LAREDO, Texas. (KGNS)-A Laredo nail artist is taking the beauty industry by storm with her false nails that have been worn by some of the most influential people in the entertainment industry.
Erika Palacios’ nail designs have earned her thousands of followers on Instagram and TikTok and have caught the attention of artists such as Grammy Award-winning singer Olivia Rodrigo and influencers Avani Gregg and Charli and Dixie D’Amelio.
“Sometimes it doesn’t feel real,” Palacios told KGNS.
Palacios, 27, started at age 15 in his hometown of Zapata, Texas. He would visit the local nursing home and paint the residents’ nails.
“Just to practice,” Palacios said.
When Palacios graduated from high school, she moved to Laredo in 2015 to obtain her cosmetology license at Laredo Chi Academy. A year and a half later, she began receiving clients and even taught at the academy for some time.
In 2020, the cosmetology industry was hit hard by the COVID pandemic, forcing many to close their businesses.
“We were not allowed to work,” Palacios said. “So from there I started doing TikTok.”
Palacios began posting nail tutorial videos and her latest designs.
“Little by little my social networks began to grow,” Palacios said. “Then it started getting the attention of talent managers, influencer managers, and from there everything changed within two weeks… my whole nail life changed.”
Gregg, an American social media personality and makeup artist, first approached her with 42 million followers on the social media platform TikTok.
“I was like, okay, this is your only chance to surprise her with these nails,” Palacios said.
Eventually, he added the D’Amelio sisters, who have a combined following of more than 200 million people on TikTok, to his client list.
“I got to work with (Charli) for a photo shoot,” he said. “She loved (the nails), so now she just texts me like ‘hey, I need like 20 for this month,'” Palacios added.
He did the nails for Rodrigo’s Sour tour and Dixie D’Amelio’s tour with the boy pop band ‘Big Time Rush’.
“It’s very surreal,” Palacios said. “You can’t fangirl because you have to be professional, but inside I’m definitely freaking out.”
Palacios is known for adding a twist to classic nail styling and her unique designs, but what she enjoys most is creating quirky nails, the kind you’d see at photo shoots.
“Don’t get me wrong,” he said. “I can do the basics and stuff, but I lean more toward that.”
Her nails have been worn on red carpets, including the 2022 Met Gala, and she does all the work from Laredo.
“I love Laredo. I definitely want to stay here,” Palacios said. “I can travel, so they will take me to (Los Angeles) and I will also be able to experience that world, but I have to go back to Laredo.”
Palacios is able to keep up with her celebrity clientele from the comfort of her home through her press-on nail business.
“I’m lucky with plugins, I can only ship them,” he said.
Palacios still books appointments with local clients.
“I love that face-to-face interaction,” he said. “I have a great bond with my clients. They’ve been with me since I started.”
Palacios is proud of the journey she has had these last two years.
“COVID really changed our lives in a bad way, and I feel like I was able to get something good out of it,” Palacios said.
As for advice for someone with similar aspirations, Palacios said, just go ahead.
“Disappear from your comfort,” Palacios said. “That is ultimately what will set you apart from other people.”
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Source: www.kgns.tv