Are your nails natural?
Yes, my nails are 100% natural. I had acrylics many years ago but I haven't had anything but natural nails since. However, my nails are nowhere near perfect; they're brittle and the corners break easily so I try to take really good care of them to limit breakage.
Are you a nail technician?
As of March 31, 2011, I am a certified manicurist/pedicurist. I have not been trained in nail art so that is an area in which I remain completely self-taught. I plan on moving forward in nail education to do gel/acrylic nails but I'm not sure when that will be.
Where did you learn to do nails?
I am completely self-taught when it comes to nail art. As stated above, as of March 31, 2011 I am certified manicurist/pedicurist which only certifies me in the area of nail care.
Aside from that training, I learned a lot from youtube videos and nail blogs, but what helped me the most was practice! Seriously, having expensive products/tools won't mean anything unless you have a fair amount of practice. It also won't come overnight, it's a skill that takes some time, so don't give up right away if you're not pleased with your results starting off.
How many bottles of nail polish do you own?
I haven't actually counted in a while but I would guess it's over the 1000 mark by now.
Where do you come up with ideas/inspiration for your nail art?
I get asked this question a lot and it's definitely a tough one to answer since I pull inspiration from just about everywhere! If you're thinking about nail art a lot and it's on your mind, you'll start to notice things in your everyday life that could be used as inspiration. Youtube videos are also a great place to pull inspiration from because there are a lot of great nail artists out there. But remember, if you're using someone else's design, credit them for it. And if you're ever at a loss for inspiration, animal print is always a great choice (that's my back-up if I'm ever out of ideas)!
What is your favourite nail polish brand?
This is a very tough question to answer. I honestly can't say that I have one single favourite brand because there are many brands that I really like, sometimes for different reasons.
As well, there are many brands that I haven't even tried so I don't know if there's something out there that I would really love that I just haven't had the chance to try yet.
Where do you get Deborah Lippmann nail polish?
I get asked this question A LOT and it's probably because there aren't many places (at least that I know of) that sell this brand in Canada. However, I get all of my Deborah Lippmann polishes from this online retailer. I've ordered from this site a number of times and I can vouch for the credibility of it. Furthermore, their customer service is among the best I have ever dealt with and I truly love shopping with them.
What tools do you use to create your nail art? Where do you get them?
For intricate details, I mostly use small paintbrushes from my local craft store (Michael's) and for dots I use dotting tools that I get from eBay. The dotting tools I have come in a set of 5 which includes varying sizes and the set is very inexpensive (around $2-3). For stripes, I use a striping brush that I also got from eBay and which was also very inexpensive.
Your cuticles look great! How do you care for them?
I do a full manicure on my nails once a week (I usually paint my nails twice a week but only do the full manicure during one of these sessions). This includes pushing back my cuticles and removing any old, dead cuticle with a pair cuticle nippers.
I moisturize my cuticles at least once a day (usually when I get out of the shower since hot water removes moisture from your cuticles) and I moisturize my hands several times throughout the day. The cuticle moisturizer that I use is Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream (my review can be found here) and the hand moisturizer I use is OPI's Avojuice Skin Quenchers (my review can be found here).
For more info on cuticle care, visit my Manicuring 101 tab.
Your manicures are so neat! What's your secret?
It's all in the clean up! I use a small, rounded paintbrush that I get from Michael's, I dip it in pure acetone, and then go around the edges of my nails to clean up any out-of-place polish.
Depending on the shape of your cuticle area, you may want to use a small angled brush instead of a round one. My cuticles are very rounded at the base so the rounded brush contours well, but if your cuticles are more square, an angled brush will likely be more appropriate. I plan on doing a full blog post/how-to article about this sometime in the near future so keep on the lookout for that.
Have you had lash extensions?
Ever since I posted this mascara review which included photos of my lashes, I have received numerous emails asking me if I have had lash extensions. The answer is no! My lashes are 100% natural and I've never done anything to alter them besides apply mascara. Long lashes run in my family so I guess I have good genes to thank for my naturally long lashes! Thank you all for the compliments on them though.
What camera do you use?
Up until May 18, 2012 I was using the Canon PowerShot SX20 IS. I'm currently using a Nikon D3100 with an 18-55mm lens.
Can I use your photos/content for my own blog?
Please email me if you would like to use my content. Generally, I will not have a problem as long as a visible link is provided that links back to my blog.
Do you have a question or comment that wasn't addressed here?
Feel free to contact me at: kaylashevonnebeauty@gmail.com
