Meet Kinaya Haug, the Nail Artist Behind Sha’Carri Richardson’s Olympic Manis
Fact: All eyes are on Sha'Carri Richardson when she hits the track—and for good reason. Not only is she the fastest woman in the world, sure to entertain as soon as the starting gun goes off, but Richardson's style (namely her always-laid hair, full lashes, and flashy nails) makes her one of the most captivating runners to watch in every competition. Richardson will make her 2024 Olympic debut representing the United States on August 2 in Paris in the preliminary round of the women's 100-meter run. And before she hits the world's biggest track, I got to sit down with Richardson's nail artist, Kinaya Haug who gave me a behind-the-scenes look at how she comes up with intricate designs for the sprinting superstar.
Often compared to the late track star legend Florence Griffith Joyner (affectionately known as Flo-Jo), Richardson proves that being an elite athlete doesn't mean sacrificing style. Flo-Jo, one of the fastest women ever, is also known for her lengthy acrylic nails, and many credit the athlete for some of the nail trends you see today. Richardson and Haug however, are forging a new generation of art for athletes and their fans to get inspo from for years to come.
Haug got her first big break creating Richardson's nails for the Nike Prefontaine Classic in 2023. It's a stepping-stone event toward Olympic trials, and Haug was presented with an opportunity to create and assist the track star with a show-stopping set. Richardson had two sets of nails, one of which was made by Haug. Haug's nails weren't the final pick this first time around, but she took the chance to apply Richardson's final pick to get her foot in the door. "I was a little disappointed, but I got to put the press-ons on her, which was amazing," Haug says. "I got the opportunity, which was more than enough for me."
Fast forward to the 2024 Olympic Trials; this time, it was Haug's time to shine. Not only was she hired to create three different nail sets for Richardson, but Haug was also hired by Nike to host a nail bar for all competing athletes to get race-day nails, further proving that beauty prep still has a solid part in an athlete's pre-competition routine. "When I'm working with people that really appreciate my art, it makes me feel excellent," Haug says.
For Haug, working with Richardson is not only a huge career highlight, but also a cultural one: "Nails are deeply rooted in Black history, and Black women are the pillars for creating all of these different nail trends and styles," she says. Now, Haug and Richardson, two incredibly talented Black women in their own rights, get to create trends together.
Make no mistake, though—when you're tasked with designing nails for one of the greatest runners on the planet, the pressure is on. Haug was only given two guidelines by Richardson: She wanted her nails to be extra long and not dark colors. The rest was up to Haug to use her creative liberties and make a design that would pop on the track. "I went to the craft store and bought all these different supplies," she says. "I knew I needed something new, a completely different vibe. I was grabbing a bunch of stuff."
Seven hours after her trip to the store, Haug finished a set of press-on nails she was proud of at 2 a.m. They featured flashy ornaments of angel wings, gold crosses, and gemstones. This first set of extra long press-ons fulfilled Richardson's wishes, maybe even too much. The athlete had trouble tying her spikes and was photographed with an untied shoelace at the finish line, which Haug tells me was because of her extra long tips. Still, an untied shoe was no bother for Richardson, who still placed first in her heat for prelims.
"The next day, she came in and said, 'I love the nails you made. I just need them to be a little shorter,'" Haug tells me. She returned to her studio to make two more nail sets for Richardson for the semi-finals and finals. Each set was made with a different attitude for every round of competition—from bold and colorful to soft and elegant. Haug utilized white lace with gold accents using chrome nail polish, ornaments, rhinestones, and pearls. "I tried to be different and provide something unique from what anyone else has done for her," she says. The time and creativity it takes to bring nails like this to life are one thing, but for a look as unique and bold as Richardson's, they'll cost about $300, Haug says.
However, the real win is working with elite athletes (like Richardson) who blend art and creativity into the sport. "She's very welcoming and very sweet," Haug says of her Olympian client. "I love to work with her. I love her creativity and what she stands for." Having Richardson as a client is high praise, but this is far from the end of Haug's goal list. "The big goal is to be one of the leading nail techs that Olympians can go to," she says. "To be able to express art, particularly for Black women, in these spaces where their health and beauty are prioritized is where I belong."
Richardson and Haug's partnership is another huge indicator that you can expect many more athletes to be loud and proud about their beauty routines and the positive impacts it has on their performance: USA Ruby player Ilona Maher released an athlete-focused skin-care line days before leaving for Paris, and USA gymnast Suni Lee recently also raved about the drugstore setting spray she uses to compete. All in all, it's proof that beauty (be it hair, makeup, or flashy nails) has a place in sports and we're here for it.
You can catch Richardson and her dazzling nails when she competes in the women's 100-meter prelims on August 2. NBCUniversal is the official U.S. broadcaster for the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, but you can also watch on Peacock, NBCOlympics.com, NBC.com, USA Network, CNBC, and E! You can also follow along Well+Good's ongoing Olympic coverage with our Summer of Champions series. And for your own custom press-ons, you can find Kinaya Haug on Instagram at @beautybykinaya.
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