Meet Nisa Marckese: Licensed Manicurist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Nisa Marckese and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nisa, what role has risk played in your life or career?
To me, life is mostly all about taking risks every single day. There are things we, as humans, do that we don’t even consider as risky because it’s so normal to do. For example, getting in a car to drive somewhere. You don’t know what will happen on your commute!

A little over a year ago I was at a point in my young adult life where I wasn’t happy. I knew I wanted and deserved more out of my life and I wanted to do more than just work at a 9-5pm job Monday-Friday. With a little encouragement from family and friends I decided it was time to take a risk.

If you know me personally you’d know I’m not a very big girly girl but I’ve always loved and admired getting my nails done and the work it took behind the scenes to make my nails look so fly. One day I was scrolling on Instagram and saw a fellow nail tech offering an affordable beginner class on acrylic. I thought that would be extremely fun to take a day class and learn something completely new. I decided this was exactly the risk I was willing to take and signed myself up! And hey, if I didn’t enjoy it at least I took the risk.

Class day rolled around and I had never had so much fun in a class setting before in my entire life. I felt like a kid again being able to unleash an artistic side of myself I’d never seen before. I practiced on and off on myself and a few close friends for about 3-4 months before I decided this is it, this is what I want to do! In the beginning of January 2020 I signed myself for nail technology school in DTLA which was going to be a 4 month 400 hour long program to obtain my nail technology license. The first two and a half months of school were amazing then Covid-19 hit us here in Los Angeles. School transitioned to online classes and let’s be real, trying to learn a trade that’s hands on online was difficult and not being able to practice on people while quarantining was devastating. The third month rolled around and i was told it was time to apply for my state board exam! I was thrilled hoping by the summer time I’d be licensed and doing nails for real but sadly that’s not the case. Due to the testing facility closing down my test was rescheduled on me 3 different times. Finally, over a year later, February 2021 I took my license exam and passed! You’re looking at one of California’s newly Licensed Manicurists. I could not be more proud of myself for taking this risk on something I had absolutely no experience in. I may not be the best nail tech out there yet and I still have a whole lot to learn but I’m so thankful to be here and can’t wait to see where the nail industry takes me.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am a nail tech that specializes in gel nails! Sculpting gel nail extensions, gel nail art, and regular gel manicures! I love focusing on natural nail health overall and the creative process behind nail art. I never was an artistic child. I relied on my personality and my great work ethic pretty much up until I started doing nails and now I consider myself an artist in a sense. It hasn’t been easy and some clients challenge me more than others with nail art but every I do nails I learn something new whether it’s with application or painting. Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
DANNI! The nail tech that I first took the acrylic class with @designsbydanni

The school I graduated from and my two teachers! @neihuleacademy @nails_by_ceci @4designercc

And my 4 classmates that I love dearly and wouldn’t have gotten through school without them. @manis_la @clawsxkat @nailzbylizaa @pointedandpolished

Instagram: Nailsbynisa_

Image Credits
Nisa Marckese