For the first time in Nailympion history, three Americans ventured into Argentina to compete in front of INJA (International Judge Association). Each of the three has a different perspective to share with you in the coming days and I hope you enjoy their stories and photos as much as I have. To see more photos, look them up on Instagram!

First, meet Kim Jones. You might remember her from the May broadcast of NailOn with Holly and Mel where she shared what attending the Foot Forward Summit last year has done for her business. Kim is a successful salon owner, educator, motorcycle enthusiast, and animal lover. Here is Argentina from her point of view:

What an amazing emotional experience for my very first competition!  INJA in Argentina was incredible, the judging was super critical, the competition was fierce and the atmosphere was warm.  

Argentina is such a friendly, beautiful country and having the opportunity to share the experience with the two crazy nail ladies that pushed me to go was worth every penny!

The competition itself was interesting. At this competition, fantasy nails aren’t just a model walking through the show or placing hands on a table — it’s a full on production! Some had backup dancers, the nails had platforms, and there was a runway — it was incredible!  For me, competing was a new way to grow, really push my limits and take the scores to better my nail skills. I learned what my strengths are and what skills I need to practice more. I truly believe everyone should compete once in their career, I was scared, intimidated, out of my comfort zone, but in the end, I had a blast, even brought home some medals, regained my confidence, and found new friends to learn and grow from. It was one of the best experiences of my career!