Ineet Mattu has more than 800,000 followers on social media for her nail art
We’re profiling cool kids doing cool things.
Know someone you think should be profiled on our site?
Email us at cbckidsnews@cbc.ca and tell us what makes them so awesome.
Name:
Ineet Mattu
Hometown:
Calgary, Alberta
Age:
15
Claim to fame:
Teen nail technician and owner of Shine Nails
Click play to meet Ineet Mattu of Shine Nails. ⬇️⬇️⬇️
When most kids her age are winding down for the night, 15-year-old Ineet Mattu’s online nail empire is just coming to life.
Between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m., she handcrafts intricate, custom press-on sets for clients from her homebase of Calgary, Alberta, to as far as Italy, South Africa and the Netherlands.
Her routine — completing online school during the day and running her business at night — has transformed the high schooler into a business entrepreneur.
Her brand, Shine Nails, has more than 800,000 followers across Instagram and TikTok.
She’s been followed by pop singer Meghan Trainor, and the artist SZA has liked her designs.
“I love doing nails so much. It’s probably what I want to do the whole day,” she told CBC Kids News.
Making fans around the world
Fourteen-year-old Chumi Korn was scrolling through her social media feeds at home in New York City when she saw a set of nails inspired by Pennywise, the clown character from the movie, It.
“Those are the literal most gorgeous nails I’ve ever seen,” Chumi recalls thinking, clicking onto the account to see who made them.
She was shocked to see it was Ineet.
Chumi Korn, left, saw the Pennywise-inspired nails, right, and knew she had to follow Ineet Mattu’s nail page. She ordered the set and wore them. (Images submitted by Chumi Korn)
“This girl is literally, like, my age and she’s doing nails like I could never fathom to do in probably my long, long life,” Chumi said.
Since then, Chumi continues to keep up with Ineet’s designs and postings, and has ordered a few sets for herself.
Passion for nails started at young age
Ineet’s love of nails started when she was around nine years old.
She happily remembers going to the local mall with her parents and getting her nails done.
.png)
Some of Ineet’s custom designs. Ineet designs nails that can be worn by anyone. (Image credit: ShineNails)
Then for her 10th birthday, her sister got her a nail-making kit.
“I started jumping around and screaming,” Ineet said. “I started unboxing the kit and I got so happy looking at the nail polishes, the little mannequins, and I got everything ready.
“I was so excited.”
Ineet took courses on nail art
Ineet has completed at least three courses in her training to become a nail artist, learning about anatomy and other important skills.
One course involved five weeks of training with eight-hour days and an exam at the end.
“The more I would learn there, the more inspired I got because it was such an exciting feeling learning about all these new techniques,” she said.
Ineet Mattu used to watch nail technician and artist Tanya Puttick from Eyes on You Nail Artistry, and later learned design techniques from her. (Images submitted by Tanya Puttick)
The instructor, Tanya Puttick of Eyes on You Nail Artistry, recalls Ineet being a “force.”
When Puttick would demonstrate complex techniques, Ineet would want to learn all that she could and bring her work back for feedback.
“There was no holding her back,” Puttick said. “[Ineet was] like, ‘What next? What can I do?’”
Ineet keeps dreaming
Puttick said she wants to see Ineet continue to grow and mature in the industry.
“I’d love to see her eventually becoming her own educator and teaching. I could totally see her going down that path,” she said.
Ineet said she’d like to teach in the future, but that’s just one of her many goals.
She wants to open a nail salon with her own set of custom nail colours — and maybe a few celebrity clients, too.
Her dream Shine Nails client? Ariana Grande.
“The nail set that I would probably design for Ariana Grande would be something pink with chrome on it. Maybe some butterflies, just in the whole, like, majestic era.”
Have more questions? Want to tell us how we’re doing? Use the “send us feedback” link below. ⬇️⬇️⬇️
TOP IMAGE CREDIT: Mantai Chow/CBC