Hey everyone and welcome back to another super sweet blog post. Today I wanted to share how I attended my first nail event of the year, Fun Fancy Nails. Oh my gawd, finally! I have been a busy truck driver with very little time to commit to established dates so getting out felt so good. I have truly missed my nail friends, so I am so glad I was able to see a few of my special friends.
So this year the FunFancy Nails show landed on Oct 27, 2024, which was a Sunday. I had discovered I had an off day and at the very last minute I devoted myself to going. With positive encouragement from a good friend of mine I said let’s do it. I got an uber to my storage facility, pulled out my car, and made the 4 hour drive from Pennsylvania to Rhode Island. I ended up arriving around 11:45, and the show had started at 10am.
After meeting and catching up with Danalynn who I was so excited to see I paid my entry fee and came on in. Looking around the room I saw all the booths and the nail techs at each one, and I just felt so at home. I have only been to this show once, but just being around like minded people is such a good feeling, we can talk about dogs, nails, batman, ya know, the usual. It was great. I honestly, didn’t know where to start as I saw all my friends were talking to people or having demos and I didn’t want to interrupt anyone. So I walked over to RussAnna’s booth. If you haven’t heard she is the head educator for Johens Nails.
So while I was sneaking up on her I had to hold my excitement as she lives in Georgia with me and is also a mentor to me, but I haven’t seen her in over a year, so I was positively bursting inside. Think of ooey gooey, but no toilet kind of jitters. But I held myself. Go me. She stopped her demo and spoke for a few seconds before resuming and she was so darn busy we actually didn’t catch up until the show was nearly over. Ahhhh I love watching my friends succeed.
I slithered away to the booth next over where I got to see NSI with the lovely Bonnie Brennan, catching up with her and her daughter was so fun. Even hearing her daughter complete law school felt like a full scale moment, as I remember when she was testing. Congrats to her! But Bonnie was so exciting, I caught the tail end of her demo and had a wonderful chance to catch up. She told me that the owner was the first person to create forms and acrylic! That was amazing to hear!
Afterwards, I walked over and shocked Lorri and Sue at the Medinail booth. They are wonderful educators who really spend a good deal of time teaching about foot disorders, diseases, and prevention. There’s a new book by Dr. Spaulding and products as well. That silicone gel was amazing to touch. LOVED seeing them again.
Next up I saw Madison Reese at the CJS or Clear Jelly Stamper booth, oh and get this before I continue, I wanted a selfie but we were both eating something and holding our chew while trying to smile and I caught it and I said I would come back, and I still forgot the dang selfie! We both thought it was hilarious! But either way her booth was beautiful and had so many awesome products. I got a picture of half of it, but she did very well in her demos as I listened from the side. Go Clear Jelly!
I will admit trade shows and nail events are all about networking and building new bonds and relationships, but I was absolutely selfish this time around and was glued to the people I knew. I kept circling back around to my friends, but more so I didn’t really have an interest in the other booths. But thats just me. I don’t do lashes, so I wasn’t gonna waste her time at her booth. Nor do I work on feet anymore so I wasn’t gonna waste their time at the pedicure booths either. Would have been nice to meet them, but thats time they could have had with someone who was genuinely interested a might of purchased so I think I faired well.
Later on the evening I had the honor of being a nail competition judge, which was lots of fun. I got to take my picky nail lookin eyes of judgment off of Facebook and applied them to paper. I will be honest I love to judge others work, because thats how I get better at judging my own. So this was great and I ready to rip some folks apart. But I sadly didn’t get to. Everyone did so well! The theme for the competition was Carnival! Best believe I loved that!
The competition went well and the first prize winner was Bonnie Brennan. So congrats Bonnie!!
Also, door prizes were given out, and lucky me, I won Aceso by Famous Names. Their new foot care product for onycholosis. It helps reattach the nail plate back to the nail bed. While I don’t actively work on clients until next year, I figured I could pay it forward and I gave it to a newer nail tech at the show I saw near a pedicure booth. Ya know, spreading some early holiday cheer.
Overall, I believe the show was very nice. I think I came with completely different intentions as everyone else as I just wanted to breath air with nail products in it and hug my friends, while others came for knowledge and products. I actually didn’t buy anything until it was time to go. Gotta support your friends booth ya know. If I had to nitpick I would just say the free gel polishes were cool but the one I got may have been old or a bad batch, the brush was really worn. But the glitters were nice, and the books on display to help with business or your mindset were a good touch. I never seen books at a show.
I also didn’t get a VIP bag and for $20 more dollars I regret not getting one. Just to have more nail products really, I like goodie bags. I loved seeing my friends, and I think it was a great decision to make the drive up. So overall I had a good time. I hope everyone else had a good time and if you didn’t get a chance to attend I hope my insight on my time was helpful in anyway, even if I just spent it as a reunion. Until then, thanks for reading, and I will catch you all next time! See ya later sweets!
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