About Me

Who is Abby Jay?

After years of growing up in the industry and watching the craft evolve, I
decided I wanted to follow suit. I started out as a receptionist at the
renowned north west Bodyworx salon owned by my mum and good friend
Jane, and in 2011 I qualified at NSI in the liquid and power foundation
course. I specialise in acrylic nails, gel polish and gel toes and have
worked in the creative industry for several years now.

Being part of a creative agency, I’m very honoured to have worked on
some exciting projects over the years. Some of my highlights include
working on photoshoots for big commercial campaigns with Superdrug
and Claire’s accessories. I’ve also had the pleasure of getting celebrities
red carpet ready, including: Anastasia, Jennifer Hudson and Jorgie Porter.

Why Abby Jay Academy?

I decided to start my own academy for so many reasons; I love what I do and it seemed important for me to share what I’ve learnt over the years. I wanted to empower other people to become their own boss, and I think that’s what makes me different. My students don’t just learn the basics of nails with me, they can develop themselves as business owners and make lasting friendships.

I like my students to know that it’s not as simple as completing a course and earning money; It takes time and effort to build up, especially at the beginning. I kept practicing as much as I could in the early days to build up my skills – I still go on workshops now to keep up with the trends and keep my skills sharp. Although I was brought up in the nail industry, when I put an acrylic brush in my hand I thought “wow this is hard” being creative came naturally to me, but actually doing the acrylic application was difficult at first. This is the case for most so it’s essential to never give up! Nails is a practical job after all, so its all about practice practice practice!

Anybody can do it if you put your mind to it and keep going.