SESP junior Jayden “JP” Pean runs a nail business in the basement of his Evanston home. As a heterosexual Black man in the nail world, Pean says he’s tired of assumptions and strives for excellence instead.
His nail journey began when he took his former girlfriend to get her nails done in Chicago. After witnessing the process of getting acrylic nails done, the then-engineering student realized he could do the same.
“When I hear the words, ‘You won’t,’ I’m always like ‘Oh, I’m doing it,’” Pean said.
Shortly after, he began to learn how to do his cousin’s nails. Practice sessions usually lasted for about seven hours at a time.
In the summer of 2025, Pean had to make a clear decision: take an engineering internship or earn his license as a nail technician.
“Looking at these two options, I was like ‘Let me try to do something different, go out of my comfort zone,’” he said.
Pean enrolled in cosmetology school in North Carolina, where he was the only Black male student seeking a nail technician certificate.
Despite being among the less than 2% of Black nail techs domestically, according to UCLA Labor Center, he never let that discourage him.
“As a Black man, that’s my life,” he said. “I’m not always going to be welcome in my place, but I’m gonna take up space.”
Pean said that if there was one thing he could change about the beauty industry, it would be how it leads with assumptions. He says when he tells people he does nails, they often make judgments about his appearance and sexuality.
However, he said they never consider the quality of his work. Pean’s dedication paid off; now, he has a myriad of loyal clients in the Evanston area.
“The quality was genuinely impressive,” Weinberg junior Tulsi Patel said. “Everything was done in a precise, clean, thoughtfully done manner.”
Flexibility is important when faced with student clients who often have hectic schedules, according to Pean. He describes his time management as prioritizing tasks and being intentional about day-to-day planning.
He considers his nail art a creative outlet as well as a process he is constantly trying to optimize. From gel manicures to long full sets, Pean said he takes every small detail into account.
“I’m so appreciative of JP as a nail tech because he works with his clients to find things that they’re comfortable with, and isn’t afraid to try new things,” Weinberg senior Blaire Batista said.
Pean’s work goes beyond just nails. He also uses his platform on Instagram to raise awareness and funds for causes he cares about.
In November, he covered men’s mental health, posting a podcast episode to his Instagram in which he spoke with a male client about mental health while doing nails.
“I personally chose men’s mental health because I really connect to the issue, even on this campus,” Pean said. “When do we slow down, stop and think, ‘How are we?’”
Patel said that when Pean does clients’ nails, the service does not entail an “in-and-out” approach. Rather, he takes the time to talk and ask regulars about how their quarters are going.
Pean hopes to take his passion beyond the basement after graduation. He wants to combine his interests in travel and mental health awareness with nail art, potentially visiting new places and doing nails while sparking conversations about the issue.
“I’m on this earth to give, not to take,” he said.
Batista finds herself coming back to Pean’s business because of the care and compassion he shows his clients.
He said he believes that people can become so boxed into their line of work that they are unable to explore their passions.
“At the end of the day, people are going to say whatever they want to say about you,” Pean said. “Don’t be afraid to do it anyway.”
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