Today we’d like to introduce you to Anella Moore.
Hi Anella, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I have been an Illinois licensed nail technician for going on 4 years now. I started back in 2022. Going into my senior year of high school. I started doing nails as a way to pay for college. As soon as my mind was made up I hit the ground running. I researched and found a school. All it took for me was that first tour of the building and a fire was lit inside me like I knew what my calling was. I studied at “The Nail Inn” a cosmetology school in Lemont Illinois. Once I started in the field I completely fell in love with the craft itself. Nails was a creative outlet, almost like therapy to me. The program in total is supposed to take up to a year, I had finished the program in 7 months. At first I had started my nail technology classes part time going for the schools night programs 2 times a week right after my 8 hour highschool school day. Then I decided to take on a more heafty work load and I then was pulling classes from 9am-9pm 2 days a week to finish my program faster. One thing I can say is that nail school is not for the weak. It was filled with ups and downs of challenging curriculum obstacles. From theory class to on the floor to having my first few clients have me so nervous to a break down. Nonetheless I had persevered. After graduating from the Nail Inn & acquiring my license from the state. I had then moved into being a private tech. This meant packing up a kit and doing house calls to making a makeshift station in my bedroom. I was eager to build a clientele so I would take anything I could get. A couple months into my career my true calling had then stumbled upon me. One random evening I had gotten a DM from a client saying she knew of someone who wanted nails for a shoot her friend was styling, and had asked if I would be okay with me forwarding my page/work to be looked at over to them. I had happily agreed to the forwarding and had not thought any much of it. The next day I have received an email from the head photographer (Hunter Petersen) saying he had been shown my work and would want me to the nails for his project. Shock had overcome my body. I could not believe that there were people in this world who would look at my work and want to give me what I know now was the shot of a life time. With hope in my heart I then accepted the opportunity and got to work. With paper and crayola in my hands I customized sketches and crafted the best work I had believed I could put out. To bring that first set to life took me 10 hours. An hour for each nail. I remember stepping foot on set being so nervous and excited mixed with adrenaline. Tears had filled my eyes. I had no idea I found my passion. My purpose in life. To be a “creative” was to realize I’m a very small part of a bigger picture that when it all comes together makes something amazing. The shoot had gone over perfectly. At the time I was 17. A couple months later I had then had my nails featured in my first New York magazine cover, a nude nail with texturing a few days shy of me turning 18. Since then my career has done nothing but go up. I can now proudly say at age of 20 years old I have been published 8 times. 5 times digitally, 2 times nationwide, and once internationally. With these publications i then seen a huge jump in popularity with bookings and trust in my craft from the public. When I first started nails I had not even known the world of fashion was even an option for me as a nail artist to have a role in. Since then the doors for my career had bursted open with opportunities. Leading me to later on work with other known Chicago creatives and bigger Brands. To current date I had the honor of being able to partner up with ‘Box out Brand’ at this years WNBA all star weekend 2026 for there ‘Drip Social’ kick off event. This let guests of the event indulge into a my own brand curated nail customization station. I then got to expand my brand ‘Anella Nail Studio’ into what is now forming into not just me as a nail technician but, now me as an artist. Anyone can do nails but my goal is to be a branded movement. Nail art is not just a color anymore it is self expression of the future.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I would say the biggest challenge for me I found breaking into the industry was getting my original footing into just running the business. I started my career/brand with nothing but a dream and a voice inside me that said “I can just feel this is meant for me”. Before I did nails I was actually doing construction. Long 12 hour days in the hot Chicago heat all over the city. So a little bump in the road never scared me off of the path I had set for me to get to my next goal.
I remember being on set one day and heard all the other creatives talking about how they had fashion degrees from FIT and took classes on patterns and fabrics. When in all reality I only had my high school diploma & a state nail license. Another struggle would have to be I had to sacrifice my own personal time to get where I am today. For my clients I have missed birthdays, weddings and funerals for appointments just so they can have that little spur moment of there life where they can leave an appointment with me feeling better about themselves.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I am a ‘Nail Artist’ I am mainly focused in Acrylic. I specialize in 3D nail artistry & editorial nail art. In my chair there are no limits only eager finger tips. I am known for my crazy out of the box nail art such as 3D flowers, characters, and hand painted realistic portraits. The sets I am most proud of would have to be my editorial sets. Every shoot I have ever done has pushed me into being a bigger and bolder artist, to go past thinking the limit is the finger tip. What sets me apart from other techs/artists in my area would have to be my art skills/ Photoshoot portfolio. Along with my pricing dynamic. I’m the type of tech that I believe people spend there hard earned money on my craft so it must be perfect everytime. But also still stay reasonable in today’s economy. My clients always love that I do not charge for length, shape. Charms, or rhinestones. This policy has helped me put more of my clients into something they may not have tried before.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
My best advice is you are your own walking billboard along with your clients. Always keep yourself/hands interesting. The more out of the ordinary I have went with style in both nails and myself the more willing people are to trust me with doing there services. A huge one too would be social media. Find your aesthetic and how you want to be seen/ heard and run with it. Not everyone is going to understand the vision it is up to us as creatives to bring light so the public can see the vision.
Contact Info:
