Competitors From Around the World that Support Nailympia Competitions
1 Nailympia Competitor
Hoa Huynh
Canada
Academy| Influencer| Salon
Area of competition expertise: Nails
Years competiting: 1
Number of Nailympia events competed at: 1
Nailympia events competed at: Orlando
Divisions awarded medals in: Division 2
Are you an educator?: Yes
Have you been a judge?: No
Why did you choose to join the Nailympia circuit?: I joined the Nailympia circuit because I wanted to challenge myself beyond the salon. Working with clients every day is one thing, but competition pushes me to look at my work differently — technique, precision, creativity, timing & consistency all matter.
I also wanted to see where my skills stand alongside other nail artists in the industry. For me, competing is not just about winning. It’s about finding my weaknesses, learning from other artists & constantly pushing myself to get better.
What has winning at Nailympia done for your career & confidence?: Winning 1st Place in Flat Art gave me a lot more confidence in my ability as an artist. More importantly, it showed me that the time and effort I put into practicing & improving my technique can actually translate into a result.
It also made me want to challenge myself more. Winning once feels great, but it also makes me curious about what else I’m capable of. I definitely don’t feel like I’ve 'made it' — I feel like I’ve just found another reason to keep pushing.
Industry accolades: Nailympia Orlando 2026 — 1st Place, Flat Art
Favourite nail brands: Apres, Ugly Nails, The Gel Bottle inc, Chaun Legend, Glitterbels, MelodieSusie & GellyFit
Career biography: I’m a nail technician, salon owner & nail educator based in Canada. I’ve built my career through hands-on experience in the salon, where I continue to work with clients while developing my skills in nail art, structure & advanced techniques.
Education has also become an important part of my career. I enjoy sharing what I’ve learned with other nail technicians & helping them build stronger technical foundations.
Competition has given me another way to grow as an artist. After winning 1st Place in Flat Art at Nailympia, I became even more interested in challenging myself, improving my skills & seeing how far I can take my work.
Personal biography: I’m naturally a quiet & introverted person, so putting my work in front of judges & competing against other artists has definitely pushed me outside my comfort zone.
I enjoy learning, practicing new techniques & challenging myself, even when the process is frustrating. Outside of nails, I enjoy cooking, reading & learning new things.
I’m a big believer that improvement doesn’t always happen quickly. Sometimes you just have to keep practicing, make mistakes, learn from them & try again.
Why you believe in nail competitions?: I believe nail competitions are one of the best ways for nail artists to challenge themselves & grow. In the salon, we focus on creating beautiful, wearable nails for our clients. Competition pushes you to look at your work at a completely different level - precision, structure, cleanliness, creativity, timing & consistency are all tested.
I also love the learning that happens between competitors. You get to see techniques & ideas that you may never encounter in your everyday salon work. There’s always something to learn from another artist.
Advice to other competitors: Don’t compete only to win. Compete to find the gaps in your skills & learn what you need to improve. Take feedback seriously, study the work of other competitors, & don’t let one result define you. And prepare more than you think you need to. Competition is not just about talent. Practice, consistency, timing & being able to stay focused under pressure make a huge difference. Don’t wait until you feel completely ready. Enter, learn, adjust & come back better.
Nail work
