Nail Life Gallery | Alex Fox: From a Journalist to the Founder of Nailympia

Few people have witnessed the development and evolution of the global nail industry. Alex is the one who goes through and deeply experiences the process. From beginning her career as a journalist to founding Scratch Magazine and bringing Nailympia to Europe, Alex has spent nearly three decades documenting, celebrating, supporting, and shaping professional nail artistry around the world.

Along the way, she has met thousands of nail artists, watched technologies evolve, and seen trends come and go. Most importantly, she discovered what makes this industry truly special. It's the people, their creativity, and passion behind it.

During Nailympia China Shanghai 2026, MelodySusie sat down with Alex for a heartfelt conversation about her unexpected career journey, the biggest challenges she has overcome, what continues to inspire her in the nail industry, how to overcome competition nerves, and her advice for anyone beginning a career in nails.

Click below to watch the full interview.

A Never-Planned Career Path

Alex laughed as she joked that she didn't find the nail industry, but the nail industry found her. And as someone who's walked through her career path, I couldn't agree more.

Alex recalled her school years. She mentioned that she wasn't particularly good at studying, but she always dreamed of becoming a journalist. After graduating, she was given the opportunity to work as an editorial assistant, even though she didn't have a degree in journalism. Through hard work and dedication, she eventually became the journalist she had always wanted to be.

She spent years writing for photography and publishing magazines before taking a part-time opportunity with England's first nail magazine after the birth of her first child. That was the first time she stepped through the door of her nail career. What began as two days a week soon became a lifelong career.

"I loved the people. I loved the art. I loved the structure, the architecture. Everything about the nail industry just made me excited and very happy."

That passion eventually led her to launch Scratch Magazine and bring the world's premier nail competition to Europe in 2005. What was once known as the Nail Olympics later became Nailympia, which is now one of the most respected and recognized international competition platforms for nail professionals around the world.

Looking back, Alex still considers herself incredibly fortunate.

“Lucky for me, at 30 years old, I found the nail industry. Or it found me.”

The Biggest Challenge

One of the most personal moments in the conversation came when Alex reflected on the biggest challenge of her career.

Surprisingly, it wasn't building an international competition or running a magazine. It was overcoming herself.

Earlier in life, Alex described herself as shy, cautious, and afraid to show her true personality. Over time, she realized that confidence didn't come from pretending to be someone else; it came from accepting who she truly was.

"Just be Alex. Alex is good enough."

It's a simple sentence, yet perhaps one of the most powerful messages from the entire interview.

Sometimes, the biggest obstacle isn't the challenges around us, but the doubts within us. Alex's journey reminds us that true confidence begins the moment we stop trying to become someone else and start embracing who we already are.

What Makes the Nail Industry So Special?

When asked what has kept her motivated after nearly 28 years in the nail industry, Alex's answer wasn't products, trends, or competitions.

It was people.

Throughout her career, she has traveled the world, met artists from countless cultures, and built lifelong friendships within the industry. For her, creativity is only part of what makes nails meaningful. It's the people, their passion, stories, and artistry that are consistently inspiring her.

"The thing that makes life special is the people you meet. And when those people are artists, it makes them even more amazing."

She also continues to be inspired by the incredible artistry coming from Asia. Long before today's global nail scene, Alex remembers looking to Japan for artistic inspiration. Today, she believes Chinese nail artists continue to carry that tradition with delicate craftsmanship, intricate details, and expressive creativity.

"It's like the artwork comes from the soul."

Nail Competition: More Than Just Trophies

As the founder of Nailympia, Alex has watched thousands of competitors step into the arena, expressing their creativity and striving to achieve their very best. Inevitably, many of them feel nervous, intimidated, or both.

"When I started in 2005, I was so nervous," She recalled, "I was very shy, very nervous. And I had to get on the stage with a microphone, and say 'welcome to Nail Olympia London.'"

"But I said to myself, 'Alex, get on there and do this. You have to do this.' I'm so pleased I did because now I can be interviewed, and I'm just happy because we all have to get past that."

Experiences bring confidence, but being nervous is completely normal. It is an important step toward a stronger version of yourself.

"Every competitor starts somewhere," she said.

For Alex, competitions are far more than a race for trophies. They're an opportunity to challenge yourself, solve problems, and push your creativity further than everyday salon work ever requires. Those experiences naturally improve salon skills, helping nail professionals elevate both their confidence and their craft.

Most importantly, competitions give artists the opportunity to express something deeply personal

"I'm going to show you what's inside me."

Advice on Beginning a Career

Beyond technical skills and professional success, Alex believes every career should begin with a simple question:

What truly excites you?

"If you're following your passion, then you're living your purpose." She encourages young people not to let fear, expectations, or other people's opinions decide their future.

Life is too short to spend wondering what might have been. If nails are what inspire you, she says, embrace it wholeheartedly.

"It's a great career. It's full of great possibilities, great opportunities, and wonderful people. It will give you a great life. Just be you"

Story Behind, but Stage for You

Speaking with Alex Fox reminds us that careers aren't always carefully planned. They are often discovered through curiosity, courage, and saying yes to unexpected opportunities.

Nearly three decades after entering the nail industry, she still speaks about it with the same excitement she felt on her very first day. Her story reminds us that nail artistry is about so much more than beautiful designs. It's about self-expression, pursuing your passion, embracing creativity, building meaningful connections, committing to lifelong learning, and becoming part of a community that continues to inspire people worldwide.

At MelodySusie, we believe these are exactly the stories worth telling. We believe every attempt, every moment of courage, and every desire to create and express yourself is something worth celebrating.

This is Nail Life Gallery. This is why this interview series was born.

We believe that everyone is the protagonist of their own journey. Our hope is to bring the stories of nail lovers from behind the scenes to the center stage. To share the dreams, the choices they've made, the challenges they've faced, and the courage that helped them move forward.

Because every story is about more than a profession. It's about the passion behind the work, the life behind the artist, and the people whose journeys continue to shape and inspire our industry.

This is Nail Life Gallery. And this is just the beginning.