Marvels of the Male Pedicure

For those of you looking for a hot new service to add to your menu, look no further than the pedicure for men. Once an outlandish idea, men everywhere have been slowly warming to the idea of the stress-relieving and hygienic benefits of maintaining their feet and toenails. Nail salons have seen a steady increase of male clientele over the past few years, who have embraced the idea of “man-scaping” as part of their general wellness routine. Big cities like New York and Los Angeles have even seen an increased interest in polished pedicures for men – worn ever so stylishly by celebrities like Dean McDermott and Seal. The most popular shades among the male persuasion are black, beige and gray.

Why not promote specials to encourage your female clients to bring in their significant others for a relaxing foot-soak and much-needed toe nail trim? The ladies will surely thank you for your efforts!

Back in Black

Back in black – polish that is. Once reserved for the punk and gothic counter culture, this eye-catching hue now makes a bold statement in film, on the runway, and on the streets. Fashionable celebrities such as Gwen Stefani and Sarah Michelle Gellar have been seen rocking this sophisticated look of late. In fact, Gwen had all of the models in her L.A.M.B Fall 2011 runway show sporting striking black manis.

The key to an awesome all black manicure is well-groomed nails and the perfect shade. Union Jack Black from butter LONDON is my personal favorite! Let's not forget that Halloween is right around the corner and any gals go-to hue for added drama is definitely dark and sexy shades of black. Want to dress it up? Try a matte top coat for a velvety effect or add a glitter top coat for some sparkle!

Crack-tastic Nails!

For a brief moment back in the early 1990s “crackle” nail polish came and went as a beauty trend without much to make it memorable. However, the idea has been vastly improved upon and has recently re-emerged as a fashionable and chic manicure trend. The process involves using two contrasting coats of specially formulated nail polish that “cracks” letting one color show through underneath the other. It's a simple way to achieve a complex-looking nail art pattern. For about a year the trend was gaining momentum in Europe, but it was very hard to obtain the polish in the United States.

Soon thereafter, celebrities like Katy Perry took notice of the fun and edgy look and influenced several American brands to produce their own lines of crackle polish. She released her own version of "shatter" polish with OPI in 2011 to great success and almost all of the major professional and retail lacquer companies have since released their own versions. Some brands are difficult to work with and it's hard to get a smooth even coat of it on nails, so a little practice with it goes a long way. Also, don't try to thin out these products with nail polish thinner! The formula will lose its ability to crack or shatter if thinner is added to it. Love the look, but hate working with the thick and clumpy formulation? Try Dashing Diva's new DesignFX nail appliques (available only to professional nail technicians) which are available in a multitude of patterns -- including several crackle designs.

Red Pedicures: Super Classy & Ultra Chic!

There is nothing quite as timeless as the classic red polished pedicure, so make sure you've got a killer one in your repertoire. First popularized in the 1940’s thanks to sultry screen sirens such as Marilyn Monroe, red polish attained icon status as the staple for fun and flirty pedicures.

Seventy years later and this look is still super classy and ultra chic! Modern red polished pedicures know no rules and the variety of shades are rivaled only by the unique women that wear them. Celebrities such as Megan Fox, Keira Knightly and Kate Bosworth own this look that works for both femme fatale and innocent ingénue alike. Red polish is available in a multitude of shades and finishes and can be dressed up with glitter and jewels or toned down with a matte top coat.

How to Nail Halloween

It is no secret to anyone that knows me...Halloween is my all-time favorite holiday. The costumes, makeup and nails blend together beautifully on that one night of the year where everyone gets to partake in the magic of make-believe. Ever since I was little, I've looked to Hollywood for fun, fashionable and frightful Halloween-inspired nails to complete my transformations. Classic film and television characters are always popular inspiration for costumes and no look is complete without the proper manicure to put the finishing touches on it. Those that always made an impression were the wild and wicked Morticia Addams and Lily Munster, who always rocked pointed red stiletto nails to compliment their goth ensembles. My personal favorite, Queen of Halloween Elvira's nails are always long and rounded in a shiny black hue. Those with a softer sensibility, such as fairies and princesses can take their cues from "I Dream of Jeannie" with her flawless French Manicure. And for costumes that don't have a specific "nail-look" to reference? Follow the lead of Halloween enthusiasts Kim Kardashian and Heidi Klum, who always tailor their manicures to complement their specific choice of costume. 

Glamour's Ode to Nails!

As compared with hair and makeup, nails often get the short end of the stick when it comes to media coverage. There are many consumer magazines dedicated to hairstyles and cosmetics, but there is not one consumer magazine that focuses solely on nails. A handful of professional publications geared towards Nail Technicians exist, such as Nails, Nailpro, Scratch and VietSalon magazines. However, these periodicals aren't sold on newsstands or in book stores and most of the general public aren't aware of them.

That's why I get extremely excited on the rare occasions when a fashion or beauty magazine takes a moment to focus on nails, which is exactly what Glamour magazine has done in their October 2011 issue. Their "10 Things We Love in the Nail Universe" list is an homage to what is hot in the nail industry right now. It includes mentions of several of my personal favorites including fatigue green and classic red polish, what they refer to as "nail polish rings," which are actually called Finger Bands (created by the amazing Nonie Creme of butter London), boys with neat nails and the talented Patricia Yankee of Dashing Diva.

I was backstage with Nonie as a member of the butter London Nail Tech team for the Vena Cava runway show when she introduced Finger Bands to the world and knew they were going to be an instant hit. Barely minutes after the show ended the press and audience members in attendance were frantically tweeting about the look acheived by painting perfect circlets of nail lacquer around two or three fingers of the hand. It's a lot more difficult than it looks and requires a steady hand and attention to detail.

In the past couple of years, celebrities such as Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Beyonce and Rihanna have been making bold fashion statements with their manicures. Nails as fashion accessories are becoming the norm as celebrity trends trickle down to the general public and into neighborhood nail salons. Hopefully the media will catch up with the rest of us and put the focus where it should be a little more often...on the nails!

Mad About Mad Men

I know that I'm a little late in jumping on the bandwagon, but I was recently introduced to the wonder that is AMC's Mad Men by my glorious sister (who knows my taste in television so well!). For those that may not know, the show is set in Manhattan during the 1960's at a Madison Avenue advertising agency. Besides the intriguing storyline, fantastic period clothing and vintage props, the first item to really capture my attention was of course, the nails!

How fabulous are housewife Betty Draper's perfect pink oval-shaped nails? They are always flawlessly manicured and complement her clothing and accessories with panache. Even prim and proper Peggy Olsen's nails are obviously well maintained, though she has yet to sport nail polish even once throughout all four seasons of the show! Then there's sultry Joan Holloway with her lovely red talons that just ooze sex appeal.

Betty Draper (January Jones), Peggy Olsen (Elizabeth Moss) & Joan Holloway (Christina Hendricks)

Not only do the main characters get to wear stunning 1960's style manis -- the supporting female characters get in on the action too. Next door neighbor and fellow housewife, Francine Hanson is always elaborately coiffed and manicured with full face makeup. Young wife Trudy Campbell is fresh-faced and smartly dressed with a mani to match her proper Manhattanite outfits. By far, the glitziest nails on the show so far belonged to Bobbie Barrett -- one of Don Draper's short-lived trysts. She rocked a solid gold metallic manicure to match her cocktail dress in true classic Hollywood style.

Francine Hanson (Anne Dudek), Trudy Campbell (Alison Brie) & Bobbie Barrett (Melinda McGraw)

Of course, there is an amazing woman behind the fabulous nails of Mad Men! Series costume designer Janie Bryant is the creative mastermind behind all that goes into creating the phenomenal period costumes, hairstyles and nails for the show. Her eye for detail is nothing short of genius! In the fall of 2010, Bryant paired with Nailtini of the 'Tini Beauty Lounge cosmetic brand to create a limited edition set of Mad Men nail lacquers inspired by the lush and luxurious fabrics popular in the 1960's. Since liquor is practically a supporting character on the show, a cocktail-themed nail polish line makes perfect sense!

The limited edition collection features four luxuriously opulent hues. Bourbon Satin (chocolate mousse brown), French 75 (micro glitter gold lamé), Deauxville (metallic platinum silver), and Stinger (iridescent green/black chrome). It's been sold out in stores for quite a while now, but I did a little research and found it can still be purchased online at Amazon.com, among others.

Limited Edition Fall 2010 Collection

Due to the success of their first collaboration, Nailtini released a second nail lacquer collection created by Janie Bryant for the Spring of 2011 called Garden Party. This second vintage-inspired spread includes four shades fit for a Sterling Cooper company picnic! The collection is comprised of Garden Jubilee (gold shimmer), Blue Carnation (milky blue/gray), Blushing Lady (baby pink), and Admiral Perry (patent leather royal blue).

Garden Party - Spring 2011 Collection

Word is that due to contract disputes between AMC and Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner, the highly anticipated 5th season of the show isn't going to premiere until some time in 2012. Until then, all we can do is indulge our obsession by watching re-runs on Netflix while wearing our Mad Men Nailtini nail colors!

The Miracle of Melt Away

One of the most common nail-related issues that plague the general public is dry, rough and raggedy cuticles. They are everywhere! Another common occurrence is an overgrowth of the cuticle onto the nail plate that prevents the even application of nail lacquer and actually causes lifting and chipping of the product. Proper cuticle care is incredibly important, which is why it is a particular focus of the Nail Tech when performing a manicure or pedicure. Making sure that the nail plate is clean and free of dead tissue not only improves the appearance of the nails, but allows for optimum results to be achieved with nail enhancement products that range from nail polish to acrylics and UV gel.

The Founding Creative Director of butter London, Nonie Creme, works with top designers at Fashion Week in New York and London each season, including Betsey Johnson, Alexander Wang, Calvin Klein, Pringle and Victoria Beckham. Their high-fashion nail line is proud to be 3-Free, which means they do not contain harmful formaldehyde, toluene, DBP or parabens. Their line of nail products includes a vast array of ultra chic shades of nail color with cheeky British names, as well as high quality nail treatments and luxurious lotions.

I was first introduced to the miracle that is Melt Away Cuticle Eliminator when I was originally drafted as a student member of the butter London Nail Tech team for NY Fashion Week Spring 2011. The atmosphere backstage at a runway show is controlled chaos, as hair, makeup and nail artists simultaneously work their magic upon the models. The idea is to be like a hummingbird and hover near the model as you work while trying not to impede the progress of the hair and makeup artists. There isn't any spare time to use nippers or soak nails before pushing back the cuticles, but they must be tended to before nail lacquer is applied. Anything that streamlines the process and allows the Nail Techs to do their job more swiftly while still getting salon results is a must-have! 

The process is extremely simple: brush a thin layer of Melt Away right onto the cuticles and wait approximately two minutes. Then use a cuticle pusher to gently slough off the dead tissue and a lint-free wipe to remove any excess product. For home users, a small manicure brush can also be used to scrub away dead tissue in lieu of a pusher. It is very important to thoroughly remove any excess product to avoid irritation to the skin from prolonged contact. According to butter London, weekly use of Melt Away for gentle cuticle exfoliation will gradually decrease cuticle size and hardness until they are constantly thin, soft and easy to deal with. After using this product for a solid year on myself and my clients, I can attest to the fact that it really lives up to those claims. A tried-and-true staple in my mobile Nail Tech kit, I can honestly say I never go anywhere without my Melt Away!

It's All About the Nails...

My love affair with nails has existed for as long as I can remember. One of my earliest memories is getting in trouble when I was four or five years old for climbing up a bookcase and sneaking the red nail polish out of my mother's manicure supply basket so I could paint my nails. Luckily, when I got caught my Dad took the blame by asserting that he had given me permission. As I got older, the obsession grew and I moved into elementary nail art using decals, toothpicks and glitter polish. By eighth grade, my plastic two-tone Caboodle makeup case was brimming with all of the makeup and nail supplies that Wal-Mart and the Dollar General store had to offer.

Years later, I began work at a tiny satellite office of one of the world's largest international nail companies, KMC/Dashing Diva. The path I took to this career was most certainly the scenic route, yet somehow it seemed that I had been destined for it. I instantly thrived in the environment and quickly became a valued member of the staff. When they learned of my background in writing, I was drafted to compose the monthly newsletter for the company's signature brand of professional nail products. Soon I was also writing copy for advertisements as well as spearheading the social media presence for the brand. Not long after, I was approached by an executive at the company and encouraged to enroll in beauty school to acquire a New York State Nail Technician license...and I did.

In July of 2010, I began the four month long Nail Tech course at Christine Valmy International School of Esthetics, Makeup, and Nail Artistry. For four nights each week, I raced from my office to a tiny classroom two stories above Fifth Avenue and immersed myself in all things nails for several hours. My classmates and I were guided through our studies by the course instructor, Ms. Sheila Ando -- a gifted and knowledgeable Nail Technician. During our course of study we were presented with the opportunity to volunteer as student members of the Butter London Nail Tech Team at NY Fashion Week. At the same time, I was drafted by the lead Nail Tech at Dashing Diva Professional to work as a student member of their Fashion Week team. Thus began my continuing adventures at NY Fashion Week.

NY Fashion Week Spring 2011

Butter London Nail Tech Team Backstage at the Alexander Wang Runway Show

A full year later, I have graduated and completed all of my state exams. My Nail Tech license arrived in the mail a couple of weeks ago. Over the past year, I have attended beauty shows to do product demonstrations for Dashing Diva and Nail Bliss, was elevated to the Butter London Pro team for NY Fashion Week Fall 2011 and have continued to nurture my passion for nails by converting the spare room in my apartment into my very own nail salon. Now I'm sharing my thoughts and experiences through this blog as I have learned that there are precious few that understand the multifaceted world of the professional nail industry. It is creative and thrilling and brutal at times, but regardless, the nails always look fantastic. And let's be honest...it's all about the nails.

Katy Perry's Smurf Nails Steal the Show at NY Movie Premiere

Precious few celebrities know how to accessorize quite like the ever glamorous and eye-catching Katy Perry. Mere clothing is heightened to an art form when combined with the right accessories – and that includes nails, of course!

This past weekend, Mrs. Russell Brand glittered like no other on the red carpet of the New York premiere of The Smurfs movie. Rocking newly blonde locks and some 1970’s inspired eye shadow, Katy was decked out in her smurfiest finery, including a bedazzled Smurfette dress by The Blonds and Christian Louboutin heels in that beloved shade of cartoon blue. By far, the detail that pulled the entire ensemble together was her magical manicure created by the fabulous Pattie Yankee-Williams of Dashing Diva Professional. Each nail is a tiny work of art featuring images of the film’s characters, including the iconic Smurf vixen, Smurfette, aptly voiced by Perry in the film.

Thrilled with the finished results of her coordinating mani, Perry tweeted a photo of her nails before the event! Once again the combination of Katy Perry’s fearless style and Pattie Yankee-Williams’ creativity and skill is a winner, hands down!