Wyles Daniel
In recent years, artificial intelligence has been integrated into many areas of human life: educational programs, security, and even medicine. Despite the undeniable advantages of AI, there are still areas and professions where human expertise remains the most important criterion for evaluation. One such example is the work of judges at nail industry championships.
Indira Zhainakova, a US-certified judge and outstanding nail aesthetics trainer with many years of experience, talks about one of the most difficult but prestigious roles in the profession—that of a judge, where the responsibility for the decision made is very high and affects the career of each participant.
“The work of a judge requires experience, high discipline, impartiality, and even greater responsibility. At international championships, the evaluation criteria for each judge are strictly regulated: some evaluate technique, some evaluate form, and some evaluate compliance with the stated nomination. A detailed checklist that defines your area of competence makes the job easier,” Indira explains.
For Indira, being a judge is not a formality or a nice line on her resume. To confirm her qualifications, which allow her to evaluate the best of the best, she had to go through a difficult journey.
She studied and practiced a lot, participated in competitions, lost, found the strength within herself, studied and practiced again, participated again, and only then did she become a judge.
Zhainakova recalls her debut among the participants in a competition for nail aesthetics masters, which took place back in 2019. At that time, she was living in Astana, the capital of Kazakhstan. Indira admits that she did not win a prize. But this disappointment, on the contrary, seemed to set her in motion, motivating her to deepen her knowledge and participate again, and most importantly, to win. Thus, she gradually became a favorite in local and then international competitions.
The participants of the prestigious Briliant World Cup, the 21st international beauty championship held by the Beauty Champions League, witnessed Indira Zhainakova’s legendary victory in December 2024. Competing with the strongest participants from more than 40 countries around the world, she won multiple victories in nine categories: one grand prix in the Briliant Master category Debut, five first places in the Poster Red Nails Salon, Poster Salon Stamping Nails, Poster Babyboomer Square Color Nails, Poster Square Form French Nails, Poster Salon Mini Nails, two second places in Poster Almond Nails Glitter Effect and Green Mini Nails, and one third place in Poster Marble Effect & Nude Nails.
This event became very significant in Zhainakova’s professional career. She began receiving offers to participate as a judge in various competitions. Due to her busy schedule managing and developing her own nail studio in Texas, as well as training nail technicians in her own manicure and pedicure techniques, Indira participated in some of the competitions, for instance, in Global talent beauty cup in London in July 2025..
When asked about her most memorable experience in the competition, Indira recounts an amazing story about the fulfillment of her personal dream. Early in her career, when she couldn’t even imagine moving to the US, opening a nail studio in Texas, and becoming a strong mentor and talented expert, Indira followed and was inspired by the work of Kirsty Meakin, an American judge in the nail industry. She impressed Zhainakova with her bright neon images and bold decisions that bordered on fantasy. Indira watched Meakin’s YouTube videos, took her technique as an example, and tried to replicate the designs.
Many years later, at the Briliant World Cup competition, Indira was shocked to see Meakin among the judges. “I still get goosebumps when I remember that moment,” she admits. “At that moment, I realized that dreams can come true in very unusual ways.” The photo of Indira and Kirsty taken after the competition became a symbol for Zhainakova of the professional path she had taken from YouTube viewer to colleague of the person she admired.
Today, with her international status and impressive professional background, Indira continues to develop the industry by training masters and participating in the formation of new standards of quality and aesthetics in nails. Despite her recognition and titles, she is convinced that her main goal is to transfer knowledge, shape industry trends, and identify new experts through judging. Indira’s story of professional success is a vivid example of this.