For Penn State senior Ashley Onega, what started as a childhood hobby quickly blossomed into something much bigger, a business that shines directly at her fingertips.

A 21-year-old Secondary Education major, Onega admits that while she’ll always be a “Pitt girl at heart”, Penn State has given her the confidence and support to start and grow her very own press-on nail business.

Onega’s love for nails began when she was just six years old, when she would tag along to the salon with her mom every two weeks.

“I was really young and just did super basic stuff with nail polish,” she said. “It wasn’t until my senior year of high school that I started really experimenting with different nail techniques.”

The Pittsburgh native tried everything from acrylic powder to gel extensions and eventually found dip powder to be what really stuck with her.

It wasn’t long until her friends and family began asking her to do their nails too.

Onega didn’t officially launch her business until this past summer. “It was just a random thought that popped into my head,” she said. “I just thought, ‘Why not do it?'”

When it comes to her nail designs, she relies on her “ride or die” Pinterest boards for inspiration. Many of her designs also come from TikTok or even customer ideas.

Her process is a detailed one. It first begins with a purchase via her order form.

Onega then uses a clever “coin method” to size the nails perfectly for each client. The coin method involves taking a photo of your hand next to a coin. She then uses the coin in the photo to measure each nail and match it to the correct size.

After sizing the nails, she paints them and finishes with the designs.

Her favorite set she’s done so far is a design inspired by the Broadway musical “Wicked”. “It had a mix of colors, blooming gel, and cat eye polish. It was so rewarding to look back on and think, ‘Oh my God, I did that.'”

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Onega said her learning process has been filled with trial and error, but that gel polish is very forgiving and has given her room to experiment.

With a busy schedule consisting of classes, running her business, and student teaching, she decided that press-ons would be the best way for her to continue sharing her passion with others at her own pace.

“I can do nails on my own time,” she says. “It’s something I look forward to.”

While she hasn’t done nails for any official Penn State events yet, she’s planning a sorority recruitment-themed collection set to launch in January.

Onega encourages anyone looking to start their own business to do so.

“Literally just go for it,” she said. “When I made my logo, I texted my best friend and said, ‘What if no one orders?’ But you’ll never know if you don’t try. Be proud of your work because people will notice.”

She also emphasized that giving yourself grace is important for growth.

“No one is inherently good at anything,” Onega said. “I look back at my work from August and see how much I’ve improved. I’m still learning.”

After graduation, Onega plans to pursue teaching but hopes to keep PSUPress-Ons alive in some form. “I feel like it really resides here in State College,” she says. “It’s been such a huge part of my college journey.”

If you’re looking for a fresh set of nails, you can visit her on Instagram at @psupressons.