MEET THE JUDGES!
MARIAN NEWMAN
Nail industry aficionado, Mastered course pioneer and renowned session stylist
Forensic scientist turned nail guru, Marian has worked in almost every area of the nail industry, from running a salon and taking educator status to acting as a nail consultant for some of the largest nail companies in the UK. She has represented the industry on the board of the British Industry Authority BIA (now Habia) and was involved in the development of Vocational Standards.
Marian has written the definitive guide for the budding nail practitioner, The Complete Nail Technician and her session work includes having become the name that photographer Nick Knight calls upon for his shoots. Marian commands an unrivalled position in the nail industry and is sought-after for her expertise as a judge for magazines and competitions including Nailympia London.
Marian was awarded the Scratch Star for Services to the Nail Industry in 2013 and has teamed up with Mastered to offer the first online learning course to develop skills and help progress careers in the session nail field.
ANNA LEE
Anna has been a CND™ education ambassador since 2011 and runs a successful training academy in London. In her first year as an EA, she was given the Services to the Nail Professional award from Sweet Squared.
A key focus of her work is to connect and encourage the South East Asian nail community in the UK; battling prejudice and misconceptions by providing them with support and education.
In 2014, she was honoured with The Tom Holcomb Shooting Star Award at the Scratch Stars for her contribution to the nail industry and in 2015, she took home the Scratch Stars Educator of the Year accolade. Both awards acknowledge Anna's achievement supporting students in their journey to become beauty industry professionals.
MARIA CIENTANNI-SMITH
Co-founder of Lecenté and winner of the Industry Innovator award at the Scratch Stars 2015
Maria hones the titles of creative director and co founder of Lecenté, the popular nail art and glitter brand. She has over 15 years’ experience in the nail industry as a nail technician and educator and is focused on producing top quality nail art products of a high standard that are safe to use. She was awarded the title of Industry Innovator at the Scratch Stars Awards 2015.
BRYONY MCMILLAN
OPI Educator
Bryony McMillan has worked in the beauty industry for over eight years. She has qualified in a range of spa and beauty treatments but favours nail services, and hones great skill in the OPI Manicure & Pedicure, GelColor and Absolute Acrylic systems. As an educator for OPI, Bryony shares her passion and experience with students all ages. She is also a part of the UK OPI A-Team, specialising in nail treatment and care.
LIZA SMITH
CND™ education ambassador, session stylist & salon owner
Liza Smith has been a salon owner for almost 30 years, and her salon, Bodylines in Kent has achieved four top salon awards.
During her 10 years as a competitor, Liza won 15 trophies for her nail skills, including nine UK titles and at her peak, placed fifth in the world. As a CND™ EA and session tech, Liza and her salon offer a premium service using innovative products and techniques that are inspired by the runway and her celebrity clients. She has fantastic technical skills and combines these with knowledge of trends and fashion.
RACHEL GRIBBLE
Salon System educator
Rachel Gribble is a Salon System educator and expert nail technician. Over the past 14 years, Rachel has worked closely with Salon System as an educator and adviser. She is also involved in the testing and development of new products and systems and is a Gellux expert, which in turn has led to numerous opportunities such as designing nail designs for London Fashion Week.
NINA TAYLOR
Industry expert, brand ambassador and hand supermodel
Nina Taylor has worked prolifically within the specialist modelling and beauty industry for 19 years. Her hands insured for a seven-figure sum and she is the first choice specialist model for some of the most renowned photographers and commercial directors in the world. Her portfolio boasts major global advertising campaigns and she has generated interest in national newspapers and with radio and TV documentary makers. Nina has been a regular guest beauty presenter on QVC's live TV channels for over a decade and continues to apply her expertise to product development, magazine columns and as a consultant to a number of nail companies.
SHARON SANDHU
Category manager for nails at Salon Services
Sharon Sandhu has worked for Salon Services, the UK’s largest supplier of professional hair and beauty products, for the last five years. As category manager for nails at the company, she looks after over 2,000 professional nail products, identifying new trends and treatments, and inputting into the development of new products. Sharon has also secured exclusive ranges from leading brands including Gelish, ASP, Artistic and Morgan Taylor for Salon Services customers.
KRUTI GANDHI
essie education manager
Kruti is responsible for the design and development of the essie education programme includingproduct training, mani and pedi courses. She supports the essie sales team and works with essie’s head office to development new education practices.
Since entering the beauty industry in 2002, Kruti has worked in salons and spas nationally as a therapist, as well as for Virgin Atlantic as an inflight manicurist and as a therapist at Richard Branson’s exclusive resort in Marrakech. Kruti gained a teaching degree and has worked for several colleges, including the London College of Beauty Therapy, and as a consultant for City & Guilds.
JESS MARKS
International master artist and elite educator for EzFlow and IBD
Jess has been in the nail industry for over 18 years, 14 of which have been spent as an educator.
As well as being a top competitor, Jessica has also been an international judge and has seen many of her students take steps into the competition arena. She has dipped her toes into the session world and her work can be seen in a number of marketing campaigns.
Jess has a passion for all things nails focusing on good structure, education and nail art and prides herself on wanting to inspire and help others grow.
JOHNNY PATERSON
MD, Catalyst PR
Johnny Paterson is the managing director of leading hair and beauty PR agency, Catalyst. He has significant prowess in brand development and social media use and, alongside his team, has contributed to the success of brands including Gelish, NutriBullet, Dr.PAWPAW and Airbase. He is responsible for developing events at Olympia Beauty, including Nailympia London and the Beauty Blogger Awards.
LISA DUNLOP
On behalf of Cuccio
Lisa began her nail industry journey at the age of 16. After working at an exclusive south west salon, she became an educator at the age of 19 and her thirst for knowledge and passion for education is still very much apparent. Lisa has assisted Marian Newman and worked abroad and now works for Cuccio Europe, with a focus on technical and education aspects. She enjoys working for a global company and testing upcoming products and innovations.
GEMMA LAMBERT
Multi-Scratch Stars Awards winner and guest judge
Gemma Lambert is an independent international educator and experienced nail competition judge. She began her industry journey at just 15 years old, soon realising a passion for structure and nail art. Gemma entered her first competition at the age of 18 and seeks to compete, learn and improve each year. She has been involved in all areas of the industry, from working as a mobile tech to renting a table, managing and owning a salon and as an educator and college lecturer. Gemma now owns her own training school and product wholesaler and her key passion is to inspire and teaching others. She hones over 40 industry awards and trophies, including multiple Scratch Stars Awards.
JAN SOAR
Head of education for Nail Harmony UK and master educator for Essex and Suffolk
Jan has held the role of head of education for Nail Harmony UK since 2010. She manages a team of over 30 educators across the UK and also delivers regular Nail Harmony training at the company’s head office and at her own private purpose-built training centre. Under her management, Nail Harmony UK has scooped the Scratch Star for Best Education & Training twice. The nail industry is her passion and this comes across in every class she teaches and attends. She is a finalist for the second year running in the Educator of the Year category at the Scratch Stars.
ROXANNE CAMPBELL
Session stylist and founder of Roxanne Campbell Luxury Nail Lacquer
Roxanne Campbell has been working in the nail industry for over nine years. She has diverse portfolio as has worked at both London and New York Fashion Weeks for designers including Amanda Wakeley and Huishan Zhang.
Roxanne teaches Nail Technology at a leading UK make-up academy and scooped the Scratch Star Award for Manicurist of the Year in 2013. She judged at Nailympia London in 2015 and her work has featured in many high profile fashion and advertising campaigns.
JACQUI O’SULLIVAN
On behalf of Morgan Taylor Nail Lacquer
Highly creative and an esteemed competition judge, Jacqui scooped the Scratch Star Award in 2015 for Services to the Nail Industry. She boasts 20 years of incredible teaching and motivational expertise and vast experience in delivering first class training and assessments in nail technology, customer care, nail art and procedures. She hold a BA(Hons) degree in education and is involved in judging numerous nail competitions including WorldSkills and the prestigious Nailympia.
DEAN NATHANSON
Company founder and chairman of the Beauty Companies Association
Dean Nathanson has a diverse range of qualifications and achievements, including a law degree from Kings College London. He founded a PR and marketing agency specialising in beauty, health and lifestyle and currently holds the role of MD at CACI International, the UK’s largest manufacturer of aesthetic equipment. He is also MD of Skinbreeze Dermabrasion Systems and was elected chairman of Beauty Companies Association (BCA), a not-for-profit trade association that represents the interests of manufacturers and suppliers to the UK professional beauty Industry.
STELLA COX
Bio Sculpture educator
Stella first trained as a beauty therapist in 1987 at Steiner Beauty School in London and has worked as a nail technician since completing her first nail course in 1991. Stella attended a Bio Sculpture Gel course in 2002 and by 2003 she was educating and assessing prospective Bio Sculpture Gel technicians. Beyond her Bio Sculpture achievements, Stella has also been awarded City & Guilds Level 3 PTLLS certificates as well as a VTCT Level 4 certificate in leading the internal quality assurance of assessment processes and practice. Stella’s clients describe her as ambitious, positive, bubbly, vivacious, loyal, passionate and enthusiastic.
KATE YOUNG
Area sales manager at GVS Nailstation
Kate has over 13 years experience in the beauty industry and has worked in a wide range of salons and environments. With a strong business head, she educates in and promotes the sales for GVS Nailstation to promote a cleaner, safer working environment for salon owners and clients.
SUE MARSH
Nail industry icon and nail art and eyelash pioneer
Over the past eight years, Sue Marsh has gained a global reputation for her work with eyelashes, but before she turned her attention to this field, Sue was best known for her outstanding work in nail design. She was the true pioneer of nail art, with two books published on the subject, and has worked with top celebrities, models and designers all over the world. Her archive of the many, extraordinary nail looks that she created over the years is testament to her illustrious career in this field.
SUE DAVIES
Louella Belle educator, salon owner and award winner
Sue Davies joined the nail industry in 2002 after qualifying as a beauty and holistic therapist. She soon scooped a salon management role began working as assistant director of the Association of Nail Technicians (ANT), working to promote technician standards & ethics as well as raising consumer awareness. Sue has worked as a competition organiser and judge across the UK and Ireland and opened her own salon, Gorgeous Nail and Beauty Emporium, which scooped the Scratch Star for Nail Salon of the Year: Independent in 2014.
Sue has spoken at UK trade shows and is head judge for the VTCT Nail Championships. Wanting to share her professional skills, Sue began educating in 2010 and is now the Kent educator for Louella Belle, alongside running her own training academy covering a wide range of beauty courses.
AVRIL PALMER-FYE
Founder, Magis Supplies Ltd
Avril’s background as customer service director has provided her with the skillset and vision to identify customer service opportunities where they exist and to develop and hone them to better serve an industry. Avril has significant experience of leading, developing and mentoring successful and high performance customer service teams and has extensive experience in customer service development, delivery and change management across a broad range of customers. She is founder and MD of Magis Supplies Ltd, as her drive and passion is about creating and developing products that focus on enabling increased levels of professionalism and an enhanced customer service experience.
ANTONIA MARICONDA
Antonia Mariconda is an award-winning health and beauty writer, author and blogger. Content posted on her website, www.thecosmediccoach.com, and social media pages has resulted in Antonia’s following of 50k fans on Twitter alone. Her daily posts have a weekly outreach on social media that exceeds one million people. She is a professional industry coach with workshops now in the USA, India and Dubai and the founder of the national Safety in Beauty campaign, within which she is a body image counsellor and proactive campaigner.
ALISON GUILDFORD
Head of education at The Creative Beauty Group
Alison had an interest in the nail and beauty industry from a young age and trained in nails, beauty and hairdressing. She working in salons and amassed a mobile clientele before working at South Cheshire College in the hair and beauty department. During this time, she undertook a teaching degree and began to share her knowledge and experiences, including how to offer a great customer experience, retail and perform treatments.
She became an educator in 2012 and her salon was awarded Best Small Salon in the North West 2015. She is now head of education for The Creative Beauty Group.
VIVIEN CARRICK
on behalf of LCBT
Vivien has worked in the hair and beauty industry since 1998. Formerly a hair extension stylist she worked on celebrities for music videos and on film sets and styled extensions for The Oscars. During her time in the hair industry, she travelled on a large scale and became interested in the beauty sector.
She went on to re-train, gaining beauty qualifications followed by awards in nail services. Trend conscious, Vivien is also keen in the education sector and has been teaching all levels of beauty at the London College of Beauty Therapy since 2011.
NINA LEWIS
on behalf of LCBT
Nina has over 20-years industry experience, beginning her journey as a nail technician in Harrods before being headhunted by Charles Worthington to work at its flagship store as a tech. She was given intensive training by Jessica Cosmetics founder, Jessica Vartoughian before becoming an editorial nail specialist.
Nina has taught in various FE colleges and mentored a student who went on to win the regional and national WorldSkills competition. Nina currently works at the London College of Beauty Therapy as a Hair, Nails and Media make-up lecturer became an educator for Nail Harmony UK in January 2016.
NERGISH WADIA-AUSTIN
CEO, Phab Standard
Nergish Wadia-Austin has 30-years experience in the hair and beauty industries and launched PHAB Standard, a performance-based standard, in 2010.
Before launching PHAB Standard, Nergish had qualified as a beauty therapist with the renowned French Institute of Beauty-Elysee and was general manager of all hairdressing concessions within Harrods, managing the largest hair & beauty salon in the world. Her constant emphasis on improving quality, marketing strategies and customer service resulted in a dramatic increase in business and revenue.
Nergish launched the Phab Salon Toolkit, a business tool for salon, spa and barbershop managers to help initiate discussions within staff meetings or at staff reviews. She is renowned worldwide for her business management training, which she delivers to extraordinary effect for salons and spas.
GINA AKERS
Beauty expert
Gina has over 23 years’ experience in the hair and beauty industry, and for the past 13 years has become a popular resident beauty expert on TV, radio and in magazines.
Gina was the first person ever to be awarded CPD accreditation from The Hair & Beauty Industry Authority for Beauty Therapy and is a qualified further and adult education lecturer and NVQ assessor, established journalist as well as ambassador for HABIA, The Hair and Beauty Industry Authority. She currently supports HABIA with its professional registers for beauty, nails and spa. In addition to being a qualified beauty therapist, nail tech, hair stylist and make-up artist for 10 years, Gina ran her own 5-star awarded hair, beauty, nails and tanning salon.
GRACE DE VILLE
Opportunities manager, Mastered.com
Grace de Ville is an expert producer across Mastered's beauty division. The online education company brings together world-class experts from the fashion and beauty sectors to create development programmes for talented creatives, including nail techs, make-up artists and hairstylists.
She is currently working on the Nails: Mastered suite of programsme, which is led and curated by Marian Newman.
Grace's role sees her secure top-name guest experts to mentor nail professionals on the programme. She is also responsible for creating partnerships with brands who lend their expertise and provide opportunities to those enrolled.