top of page

About Virginia Nail School

Virginia Nail School was founded with the mission of elevating the nail industry by increasing the number of "licensed" Nail Technicians in the profession, thereby strengthening the respect and credibility of our trade. Licensed Nail Technicians are recognized for their ability to provide safe, sanitary, and professional services to the public. Holding a valid license opens doors to long-term career opportunities as skills and knowledge continue to develop.

 

We are a small, private school with decades of experience successfully guiding students to licensure in Virginia. Supporting our graduates through the licensing process—and staying in direct contact with their instructor beyond graduation—is a core priority of our institution.

 

To ensure individualized instruction and meaningful hands-on training, we intentionally maintain small class sizes to focus on a quality education with less social distractions. Enrollment is limited per class date to provide focused training to each student uniquely. Our graduates consistently cite personalized attention as a defining strength of Virginia Nail School, and we are committed to preserving that standard. This approach ensures students are fully prepared to pass state examinations and obtain licensure—not simply receive a "non-license to sell services" certificate.

 

With our expanded hands-on training hours, humble students benefit directly from instruction led by a Nail Technician with over 30 years of versatile, non-stop nail industry experience, equipping graduates with the confidence, competence, and clear understanding of creating long term durable nails needed to excel in the field.

​

We only have one location here in Palmyra, Virginia. We had plans to create a full scholarship school in Southern Virginia but the 2025 DPOR changes affected our saved funds. We are building the funds up again to open one in the future. Ms. Vivian's goal (before she retires) is to create a scholarship nail school to help those that want a flexible career but just need help to get there. 

 

We strongly believe that students who are the right fit for Virginia Nail School will find their way here. We do not pressure individuals to enroll; all enrollment inquiries are answered transparently and honestly, whether the student ultimately chooses our school or another educational pathway.

Vivian Harris

CEO, Director & Lead Instructor

Ms. Vivian is a Virginia State Licensed Nail Technician & Cosmetology Instructor with a chemical engineering education.  She started teaching in 1994 to open a school with James' Nail Salon & Supply in Richmond. She has been working non-stop in the nail industry for over 30 years performing over 100,000 nail services. She has worked in low end walk-in discount salons to high end 5 star resort spas (including owning hair/nail salons and an upscale full service day spa). Ms. Vivian has the experience to answer ALL of your nail career, FDA approved nail products and nail service questions! 

​Ms. Vivian teaches nail service skills at Virginia Nail School. Her main job is an expert witness. Her other careers are:​

  • works on the side as a paid expert witness offering depositions & investigation assistance to help lawyers with lawsuits against salons and nail technicians/manicurists across the East Coast of the United States (the sad situations in courtrooms is what gives her the passion to teach to licensure)

  • part time paid nail services to her regular clients (most with NDAs)

  • volunteer worldwide for competition judging for nail events including Skills USA

  • paid consultation to professional nail product manufacturers R&D Departments

  • paid nail curriculum development or revisions to vocational beauty schools and state schools across the United States. This includes regular volunteer consulting to the Virginia Department Of Education to make the current improvements to the State's Nail Technician curriculum (used in public schools across Virginia offering a Nail Technician program)

  • paid consultation services to salon business owners or resort spas for design and layout improvements plus increase profitability advice with help in understanding nail service equipment/options or training in all nail service types

bottom of page