Today we’d like to introduce you to Maram El-saghir
Hi Maram, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My story begins with my awful nail-biting habits that began too long ago to even remember. Growing up, anything with a pencil or paint brush became my escape from reality. Developing anxiety throughout middle school didn’t help my nail biting, but it did push me to continue to paint and draw.
A few months before quarantine, I grew a sense of embarrassment from my damaged nail beds and asked my parents to order nail supplies I had found on Amazon. It all started with a cheap acrylic nail kit, holographic butterfly glitters, and the bottles of nail polish I stole from my mom. I started spending hours a day just sitting on the floor of my bedroom doing my nails, despite the obvious lumps and horrible paint jobs on them. My pencil and paint brush that created my safe space turned into nail polish and nail sets.
Although the cheap acrylic kit didn’t get the quality of my nails far, it didn’t stop me from practicing on myself, and two years later, my sister and friends. Classmates began to ask me who did my nails and if I could even do theirs. Being a nail tech was never something I thought of doing, but I thought to myself, what do I have to lose? One client turned into five, and soon enough I finally got over my fear of judgement from others and made an Instagram account to show my art to the world.
From my bedroom floor to a studio in my basement, doing nails was never something I imagined doing, but the community I have created through sharing my love for this art has allowed me to find a purpose. I see a piece of myself in every client I meet. My studio holds laughter, stress, secrets, and truths; painting a picture of womanhood in every stage. Whether its a solid color nail set or an intricate freestyle design, I cherish every moment with every individual who has seen something in me when I saw nothing.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The short answer is no, but the long answer is yes.
We’ve all heard the saying, “Its not about the destination, its about the journey”, or something along the lines of that. But, it really is true. Not every client was good, not every set came out how I wanted, and of course there were slow months. Through these obstacles, I would not be both the artist and businesswoman I am today.
I think the time period that taught me the most was winter to summer of 2023. I was gaining followers, booking out my spots, and getting better and better by the day. Money was rolling in and my clients were happy with their sets, but my head was big. I started overworking myself, taking 6 clients on weekends and working 12 hours with no break. This allowed me to turn the one thing that made me feel like I had finally done something for myself into a burden. I had allowed myself to only be motivated by validation from others on the work I was doing, not by the progress I was making.
In being aware of the destruction I had caused myself I was able to slow down on my workdays and post less, growing my love for my craft even more after this period. I had to humble myself to realize how blessed I was to have the ability to create art as a business. Taking this step back taught me more about myself and opened my eyes to the harsh reality behind the beauty industry.
There are highly unrealistic standards that beauty service providers have to meet. We have to be available, but not too available or else we look unexperienced. We have to be open and outgoing, but if we talk too much we’re annoying and overshare-the list goes on. This time period, although stressful and unhealthy, created a polished version of myself. I unintentionally learned how to be somewhat of a therapist while setting boundaries with my clients and friends.
So no, it wasn’t a smooth road. But, every bump is a blessing in disguise.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a nail artist specializing in Gel-X, a form of nail enhancement/extension that covers the nail bed with only full cover gel nail tips. I am most known for my designs and nail concepts that I share on social media, notably Instagram and TikTok.
As much as I am proud of my progress in nail art and application, I am most proud of the bonds I have made throughout my experience as a nail artist.
Although I was always an outgoing person, these past three years have taught me more about myself and the world than any other experience. Being based in one of the most diverse cities in Michigan (Dearborn), I have met so many amazing people that have given me the chance to step out of my bubble of school and family. It goes past “making connections” and “knowing the right people”. I am so grateful for the individuals that have become more than just clients, but family, to me.
As a Arab-American woman, I have become closer to my culture and faith through clients that have shared their stories and reflected values we share. These interactions have created a feeling of both belonging and empowerment, embracing the resilience of women through culture and diversity. The two hours my girls take out of their day to treat themselves to self-care is a time for reflection, dialogue, and embracing a space where they can relax and unwind.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
The quality I would accredit the most to my success is my ability to take a vision my client might have and turn it into the nail set they have in mind.
I always say the biggest compliment a client can give me is telling me they trust me. My work might be the reason a client booked their appointment, but that does not mean their trust in me to deliver what they are asking is automatically there- and that is completely okay. Sometimes it takes a few appointments for a client to feel comfortable with my process in making their nails perfect, so it really is the definition of TRUST the process.
But, being able to make even the pickiest clients trust me in making their visions come to life has been the biggest contributor to my success. Whether its five different inspiration pictures and the client telling me exactly what they want from each or a specific picture but without almost every aspect of the design, I know I can make it happen. I am able to take the vibe or aesthetic my client wants to achieve out of their desired design and create a nail set with elements they didn’t expect to fit the set. That being said, I do of course appreciate my clients that want a specific set, color, or design. Sometimes its even relieving for me to do a plain set that looks “just like the picture” because there is a definitive expectation instead of unknown preferences.
Overall, giving my clients the feeling of trusting me to deliver the vibe they want to embody has gotten me clients that appreciate my art and skill; not just “more clients”. Having loyalty and trust with my clients is what success means to me, so this exact trait is what makes me successful in my eyes.
Pricing:
- Gel-X Short Length Set: $50+
- Gel-X Medium Length Set $55+
- Gel-X Long Length Set $60+
- Gel-X XLong Length Set $70+
- Structured Gel Manicure $50
Contact Info:
