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𝑨𝑼𝑹𝑶𝑹𝑨 𝑵𝑬𝑪𝑻𝑨𝑹 *ੈ✩‧₊˚ 𝚋𝚢 𝙰𝚗𝚗𝚊

@auroranectarnails

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⟡ gel-x, korean builder gel, custom press-ons
⟡ licensed nail tech
⟡ DM for appointments & inquiries
⟡ Koreatown, LA📍| home studio

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Last February I got laid off from my first dream job. It was crushing and miles beyond unexpected. My whole life I’ve been someone who always had a plan, craved structure, and was happiest when my brain was busy–and in one instant, all those things were taken away from me.

I was exhausted, drained, numb, and in shock. I gave myself exactly one week to relax, do all the things I never had time to do with a 9-5, and sleep. After a week of floating between bed-rotting to seeing my friends to crying (many times), I sat down at a cafe to clear away the unknown in my life. I knew that with the job market it could be months before I was able to find my next role.

So I looked into beauty schools in my area and found there were part-time, accelerated manicurist programs at night; I’d be able to attend even if I got a full time day job before the program ended. Nail art had been a passion of mine for two years at this point and it was a self-taught skill that I would find myself lost in for hours on end.

I started school the week of my birthday, exactly one month after getting laid off, surrounded by an overwhelming, constant pang of uncertainty and unease for the future. The next five months grew to be living, breathing evidence of how impossible it was for any of my fears to solidify in my life.

I won 1st place in my school-wide nail art competition with nails I conceptualized and designed around the current political climate titled, “Resistance and Resilience in the Summer”. I did my first editorial nails for Mark Tuan’s “High as You” release and they were featured on Vogue Singapore’s Instagram. I merged my literature and education background with my nail art, shifting into stronger conceptual storytelling as the thread of my work and process.

And finally–I took my state board exam this January and am now officially a licensed manicurist in the state of California!

Here’s to auroranectar and breathing life into many, many more dreams. 🌷🤍 by @auroranectarnails

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8 months ago

“High As You” nails for Mark Tuan’s new single 🕯️ by @auroranectarnails

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a year ago

jelly grape 🍇 stiletto freestyle on extra long gel-x tips 🗡️ by @auroranectarnails

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7 months ago

Auroranectar in the wild: a freestyle study on texture 🧸

korean builder gel on natural nails ✨ DM to book taken in Koreatown, Los Angeles by @auroranectarnails

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a year ago

“With Love” freestyle using real roses and baby’s breath

💫 korean builder gel on natural nails with a couple gel-x tips taken in Los Angeles, California by @auroranectarnails

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a year ago

when the assignment is red and black for the freestyle 🙂‍↕️🎯

korean builder gel on natural nails 🎈 taken in Los Angeles, California by @auroranectarnails

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a year ago

Extra long chrome stiletto claws for a shoot ⛓️‍💥 taken in Los Angeles, California by @auroranectarnails

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a year ago

Dirty summer martini 🍸🫒 on almond gelx

Swipe for the reference nails 🫶🏻 taken in Los Angeles, California by @auroranectarnails

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a year ago

Freestyle custom fit pressons 🥀 taken in Los Angeles, California by @auroranectarnails

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2 years ago

freestyle on all natural nail with custom-mixed burgundy color 🍷💃🥀 taken in Los Angeles, California by @auroranectarnails

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2 years ago

girly chrome gel-x freestyle ⛓️🤍 by @auroranectarnails

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2 years ago

hello auroranectar babes, I am now in LA and ready to start posting again 🤍

A freestyle set from the summer ⭐️ by @auroranectarnails

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2 years ago