Animal science student starts press-on nail business.
As the stress and glitter floats away after a long day of studying, Y. Austin prepares a custom order of press-on nails.
When the COVID-19 pandemic begun, Austin, like many, was at home in quarantine and listened to people reminisce about the experience of going to the nail salon.
At a young age Austin designed her own nails and applied them herself.
Austin decided to turn her passion into a small business so she created press-on nail kits that people could apply in the comfort of their own home at a fraction of the cost.
Within just one month of building her clientele, Austin earned back the money she invested into supplies for her business.
“The feeling of being part of my daughter’s journey as she turns her creativity into a thriving business is simply amazing. It’s a privilege to watch her achieve her goals and realizing the full extent of her potential,” her father B. Austin said.
Austin mentioned that the nail industry is known to be very competitive, especially in Houston, Texas.
“I did have a lot of people doubting me towards the beginning, they would tell me that it’s too expensive or that I was too young. I proved them wrong. If you have the passion for something, you can’t let anyone hold you back,” Austin said.
When Austin decided to pursue an education at Texas A&M University-Kingsville her business began to gain more popularity.
“I knew coming into a college town there would be students in different financial situations that would be interested in treating themselves every once and a while. For my price of a full set of press-on nails, students would have been limited to just a coat of polish compared to a salon,” Austin said.
Austin’s Etsy shop has an impressive five-star rating along with many positive reviews.
“The whole process went by very smoothly; I was very impressed and in love with my set. The cost is very affordable for great quality nails,” Content Creator/ Customer Azalya Gonzalez said.
Although Austin makes most of her sales through word of mouth, she runs an Etsy account where customers can order customized nail sets in either a short or long length.
“I think when people look at me, they think my skills are limited to just blinged out long nails, but I can bring any of my client’s ideas to life. I can do dramatic long nails and classy short nails as well,” Austin said.
She also manages her business Instagram account @honeybunnynailss where users can view all her previous work and ask questions about the products.
“I take pride in my work and am honored to be able to set an example for younger black girls. I feel as though there is not enough black owned businesses in our area, so I am happy and grateful for the opportunity to put myself out there and represent my community,” Austin said.