Totally nailing it

Michelle Humphrey: I absolutely love the new neon range of crystals! The colors are eye catching and exciting! I felt like the neon really popped well against a black nail, which I think worked out well for the way the images were shot.

Preciosa: The nail art industry has gotten extremely competitive over the last decade. Can you talk about why you think that is, and what it’s like being one of the industry leaders? How has social media—particularly Instagram and now TikTok— affected the industry? Do you think it’s easier to become successful or harder than when you began?

MH: I’ve been doing nails for a long time now (almost 20 years), and when I started out it was more about word of mouth and personal recommendations. Social media has made it easy to find something you want or need online. Platforms like Instagram and TikTok are so great for people to showcase their services and work. There’s also a huge library of easily accessible tutorials online. Products have evolved and nail technology is constantly changing and improving, which makes working as a nail technician much easier. The market of good, even great nail technicians has definitely become more saturated with improvements in products and their broader distribution; there are more nail polish brands than ever to choose from.

Preciosa: What are the most asked-for designs?

MH: Chrome nails are super popular. The most requested crystals are Crystal (color) and Crystal with AB coating. Sizing is generally small to fit on the nail.

Preciosa: Crystals produced in Europe come with a higher price tag than stones produced elsewhere and/or of lesser quality. One might think frequenters of nail salons would settle for a cheaper option since manicures last a month at most, yet we find the opposite is true. The nail industry is surprisingly preoccupied with quality. Why do you think that is? Can you, as a technician, tell the difference when working with Preciosa crystals rather than with lesser quality stones?

MH: One-hundred percent! You can absolutely tell the difference in quality. Preciosa crystals work much better. Cheaper crystals often don’t last the duration of a manicure. Some clients go every two to three weeks and what I find happens to the cheaper ones is that the crystal comes away from the foil backing underneath.

Preciosa: Do you have a favorite ever manicure?

MH: I love anything bright. However sometimes less is more and something simple can work really well. I feel like chrome French manicures are becoming a bit of my signature look.

Preciosa: What is the next frontier in nail art?

MH: Light reflective. How can I describe this? Think of a cat crossing the road at night; how his eyes flash when he turns to look at the car’s headlights. Light reflective glitter does exactly the same thing. Under natural light, the nails have a nice, subtle sparkle, but when a flash of light hits them, they glow! Light reflective nails look great as an entire design or a feature like as part of a French manicure or an ombre. They are also really fun for a pedicure.

Preciosa: You have a long list of celebrity clientele. Do you have a favorite celebrity nail moment?

MH: I really love the Kawaii-inspired nails I did for Dua Lipa for her album, Future Nostalgia.