When money is tight and stress is at an all-time high for college students, self-care can be hard to find. But University students need not worry — second-year College student Sofia Romulo has their backs, providing fun and affordable nail art from the comfort of her cozy apartment.
Romulo’s hobby started in her junior year of high school while she was working at her friend’s parents’ nail salon as a receptionist. As her co-workers experimented with new designs on her nails, Romulo said she began to appreciate manicures as an art and vehicle for self-expression. Romulo then brought that art with her to college, doing manicures her first year as a way to make friends at the University.
“[Doing nails] was a nice way to make friends because it’s hard for a lot of people to find time and find an excuse [to hang out] one-on-one,” Romulo said. “So I feel like my first year … it was a nice way to not only meet people but also to have real conversations with them.”
Romulo documents her hobby through an Instagram account dedicated to her nail art, where she posts photos of the nails she does for her clients. Since the account’s creation, Romulo’s following has grown well beyond just her sphere of friends to include other University students, as well as those in the greater Charlottesville community. A testament to this reach, Romulo shared that she recently was asked to do someone’s nails for their high school prom.
“I think it’s especially exciting when people come to me for stuff like [proms],” Romulo said. “I’m like, ‘Oh, you trust me for a big occasion?’”
Despite the growth in her clientele, Romulo said she has made an effort to keep her prices from going over $60 because she believes that cost should not be a barrier for those that want to treat themselves to getting their nails done.
Romulo said that the accessibility of her business has allowed her to meet people “from all over the place.” She said that one of her favorite parts about doing the nails of people who have found her through social media are the memorable conversations she gets to have with those she most likely wouldn’t have met otherwise.
Along with the variety of people Romulo has met through her growing clientbase, she also said she enjoys the diversity in clients’ design requests because they give her the opportunity to creatively collaborate with her customers.
When clients approach Romulo with requests for a solid color nail or a simple French tip design, Romulo said that she encourages them to go outside their comfort zones, inspiring them to get more avant-garde and unique styles. Romulo said that her encouragement has emboldened her clients to embrace nail art as “a form of self-expression” just as she does.
For Maya Roeung, a regular client of Romulo’s and fourth-year College student, getting her nails done by Romulo has allowed her to try designs she had previously been hesitant to ask for from other nail artists.
“I always had the desire to get my nails done in these really eccentric and crazy ways, but I've never had the guts to go [ask for them at] a traditional nail salon,” Roeung said. “[Romulo] pulls things out of you that you don't even know that you really wanted.”
Romulo also said she loves her clients who push her to try more challenging techniques, like 3D embellishments, bright colors or abstract shapes. Along with these intricate techniques, Romulo said her clientbase also requests themed designs, presenting her with inspiration pictures to recreate. From Spongebob Squarepants' Bikini Bottom flowers to the Microsoft Windows logo, Romulo has brought these eccentric visions to life with precise brushstrokes.
Romulo said that what she enjoys most about the process is the creativity she gets to spark in others and the joy their nails bring them once she is able to show them the final product.
“Watching girls who sometimes don’t usually feel as girly and get their nails done, and then watching them immediately as their demeanor changes when they walk out the door … it’s very cute, and I love it,” Romulo said.
According to Romulo, the ability to provide her clients with an extra sense of self-confidence has been extremely fulfilling for her.
“Now that I've been doing it for a while, you see how it does change the way people look at themselves, even just for a little bit and it's nice,” Romulo said.
Through her mastery of nail art, Romulo has become both an artist and a muse for the University and Charlottesville communities, inspiring and invigorating her clients with her creative spunk, passion for meeting new people and core belief that everyone deserves to feel confident. Schedule your own nail appointment with Romulo through her nail art Instagram, @nailsofrom.
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