Since the beginning of lockdown, there's been a significant shift in my daily routine and work habits, prompting me, like many others, to reassess various aspects of my life. One area that's received particular attention is my approach to self-care, with a focus on embracing more hands-on practices rather than always relying on external services.

Take nails, for example. Prior to lockdown, I'd dedicate both time and money—around £60 and a couple of hours every fortnight—to visit my local nail salon. While they often did a great job, I've rediscovered during lockdown the joy of doing my own nails, reminiscent of my childhood days spent exploring my mum's nail polish collection.

So cue Tori & Carrie, NailPad* extraordinaires who created this handy little portable nail painting tool to help us keep a steady hand while making our nails beautiful, on a flat, even surface. The Nailpad design incorporates a nail polish holder to keep our polish secure which means no spillage on my grey faux rugs - WINNER! Just what I needed to help me along my journey of doing my nails myself, whether at home or on-the-go. I’ve been using my Nailpad for a few weeks now and it really is my nail painting partner.

The idea for the Nailpad came around after Mumpreneurs and (this is the best part) sisters, Tori and Carrie got chatting about some of the pain points when trying to paint nails ourselves.

*Making good use of my Nailpad during lockdown*

Problematic issues such as dreaded nail polish spills after trying to balance a polish between our knees, the slippery slide of using a magazine as a surface, and keeping polish off surface areas were just some of the reasons that lead them into developing the Nailpad concept… and I am so glad they did, because I am sure many of us have faced similar issues - I, for one certainly have and is actually probably one of the reasons why many of us turn to nail salons for our mani’s/ pedi’s.

What I love most about the Nailpad (other than the spillage free zone) is that it was designed with all the different types of mad nail painting scenarios in mind. For example, how many times have you tilted your feet up against some surface to be better able to get to those toes? Exactly! This is something that Tori and Carrie thought about when the idea was still a concept and that really matters.

HOW TO USE THE NAILPAD

Tori takes us through the four ways to use a nailpad. Sitting on the sofa, watching tv, with the nailpad leg between knees, on the bed, with bent knees, on the floor to paint toe nails or flat on a table.

I've found the Nailpad to be incredibly useful, especially during my "Netflix & Paint nails" sessions, which have become one of my favorite pastimes. After using it for a while, I can't imagine doing my nails without it. One of its standout features is its ability to store all nail accessories, like files and buffers, inside when folded up, keeping everything organized and handy—perfect for on-the-go touch-ups.

The polish holder accommodates bottles of various sizes and types, catering to those of us who use multiple brands. Additionally, the Nailpad's design includes a pull-out leg that slots between the knees to ensure stability during use.

Learning about the Nailpad's origin story was truly inspiring, especially as a woman, sister, and future mother. Hearing about the brand's journey and the vision behind it from Carrie and Tori, who are not only businesswomen but also sisters, was incredibly motivating. Here's what they had to say about the Nailpad brand, navigating mumpreneur life, and the experience of being in business together as sisters.

WOMEN IN BUSINESS: CARRIE SALMON & TORY DEELY

Can I just say how awesome it is to see not only two successful mumpreneurs in business, but two beautiful sisters! Has this been a difficult experience or have you both always been on the same page?

Carrie: That is too kind of you, thank you. And so lovely to chat to you! We’re very fortunate – we have always had a very similar outlook and this has really helped us with Nailpad. Could be the beauty of being identical twins! Throughout our lives, we have complemented each other’s skillsets. Whether that was playing sport alongside each other (we still play in a softball team together) and now fast-forward to working alongside each other and running our own business. Tori’s career background has been leading Group HR within luxury travel – bringing excellent business organisation, planning, people skills and sales to Nailpad. My background lies in marketing, mainly within travel and snowsports– involving brand, communications, strategy and insights. So we complement each other well and each bring different strengths to the team.

The Nailpad is fantastic and such a handy little tool for keeping a steady hand while giving our nails the glow up they deserve - what inspired the idea for it?

Tori: I have always loved painting my nails and trying out new colours. One evening I was sitting on the sofa, precariously balancing the bottle between my legs and getting some polish on yet another pair of jeans, which were subsequently ruined! I thought there must be a better way to do this: I sketched out the initial Nailpad concept on a piece of paper and we went from there…

Carrie: Tori and I have always loved painting our nails at home – discussing favourite colours and brands of nail polish. Like all our friends, we found gripping a nail polish bottle between knees a real hassle – always worrying it would spill. Using a magazine or book as a surface was just not quite right either: it never felt very stable. When living in Hong Kong in 2013, during one of our weekly Saturday Skype calls, Tori showed me an idea she had been working on. It was the very first prototype of Nailpad, cut out in paper. This evolved to cardboard and then a homemade wooden version. We experimented with various sizes, shapes, materials, hinges, clasps and nail polish pot holder sizes until we achieved what we felt was the ultimate nailpad. It was a whole new world of learning for two HR and marketing professionals!

Carrie & Tori are identical twins and the faces behind the Nailpad brand. Seen here sporting the Nailpads which are available in both black and pink colours.

What were the most important considerations you had to make when going into business?

Carrie: We wanted to make sure it was the right time for both of us. Between family commitments, other job roles, living in different countries; there were a number of obstacles before we decided the time was right.

Tori: And in 2019 everything came together – we now live about 15 minutes away so weekly catchups are easy. In 2019 Mikey was in pre-school then school from September and Carrie’s children (Heidi and Teddy) were also in nursery and school, giving us the time and headspace we needed to prioritise our business. And 2020 is the year when things will get interesting – I’ve just had a little baby boy in May called Benny, and Carrie is due with her third baby in September. This is why support from husbands and family has been key – from working with us on ideas and implementation, helping split the home admin and childcare and being part of the Nailpad journey!

My Nailpad sitting pretty for Pap moment!

What is the hardest part about balancing mum life and work? Do you have any tips for making a success of this?

Tori: There is always something to do and as it is your own business it is not always easy to switch off. This is also one of the most exciting aspects though as when it is your own business and product and something you love (and genuinely believe will help people paint their nails), you want to do everything you can to make it a success.

Carrie: Prioritisation and multi-tasking is key. And so is switching off from work, turning phones and emails off to play and enjoy time with the family.

I think we can all relate to that! What advice would you give to other women in business who are playing with the idea of becoming their own boss/ launching their business?

Carrie: If you have an idea that you truly believe in and love, then do whatever you can to get it off the ground. Go for it! Use resources and professional people to help you in areas you have less experience in.

Tori: The whole experience from coming up with the Nailpad concept, to market research on a brand new product in an existing market, to product design, manufacturing, materials and distribution has been a steep learning curve with a lot of learning along the way. If we can do it, anyone can! Don’t be afraid to ask lots of questions and reach out to people you don’t know for help.

Are there any plans to expand the Nailpad offering in the future? I.e Adult Cruelty free polishes/ full manicure kits offered alongside them/ Nailpad gift kits

Carrie: We want to expand the product range and offering, regions and markets we sell to and secure new distribution channels. In the near term, we are focusing on the UK market, with Europe & US to follow. In the short term we are looking at Nailpad manicure kits and our own polishes so watch this space…And we’d love to hear from readers for ideas of what you would like to see. And any feedback! Do get in touch.

It has been a pleasure to use the Nailpad and learn more about the brand as a whole. I’m such an advocate for supporting small businesses and the Nailpad is worth every penny, which retails at £12.95 and is available to buy on the official website. I’ll also be keeping an eye out for those nail polishes!

Follow @nailpad on instagram.

*Gifted

WOMEN IN BUSINESS: NAILPAD MUMPRENEURS