Ryoko Garcia Is NAILS Next Top Nail Artist

Ryoko Garcia was named NAILS Next Top Nail Artist.

After 10 weeks of elimination rounds last fall, three finalists were left standing in NAILS Next Top Nail Artist competition sponsored by Gelish. NAILS flew the Top 3 — Buddy Sims, Lauren Wireman, and Ryoko Garcia — to Long Beach this past weekend for the International Salon and Spa Expo to compete in the final challenge and find out who would be crowned the winner.

In a grueling four-part finale, Ryoko Garcia from Bella Day Spa and Salon in Navarre, Fla., edged out her fellow Top 3 to be named NAILS Next Top Nail Artist. Lauren Wireman from Wildflowers nail studio in Cape Coral, Fla., was 1st runner-up, and Buddy Sims from Bella Dea Day Spa in Omaha, Neb., was 2nd runner-up.

Congratulations to NAILS Next Top Nail Artist Ryoko Garcia.

NAILS editor Hannah Lee with the Top 3: Buddy Sims, Lauren Wireman, and Ryoko Garcia.

The three nail artists battled it out until the very end.

Show attendees, online viewers, and the Next Top Nail Artist judges voted and scored the final “Once Upon a Dream” fantasy nail art projects the Top 3 created over the course of two months. Each competitor spent between 75 and 100 hours on their projects. (Click here to see all photos of all three fantasy nail projects.)

The Top 3 contestants compete in a Valentine’s Day quickfire challenge live on the ISSE Long Beach show floor in the NAILS booth. The challenge, sponsored by Gelish, included a mystery box of products and the competitors had three hours to complete five nails.

On Sunday, January 26, the Top 3 competed in a live Valentine’s Day “quick fire” challenge at the NAILS booth on the ISSE Long Beach show floor. They were given three hours to create five separate nail tips using a mystery box of products.

After these final two challenges, the scores were tallied and nail industry pros came out to Cafe Sevilla nightclub to help celebrate the finalists and find out who won. NAILS editor Hannah Lee emceed the event. Garcia cinched the win with her outstanding Alice in Wonderland-themed fantasy nails.

This is Ryoko Garcia’s winning fantasy nail art challenge that she created for Gelish’s final “Once Upon a Dream” challenge. It took her more than 100 hours to complete.

Seven of our Top 12 made it to Long Beach to celebrate NAILS Next Top Nail Artist. From left are: Buddy Sims, Victoria Zegarelli, Temeka Jackson, Julie Ventura, Lauren Wireman, Lexi Martone, and Ryoko Garcia. (NAILS editor Hannah Lee looks on from the stage.)

Including the Top 3, seven of the Top 12 finalists from the competition traveled from all over the country to see who would be crowned NAILS Next Top Nail Artist. Competition sponsors, industry heavy hitters, nail professionals, and the finalists’ families were all in attendance.

A very special thanks to the Gelish team for being our premier sponsor.

Stay tuned for more news and photos from ISSE Long Beach.

A special thank you to our sponsors: Gelish, CND, Dashing Diva, Entity Beauty, Gel II, INM, It’s So Easy, Misa, NSI, OPI, and Orly.