🏷 Nov 5 '21. A busy day, my space is a mess and I'm in my own world. Thank you for an amazing full year of painting!
Hey! I’m Khloe, I'm 23 and I'm from Lincoln, England.
NailMailbyKhlo started with an Etsy shop in October 2020.
In 2019 I couldn't afford to get my nails done, I'd buy plain press on nails and paint them myself with regular nail polish, one colour, nothing fancy. It wasn't until I'd had a few compliments on my nails that I actually thought about it. Maybe I should try and paint someone else's nails? Am I really that good at it? I spent my savings on a gel polish starter kit with a lamp and fell in love with the 4 colours I had to play with.
At the time I had 0 direction with what I wanted to do with my life and I was so lost. Falling in love with my nail kit was such a small thing but I had SO much excitement all of a sudden because I realised this just might be what I wanted to do.
I booked a nail technician course with the help of my family in early 2020 and then covid hit. The course was put off until July and I qualified in September but we were in and out of lockdown and I was unable to make any money or practice.
My boyfriend caught covid the same September and I was forced to isolate for 10 days, those spare press on nails I'd had put away became my way of practicing nail art in that time and it didn't take me long to start posting them to my first Instagram page @nailsbykhlo.
And then I realised the nails I was painting and posting about, I could sell on Etsy. I'd seen a few other shops do it so it was worth the try. I opened my shop in late October with 0 expectations and soo much to learn. By November I was so shocked with my 7 sales and so happy. I never imagined it would become my full time job. December 2020 it went quiet again and I thought that would be it for my Etsy shop and I was so happy and proud with what I'd achieved already, I'd just reached 200 followers on my @nailmailbykhlo Instagram account.
I had no idea what this next 2 years would teach me about myself.
January 2021 is where it took off and it didn't slow down, Lissy Roddy, an Instagram influencer had purchased from me without me knowing. Can you imagine my shock when I realised I'd had a post dedicated to me in front of 1.2 million people.
By February I'd reached 400 sales and we had a takeaway to celebrate. I realised I would be painting full time to get these orders out to all of the amazing people putting their trust in me to paint them some nails. The relief I had was something unreal but I was in shock.
It was April when I hit 1000 sales. I look back on it now and I just don't know how I coped with that hahaha.
Fast forward to November 2021 when the picture above was taken, on one of my busiest days that month, 8:36am and very aware of how much of a mess my little corner was.
Thank you for the happiest couple of years of my life, I've learned so much about what I'm capable of and I've met some amazing people. I wouldn't change any of it for the world.
I struggle with social anxiety but there will be a day when I show you behind the scenes and let you get to know me on a personal level as requested I promise! I'm so excited for that, but for now I'm planning out how to manage the work/life balance while keeping up with orders and planning new content in my little art corner.
I love you all so much,
Khlo x