Ashley Simpson says that she never unlocked her artistic side until she started doing nails.
“I really enjoy making others feel beautiful and creating something that speaks to others,” Simpson says.
Simpson is an acrylic overlay specialist for her small business, 907 Nail Plug, where she creates one-of-a-kind designs for her clients. She offers both gel polish manicures and acrylic sets, and has her own line of cuticle oils.
“When I was in high school, makeup and hair were my main interests — so much so that my mother called hair a ‘sport’ of mine,” Simpson said. “After graduating in 2014, I lost interest … A couple years later I started doing my own nails and became obsessed. I would use a peel off base coat on my natural nails and change them almost every day.”
After her newfound obsession, Simpson says that she started going to salons with her mom. Simpson would get a blank canvas of acrylic nails, so that she could practice painting them on herself.
“Eventually we stopped going and I learned how to do my own acrylics,” Simpson said. “After about a year of that, my friends asked me to do theirs. They would receive compliments and suggested I start an Instagram to showcase my work.”
She accumulated a small following and, after learning that she could pursue nails as a career path, became fully licenced in 2020, and found a studio space downtown in July 2021, where she has been ever since.
“I learned how to turn this into a career and was extremely determined. It was hard to figure out all of the legalities of how to do this professionally but eventually I became fully licensed.”
Simpson says entering this line of work has opened the door to making friends with many other talented service providers and artists in the Anchorage area.
“We have created our own network servicing each other as well as our clients,” Simpson said. “I love getting to know my clients and building a relationship with them. Without them, I wouldn’t be able to do this.”
Sam Davenport is a writer residing in Anchorage. She's a leo and a plant-person, and loves spending quality time with her dog, Aspen. She is a Real Housewives fan and has been called a Bravo historian.
