with having personal bills too, I had to work with what I could get my hands on supply-wise and would splurge when I could. After a year, I hadn’t broken even with what I invested vs. the massive repeated discounts I gave to friends and clients to keep them coming back. I was absolutely frustrated with myself.
My latest struggle is the ever-changing social media woes and working with brands. I always ask myself, “Do I have to do a reel every time? Is this song good enough? Do I have to share a personal story? OMG, do I have to dance in a TikTok?”. You must be mindful of all those things when it comes to social media on top of imposter syndrome, and it’s challenging. Juggling your full-time clientele and trying to keep up with social media trends between filming and editing is like having two full-time jobs in one. On top of that, I guess you can also call me an influencer. When brands reach out to me, it’s exciting; however, they usually fall short regarding budgets. It’s a constant battle to know your worth when brands just want to barter (give you free product in exchange for content), or you don’t read the fine print, and now they can own your images or content forever. The thing with bartering is that the ask is usually more significant than the free product given. Depending on your following, you can make brands thousands of dollars, and you won’t see any of the monetary gains. I can’t pay my bills with exposure, so it’s a constant tug of war. I always read the contracts carefully and ask lots of questions because you’re your most significant advocate as an artist!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I playfully create vibrant concepts that connect with other beauty enthusiasts and brands to celebrate real emotions and social identities within the nail community. In addition, I use the most top-quality products in the industry, including Korean and Japanese gels, genuine Austrian crystals, and more. I love pushing the envelope in designs or getting my clients out of their comfort zone. I have so many colors and products that you’ll never have the same nails twice (unless you want to)!
I take pride in being an experienced nail technician and taking proper care of my clients’ natural nail and cuticle health, whether they favor acrylic, hard gel, or soft gel extensions. Once the appropriate foundation is done, there is an endless possibility of designs I can put on nails; they’re my tiny canvases!
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I have a secret love for photography and graphic design. I finally let my photography and graphic design skills creep out a few months back, and the response was AMAZING! So many people asked me who I hired to do my graphics and photos. I love telling them that I did it all myself! I’ve always wanted to work with brands behind the scenes to do their marketing.
Pricing:
- Tier 1 – $130+
- Tier 2- $160+
- Tier 3- $190+
- Nail Art Class- $800
- Airbrush Art Class- $650
Contact Info:
- Website: www.trillanails.com
- Instagram: @trillanails
Image Credits
All images, artwork and graphics are created by myself, Gabbie Leeper.
