It all started with a photo of a pedicure gone, at first glance, terribly wrong.
But when it was revealed the aspiring nail tech was just 2 years old, it inspired a viral Twitter thread of moms and dads, aunts and uncle sharing their own photos of kids' do-it-yourself beauty treatments gone awry.
Catriona McNicol of Leeds, England, was the recipient of the pedicure and said her daughter got interested in nails when she visited her aunt, who painted the little girl's nails blue.
"She’s never been let loose on anyone until the day of the photo, but she saw the bottle of polish in my bedroom and told me to, 'come and sit down, the salon is open.' She’s never been to a nail salon, neither have I, so who knows where she got that from!"
McNicol said she "laughed so hard I cried. They looked so bad, but she had tried so hard. It was like some kind of sparkly vascular disease. Completely awesome."
Her nails tweet was liked 72,000 times since it was posted earlier this week.
"I was obviously really surprised by the response to my tweet, but I think it was a tonic to the often tense and antagonistic exchanges that so often happen on Twitter," McNicol said. "You know, we never seem to talk about the simple joys of everyday life, of which there are many, but instead we are directed to focus on the big, negative news stories. I think it was just a happy little story about a kid who painted her Mama’s feet with polish and it perhaps reminded folk of the really basic joy and fun that can be found in the normal day. "
My nearly three year old has mentioned opening up a mobile nail bar and I feel that if I’m to get behind her then the least I could do is drum up some interest on here. See where it takes her.
— Catriona McNicol (@CatrionaMcNicol) January 26, 2020
She’s got great chat, an eye for colour & this only cost me £1.
DM me if interested. pic.twitter.com/oeuC0N3qLA
It’s she employing? My son’s a makeup artist.
— Olwethu Leshabane (@Olwe2Lesh) January 28, 2020
Willing to relocate. pic.twitter.com/iLiTSCtm3M
Maybe she could team up with my three year old, she's trying her hand at face (and body) paint pic.twitter.com/DlHTTpiLAP
— Millie Reeves (@PuddleMoon) January 27, 2020
I have a potential partner in the enterprise. pic.twitter.com/xOzrcOya8G
— Fr. Eddie Green SHS 🌸SC (@EdwardBGreen) January 27, 2020
As #makeovers go, I was pleased with the contouring, how my skin looked & felt so good, can you believe the #artist was only 5?! 🤡
— Nayomie James 🎭 (@NayomieJames) January 28, 2020
I had a different experience at the same salon yesterday though, where a different make up artist spat directly in my face 😳 #ChalkAndCheese #Kids pic.twitter.com/eEDdERFWRg
Is she looking for a business partner my great niece is also interested in this type of work, my holiday nails 💕 pic.twitter.com/W7pc43nyzr
— Norah Quinn (@NorahQuinn63) January 27, 2020