Nail Tech Spotlight Ffion Jones
This month, we’re shining the Nail Tech Spotlight on our very own Ffion Jones of @ciwticwls.
Ffion is a fiercely Welsh nail tech, HONA educator, and a much-loved part of the HONA community. The team recently had the pleasure of welcoming her to our HQ in Newport, Wales, where she helped us create our St David’s Day cuticle oil, Cennin Pedr (Daffodil). But Ffion’s impact on HONA goes far beyond that. From educating students in North Wales to proudly representing HONA through the Welsh language, culture, and community, it’s a real privilege to spotlight her and celebrate all she brings to the brand.
Q&A With Ffion
Here’s what Ffion had to say…
Q: What does it mean to you to be Welsh and work with a Welsh brand like HONA?
A:To me, being Welsh and working with a Welsh brand is and has been the dream. Never in a million years did I think I would have the chance to use Welsh Nail products let alone work with them and be the North Wales educator for the brand! We all know as Welsh folk we get excited when we hear of Welsh companies or small businesses and we always want to support or follow their journey so be within the HONA family and to be actually WELSH first language is an honour I will cherish forever!
I get to help highlight the best of Wales and what we can do/ offer to the wider community, albeit being able to offer my services bilingually and it also shows that even within our cultures and small villages, communities - Big things can happen!
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Q: Why did you want to become an educator, and what’s your favourite part of teaching?
A: I have been in the education business for a long long time, following my degree in the Welsh Language and Sociology I then moved on to the world of teaching and became a primary school teacher. Fast forward 15+ years and I am now in the position where I teach students from my home studio all things HONA!
I went into nails because it was a huge passion of mine and my absolute fave pass time, I would always be the one who would paint my friends nails, I could just lose myself painting and putting the world to rights! Once I actually set up my business and was offering treatments confidently I then thought, could I venture into teaching? Was this the next step for me? And from my ‘day job’ at the time this was such a natural progression and what I was already doing, the only difference was applying the teaching to an adult setting as opposed to primary school children.
My favourite part of teaching my students is the reward of seeing a new skill come into fruition. It takes time to perfect any skill but with the right guidance and confidence I believe you can equip any student with the tools to ‘fly’ so to speak. I am so passionate about this industry and always feel that there are budding Nail Techs out there waiting to take the plunge, it takes one decision to change your trajectory and being supported by the right educator makes all the difference.
I also feel that if and when a student has trouble with an aspect of application lets say perfecting their apex etc, and then with the support from myself it just ‘clicks’ that’s when I know I’ve done my job right, that light bulb moment happening is the best feeling for me as an educator, it fills me with so much joy to see my students flourish and go from strength to strength.
I also feel like education begins with a course but doesn’t end when you walk out my studio, my students get access to ongoing support so that they never have to feel alone in this journey. I have my own little community of past students where they can all chat and share experiences, I believe this makes us all better learners and for me I become the best possible educator.
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Q: What made me choose HONA and what made me stay.
A: I initially chose HONA for the most simplest of reasons, that they are a WELSH brand. Me being me and a true Welshie, I speak the language every day at home and at work so this was a no brainer, and it still is a talking point with my clients old and new. I started buying the products - detail paints at first as this was pre the launch of their gel polish, and slowly but surely my collection kept growing and growing to the point now HONA greets my clients and students right at the door! LOL! Have a look at my Wall of HONA on my socials!!
What made me stay was the community, in the whole time I have been in this industry no other company has treated me like HONA have, from troubleshooting orders to just feeling like a valued customer, they are second to none and I hadn’t experienced anything like this prior to using HONA. I got my first invite to an event from being part of the HONA community, this was a first for me, and off I went on my own to Newport, which takes over 4 hours even though it’s still in Wales believe it or not! This was nerve wrecking but also getting to connect with like minded people who I still chat to is fantastic!
Anyone who knows me knows I am a HONA tech through and through, I love the products, the team and I’m privileged to be part of their brand and ethos!
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Q: What it is like representing a Welsh brand when your teaching or chatting to techs?
A: This is the part I feel where I come alive when chatting about the brand or teaching. First and foremost for me, as a Welsh business woman, the first thing I always chat about is the products and tools and them having the Welsh dragon printed on them! To a Welshie like me this means so much more than just a little stamp, it shows our heritage and culture and as much as we are a small country we are also a BIG deal! But in all honesty, where I live and teach this is a primary reason that some people visit me, as it’s a talking point before even starting. It also gives my clients the option to converse during their treatments using their first language. It gives us some common ground before setting off on any journey, and I love this
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Q: What’s a proud moment you’ve had as a Welsh educator with HONA so far?
A: I would say my proudest achievement I’ve had as a welsh educator for HONA so far is first and foremost being able to teach students from my home studio representing myself and HONA. I wouldn’t be sat here without the support of my HONA family and definitely not without students enrolling on my courses, so for that I am truly grateful. It’s humbling when someone chooses to work with you and I can say hand on heart my passion speaks for itself so you are most definitely in good hands when you choose to train here.
Another is this opportunity right here! Working with the team, becoming part of a wider community. Actually being able to create content for HONA and that being in Welsh! Watch this space! Giving students and customers the chance to converse with companies in their mother tongue is priceless and being in a position to help the company do this is an honour!
I also need to add that creating a recent cuticle oil ‘Cennin Pedr’ - Daffodil to celebrate our Welsh heritage and actually getting to work on this in person- what a pinch me moment! Little old me from a small village in North Wales!! My 5 year old self would be screaming at the things I’ve achieved and I’m so proud of how far I’ve come!
Q: What’s a Welsh phrase or saying that sums up your approach to nails or business?
A: Ohhh this is a hard one! I can think of so many! But to sum up my approach to what I do I would use the world ‘ ANGERDDOL - angerddol’ This means Passionate, as I am nothing if not passionate about what I do and offer.
Here’s a little help with pronunciation:
angerddol - “ang- ERTH-ol
ang - like ‘ang’ in an angle
erdd - pronounced roughly “erth’ ( The Welsh ‘dd’ makes a soft ‘th’ sound like this
ol - like ol in olive
Check out Ffions Tutorial
With March marking St David’s Day celebrations, it felt like the perfect time to spotlight our Welsh educator, Ffion @ciwticwls and collaborate on a tutorial that feels true to us. This time, Ffion is taking you through a full HONA SKIN Luxury Manicure tutorial in Welsh, with English transcripts included so everyone can follow along and enjoy the experience.
Summary
Ffion’s story is such a special reminder of the power of passion, community and staying true to who you are. From championing Welsh language and culture to supporting the next generation of nail techs through education, she represents so much of what HONA stands for. We’re so proud to have Ffion as part of the HONA family and to celebrate everything she brings to our community. Diolch yn fawr, Ffion, for sharing your journey with us, and for continuing to inspire nail techs across Wales and beyond.