#GlaizeTalks: We Sit Down with Nail Artist and Musician Jess Young
Our latest nail art stickers collaboration is a must have! Jess Young has made a name for herself in the nail art world, known for her creative designs and gender neutral aesthetic.
We chat to the Boys in Polish founder about her love of nail art, what inspired the collection and much, much more!
Q: Introduce yourself!
A: My name is Jess Young. I’m a nail artist, musician, DJ and founder of Boys in Polish.
Q: When did your love of nails & nail art begin?
A: It started when I was quite young with my mum- her friends had nail salons and I followed them around, so I grew up around it and it became a passionate hobby of mine! I started watching loads of YouTube tutorials and that’s how I became good at doing nail art. I also did art at school which helped with the creativity behind my designs, and loved painting, so it all tied in together!
Q: When did you start doing nails personally & professionally?
A: I started doing nails when I was at school. On non-uniform days I would bring all my nail art pens in and do nails on my friends at school, as well as at parties. I started working for a nail salon when I had just turned 17; I really loved working there and building my experience, meeting all kinds of people and immersing myself in the industry. 5 years after that I became freelance, so I’ve been freelance for about 4 years now and I love it!
Q: What do you love most about the collection with Glaize?
A: I love that they’re not gendered, I think nail art should be for everyone! The collection is unisex and lots of fun!
Q: Do you have a fave design from the collab?
A: Yes, I really like the roses! But also the yin yang, I tried to make it a bit different, so the dot is swapped for a star. I thought, “let me just put my Jess Young touch on it!”
Q: Where do you draw most of your design inspiration from?
A: I definitely thought about what kinds of designs my clients ask for, that really helped to influence the designs I chose as I wanted to create decals that people really want to wear, but also that felt reflective of my experience doing nails.
Q: Who is your nail icon?
A: Ooh good question! I wouldn’t say I have an icon, life inspires me. My nail icons are my clients because they’re the ones that come in with the design ideas… it’s always a collaborative effort.
Q: What’s your favourite part of the design process?
A: I love choosing the colours! I’m a very colourful person, I love working with colour- it brings me joy! In terms of the decals, I enjoyed thinking of the direction behind the collection, creating nail art stickers with enough variation between all the different designs, composing a good mixture was really fun. I also really enjoy working collaboratively with clients, us both working together to create something unique.
Q: Can you tell us a little bit about your studio?
A: I’ve moved in here recently, this is my first home studio! I knew for a fact that I wanted to do it on my own. I love this space, and I love that I’m able to make it my own.
Q: 1 word to describe your style?
A: I’d say ‘cute’! As much as I hate that word (I do not like being called cute) BUT… my outfits are hella cute!
Q: Can you tell us a bit more about Boys in Polish?
A: Boys in Polish is a platform that aims to make manicures more inclusive. I’m not trying to segregate nail art into genders, so I’m not trying to say ‘this is male nail art’ or ‘this is female nail art,’ I’m trying to make nail art and manicures more inclusive; it all just needs to be one. That’s what I aim to do through the project, and create a safe space for men to talk, not exclusively, but inclusively.
£1 from the sale of every Glaize x Jess Young Stick N Mix set will go to Jess’ chosen charity, Future Men, which supports boys and men along the path to becoming dynamic future men.
What’s your favourite design from the collection? Is it the super cool yin yang, or maybe the tattoo snake? We're low-key obsessed with the smileys as well. Don’t forget to tag us on social media to show us how you've styled them!