Judges From Around the World that Support Nailympia Competitions
3 Nailympia Judge
Gabriella Kovács
Hungary
Academy & Distribution| Online training| Product Research & Development| Salon
Area of judging expertise: Structure
Years as a judge: 20
Number of Nailympia events judged: 3
Nailympia events judged: London
Are you an educator?: Yes
Industry accolades: 1x European Champion München, 1x International Champion Düsseldorf, Winner of Winners Nailympia London, 6x NailPro Winner & Top 10 Finalist (2nd), Multiple times Hungarian Champion, alongside more medals & trophies from various competitions worldwide. I also judge national & international competitions & founded my own brand, Rouge Nails, to share my expertise & passion with professionals worldwide.
Favourite nail brands: Rouge Nails
Industry figures you admire: I deeply admire everyone in our industry who puts in the effort, passion & commitment to ensure that our beautiful profession - our shared hobby & way of life - continues to thrive & evolve. Whether through innovation, education or simply by inspiring others, those who actively contribute to the growth & sustainability of our craft truly earn my respect & admiration. It’s this collective dedication that keeps our community strong & our art advancing.
Career biography: I started my profession 29 years ago, of which I was an active competitor for 14 years.
I have been teaching in group & individual trainings for more than 20 years, which has taken me to several parts of the world. I teach in Budapest my hometown, I have also taught in Florida, California, Malaysia & held classes & camps for many years throughout Italy, Germany, France & all over Europe. My students achieve success both in national & international competitions, they are successful in their work, they work with a fully booked clientele. They have won countless national & international championships & world championships with my support.
In addition to professional knowledge, I teach them what I stand for. I believe that in addition to expertise, technique & the right product, perfectionism is the secret to professional work.
In the heart of Budapest, I own & operate an exclusive nail salon featuring six professional nail stations & a dedicated training room.
Personal biography: I live in Budapest with my family & I’ve been in love with nails since I was 19, when I opened my salon. Alongside my work, I earned a degree in economics.
At the age of 20, I opened my first salon, which I successfully ran for 14 years. During that time, I began competing & teaching nationally & internationally, which allowed me to travel the world. For me, it never felt like work - it was a true hobby & a joy.
Five years ago, I opened a new salon again, simply because I missed my clients. I love creating nails, I love connecting with people & I’ll admit, I also really love to eat.
Why you believe in nail competitions?: I believe in nail competitions because they push you beyond your limits & bring out your best. They challenge your skills, discipline you & spawn creativity in ways everyday salon work cannot. Competitions teach precision, speed & innovation & most importantly, they teach you how to handle pressure & grow from it.
It’s not just about winning - it’s about learning, evolving, developing & becoming part of a passionate global community. Every competition I’ve entered has helped shape who I am today, both as an artist & an educator. That’s why I encourage every nail professional to step onto the competition floor - it’s where real growth begins.
Advice to competitors: Competing is about becoming better than you were yesterday. Focus on progress, not perfection. Every minute you spend practicing, every critique you receive & every challenge you face is shaping you into a stronger, more skilled artist. Stay humble, stay hungry & never stop learning. Trust the process, trust your teacher, respect your competitors & remember: the real victory is the growth you achieve along the way. Step onto the competition floor with passion, confidence & the mindset that you belong there - because you do. And along the way, you just might become a champion too. :)
Nail work
