For mobile nail artist Koti Six, leaving traditional salons wasn’t about stepping away from beauty—it was about stepping closer to intention. After years in high‑volume Brooklyn and Manhattan salons, Koti built Sixxx Nails as a freelance, one‑on‑one mobile practice rooted in comfort, collaboration, and customization. By centering neurodivergent‑friendly pacing, client education, and lifestyle‑aware design, Koti transforms nail appointments into deeply personal experiences where wearable art, emotional safety, and genuine care coexist—proving that self‑care can be both expressive and profoundly human.
Hi Koti, thank you so much for taking the time to share your story with our readers — we’d love to start by having you tell us about your journey from working in traditional salons to building your own freelance mobile nail business and what ultimately pushed you to make that leap.
Hey, thanks for reaching out!
My career as a nail technician started in 2015, less than a year out of beauty school. I spent roughly 7 years working in various salons in Brookyln and Manhattan, and the first few jobs taught me a lot about what was personally important to me. First, I felt like I had a bigger vision for the work I wanted to produce way before I had the skills for it, and the products and I would come to love the most wouldn’t exist yet for a few years. Then, it was learning that I work better in smaller, more private settings. The busier and bigger the place was, the more stressed I was at work, which greatly affected my ability to give the best possible service. The last thing that lead me to building a brand and going mobile was COVID. I tried starting some online businesses during lockdown and couldn’t imagine going back to salon life anymore. I wanted to be in charge of my own schedule, policies, and creative direction. Even though my first attempts at developing a business for myself didn’t pan out, when I felt safe to return to the beauty industry, I already knew what I needed to do it. One maxed-out credit card later, and I had all the necessary materials!
I established myself as Koti Sixxx in 2023 and based the Sixxx Nails brand on my iconic pattern of wearing 6 nail extensions, keeping the index and middle fingers short on both hands. It was a change I had made in respect to being committed to alternative styles while still having functionality. This also allows me to display my designs on both long and short nails, for people who have a hard time visualizing what complex art can look like on a shorter nail.
In the last 3 years, I’ve had the privilege of traveling all over 3 out of the 5 boroughs for work.
You put a lot of emphasis on comfort, collaboration, and customization. What do you think is missing from the typical salon experience, and how does your one-on-one, mobile approach change the way clients experience nail care as self-care?
The biggest issue I hear from clients about their salon experiences is feeling like their individual needs don’t matter, due to factors such as limited options for shapes or types of enhancements. Everyone’s hands are different and there is no one-size-fits-all solution with advanced manicuring!
I’ve also heard plenty of stories of people just not getting what they want and having no idea what they’re actually getting. Since nail gel was in its infancy to now, there has been tons of information available about how to do new techniques, improve retention, and even explain some common misunderstandings about how and why nails behave the way they do, and yet, I hear all the time that someone went to get a manicure and they came out confused and upset by the process and/or end result. I do my best to walk my clients through the process so they know what to expect and can properly care for their sets after they leave.
My goal isn’t just to give you a nice manicure, but to craft an accessory you’ll be happy to wear for the next few weeks! Bringing education to the table means my clients get a fuller understanding of what makes a stable set, how to make them last as long as possible, and really lets them feel like they’re being cared for.
You’ve spoken openly about being neurodivergent and how discovering that reshaped the way you work. How has embracing ADHD influenced both your creative process and the way you show up for your clients?
Now that I know more about how my brain works, I can better manage my time and energy! I tend to only book a couple of clients per day so everyone can get the attention they deserve. When I have larger parties, I can dedicate the whole day to them.
Part of my ADHD is also being able to multi-task, so I can talk to the client while mentally planning the steps of their manicure. I can “deconstruct” most things that I see into a design that fits the clients style and/or budget. My imagination is like having photoshop installed in my brain!
Your work goes far beyond aesthetics — you consider lifestyle, job demands, hobbies, and nail health when designing a set. Can you walk us through what that consultation process looks like and why that foundation matters so much to you?
The first thing I look at is the natural nail’s health. I ask what types of manicures the client is used to getting, assess for damage, and make a plan for creating a stable foundation to work on. Sometimes, this includes an add-on I offer called IBX. It’s a repair system I’ve sworn by my whole career!
When the natural nail is stabilized for enhancements, it means getting the longest wear time as well and the most visually appealing application. I always apply a hard gel overlay to protect the natural nail before applying color and art.
I’ve had clients in all industries swear by the hard gel overlay, including bartending and child care!
For someone who may still think of nail appointments as a chore rather than something to look forward to, what would you want them to know about what’s possible when nail care is treated as wearable art and a genuinely supportive experience?
It should be fun!! If you’re not having a good time at your nail appointments, it’s time for a new tech. Life is too short (and expensive!) to be buying nails you don’t absolutely love!
As someone who strongly feels a person’s energy, holding hands with someone for a few hours can either be fun or exhausting. It’s worth it for both clients and technicians to make sure they’re seeking working relationships that aren’t energetically draining. I’m not personally satisfied with treating my nail career like an office job where I just clock in to get paid and that’s it. Everyone I work with is a whole person to me.
Every time I get to create a set of nails for someone, I get to share joy with them. I’ve had some pretty emotional sessions in my time, most notably, the ones where my client showed up despite having a really hard time because they needed that sparkle in their day to feel better. To me, being a beautician has always been more than just a job. It’s creating a safe space for people to express themselves!
Looking ahead, what are you most excited to continue building or expanding with your mobile nail practice, and how do you hope clients feel every time they sit down with you for an appointment?
I’d love to collaborate with other creatives and brands! Until I learned how to work with my neurodivergence, I had a hard time putting myself out there and networking. I’m hoping as the year progresses, I can finally find my groove and really grind like never before!
I hope my clients feel as safe as I try to make them feel. I’ve never wanted anyone I’ve worked with to feel like they’re just a dollar sign. Honestly, if I had been born into wealth, I would do my job for free. I just love the game.
I never wanted to get my nails done as a teen because of how uncomfortable the experience was most of the time, so when I graduated beauty school, I made it a point to be different. I really do want to know how your day is going, what you’re looking forward to, and what you want out of life. Everybody deserves to be heard.
And then, of course, the art! Like I said, I can take inspo from anything, so whether you’re getting your wedding nails or it’s just your self-care day, you can assure your session with me will be the most refreshing manicure appointment you could ask for!
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