New Work: Meg Stalter for Neutrogena

I used customized Aprés Gel-X Extensions and OPI Color Gel in Love is in the Bare topped with OPI Chrome Effects in Tin Can Man.

Inspo to Reality: Chaotic Tropical

I will always prefer getting inspiration from non-nail realted sources; shower curtains, lampshades, art, etc… There’s just something so special about creating something unique that can hopefully inspire other clients and artists to think outside the box.

Nail Art Tutorial: Abstract Lava Lamp

This post contains gifted product and/or affiliate commission codes/links. Click here for disclosure statement.

Ah yes, the delcious nebulous amorphic nature of the lava lamp. When I was a youth in the 90’s, 70’s nostalgia was in full swing. Claire’s accessories was selling beaded curtains and magic mushroom inspired tie dye candles (that I was NOT allowed to light) and you couldn’t pry daisy motifs and happy face t-shirts out of my ravenous teen hands. Suffice it to say, having a lava lamp was a major indicator of coolness.

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While there are definitely more on-the-nose lava lamp manicures out there, I’m more of a fan of a nod-and-wink approach to inspiration. What better way to modernize the lava lamp vibe than to throw in some #aestheticgirl details and a valentine’s adjacent color palette.

Step-by-Step:

First things first, you’ll want to lay down two coats of E-175S Boysenberry Candy using you rapplication brush of choice (I’m using a Thin Round brush) curing between coats.
Using a detail brush create a larger abstract blob-shape with E-127 Strawberry Latte, cure.
Using the same techniue add another abstract blob of F Gel Color Gel #2 (a dusty coral), cure. Be careful going too thick with super pigmented bottled gels, they self-level really beautifully but it’s also easy to create a layer so thick it can’t properly cure.
It’s ok to cure as you go with this next part, or if you like to live on-the edge and do it all at once- lmay the odds be ever in your favor. Using a dotting tool, start placing your larger oval-ish blobs first using F Gel Color Gel #53. This will help you ensure that you don’t overcrowd the nail and loose the floating lava lamp effect. Cure.
Now that you’ve placed the larger dots, go in and add additional dot detail. Cure.
Whenever I’m working with a raised design, I’ll always apply my top coat a bit more strategically. I always top coat on nail at a time. Using the Ultra Glossy Non-Wipe Top Coat Gel (say that 5 times fast, geez) I’ll scrub in a thin slip layer, ensuring that all the nooks and crannies are acocunted for. While that layer is wet, add a thicker layer of top gel and float it down the nail. Keep an eye on the line-of-light (the reflection of your table light) and watch it start to self level, be patient. Once the self leveling as starting you can start to attack problem areas- usually it’s going to be a little speed bump near the free-edge. Usually flipping the nail updise down for a few seconds and then dragging the product from the free edge to the apex does the trick (you can see me do it in the video).
Let your no-wipe top coat cool down for about 10 seconds, wipe it with a little alcohol (I use 70% or 99%) and then shine it up with some acetone. Turns out we should have been wiping these no-wipe top coats the whole time.

Use code RACHEL10 to save at Kokoist, Zillabeau (F Gel), My Nail Stuff, Hae Nails and Gellyfit.

These are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you I may recieve a commission if you choose to purchase using my links and/or discount code. Click for disclosure statement.

New Article in NailPro Magazine

Reposting from NailPro Magazine, click here to check it out.

The holiday season is truly upon us. I don’t know what weird thing happens to space and time as I get older, but it seems to come around quicker year after year. Fear not, fellow traveler, you’ve got this. There are a few simple ways you can do to make your holiday salon style easy as (pumpkin) pie.

Deck the Halls

Look around your salon. What color palettes and themes do you notice? Do you keep a cozy warm workspace, or are you more sleek and minimal? As beauty professionals, clients look to us for style inspiration and appreciate a space that reflects that and makes them feel as though they are a part of your world. As a sidenote, co-workers and clients come from all different walks of life, so be open to suggestions and feedback as you navigate holiday décor.

Once you’ve established your vibe, take note of how much space can you spare for holiday décor without encumbering emergency exits and client comfort. Most of our clients are looking for respite from high-stress dinners, holiday travel or family encounters, so it’s important to make sure they aren’t feeling cramped, cluttered or stressed in your space. You’ll also want to keep a cleaning schedule in mind when making your décor selection—a small tree or figurine on your nail desk seems like a great idea, until you have to clean dust and glitter off multiple times a day.

Once you find your perfect décor, it’s one less thing on your plate the following year. My salon has a funky and eclectic vibe, so we opt for a pink holiday tree with a mirrored disco ball and gold glitter ornaments in our waiting area and a cute wreath on our door. The tree goes into storage at the end of the season, not to be thought of again until the following year.

The holidays are also a great opportunity to customize the client holiday experience, adding that little something special that keeps you at top of mind into the new year. Our goal is to make clients feel special while keep our costs of operation reasonable.

Jingle Bell Rock

We like to work holiday music into the rotation at the salon by creating a playlist mix of holiday and non-holiday music that we love. Keep it upbeat and stay away from anything too serious. My best strategy is one holiday tune for every four non-holiday songs—or just throw it all in there, hit shuffle and let the algorithm decide. As a bonus, if you create your playlist on a common streaming platform like Apple Music or Spotify and share the link with your clients, so they can take a little bit of your salon essence with them on the go.

More Peppermint, Please

Adding seasonal lotions and scrubs is a low-cost way to exhibit high-impact thoughtfulness. Your clients’ eyes will light up when you give them the choice between regular lotion or the cinnamon pumpkin lotion, to get into the holiday spirit! Pick up some flavored syrups and a box of herbal tea with holiday spices to offer clients if you have a coffee or tea station.

Mistletoe Mood

Take some time to create a display of your go-to holiday and client-favorite nail looks and colors. Grab an acrylic display board and showcase your collection where clients can see. It’s a great way to add to the ticket and help clients visualize what they want. Be sure that your go-to colors and art supplies are quickly accessible. As I mentioned earlier, clients depend on us to guide their style and will appreciate this. Keep the displays and use them year after year, storing when the season ends and adjusting as trends change.

Merry and Bright

The last big holiday tip I have for you may be the most important one yet: take care of yourself. January is a notoriously slow season for nail salons, and that pressure to perform over the holidays is very real. Be sure to take breaks, stay hydrated and set aside time to eat and stretch. I personally love the Wrist Wandfor a good stretch. Make an effort to stay away from your phone when you get home so you can truly disconnect and rest. Keep your space tidy, and don’t procrastinate on cleaning and disinfecting your tools at the end of the day.

I wish you all a healthy and prosperous holiday season!

Be sure to tag @nailpromagazine with the hashtags #nailproholidaystyle to show off your holiday décor, tips and nail art.

About the Author: Rachel Messick (@rachel.messick) is a salon owner, industry educator and session manicurist with a passion for natural nail care and innovative nail art. When not on set or in studio, she enjoys spending time with her family, attempting to garden and hanging with her menagerie of pets.

New Work: Amazon Holiday Campaign

Amazon | Director: Gary Salter | Nails by Rachel Messick at Celestine

New Work: Society 6 Holiday Campaign

Society6 | Photo by Alex Cayley | Nails by Rachel Messick at Celestine Agency

Nails by Rachel Messick / Celestine Agency

It’s the razzle-dazzle holiday season and I’ve got a bunch of new work coming out. As a session manicurist and commercial nail artist, I always enjoy anything with a little sparkle. The Society6 Holiday 2022 campaign was a mix of fun holiday looks AND casual looks. We opted for a natural nude nail with a soft glitter fade at the tips and of COURSE we had to play with some matte black nails too.

New work in Harper's Bazaar Singapore

Vacation Nail Collective Featured in Plaza Review

Earlier this year, my salon was featured in Old Towne Orange Plaza Review.

Swatch and Review: ICEGEL Dalmatian Nudie

Korean gel is definitely having a moment and rightfully so. I’ve been using ICEGEL since last year and I just love the creative color ways and specialty finishes. This collection features their ultra-popular speckled dalmatian formula but in muted neutral tones. You can snag them from their US distributor, Nashly Nails here.

1276: Semi-sheer cool-toned Ivory with black flecks. If you have the original Dalmatian set, this one is a little more gray than the original speckled white.

1277: Cool milky mid-tone pink with black flecks. This is gorgeous on warm skin tones.

1278: Rosewood with black flecks- reminds me of the JANE lipgloss I used to wear in the 90’s.

1279: Warm bone ivory with black flecks. This is one of my favorites- really unique and super flattering on all skin tones.

1280: Muted Lavender with black flecks. Love this one too, a client gave and gorgeous on olive skin.

1281: Don’t let the sticker on the bottle deceive you, this one’s a deep warm pink with black flecks.

Dapper French

As much as I wish I had a super quick french manicure hack, the truth is, it’s a little different for every nail shape and length. I find, for me, the best way is to sketch out the smile line, fill in and then perfect with a tapered clean up brush.

The real show stopper here is the Ultra Diamond No-Wipe Top Coat, it’s such an easy way tp add a nice even layer of glitz for the holidays.

You can save 10% off your Kokoist USA goodies when you shop using code RACHEL10. This is an affiliate link, disclosure statement here.

Swatch and Review: ICEGEL Flash On / Off

When ICEGEL released the first round of Flash On / Off gels I was absolutely smitten. They are a very subtle sparkle in natural light but when you put them under a light or flash they transform into an ultra-reflective finish. The original collection was more on the cool-side, lots of blues, purples, silvers- so I was super psyched to grab the more neutral pink and beige collection.

As far as application goes, they are super smooth and the glitter levels really nicely in the gel- no weird scratchy spots. I have a feeling these are going to get a lot of action this holiday season.

1225: Taupe nude with cool beige undertones

1226: Cool grey nude with silver undertones

1227: Honey nude with copper undertones (my personal favorite)

1228: Pink nude with berry undertones

Double Moss Arte Review: Palette Ring & Primero Brush Set

I’ve been following Betina Goldstein for years now- you probably have too. She’s kind of the queen of the gorgeous DIY manicure videos along with a crazy long list of celeb clients. Long before I put down the makeup brush and picked up the nail file, I was following her on insta. She’s got an effortlessly chic aesthetic, perfect hands and her beautiful videos are absolutely swoon-worthy. She’s also as sweet as pie and gives me those classy cool vibes- like, I firmly believe she is somebody who can wear all white, eat tacos and not spill anything and I’m here for it.

I’m always looking for ways to elevate my nail kit and the Primero Brush Set was calling to me. I tend to gravitate towards products created by working manicurists. It’s clear from the craftsmanship that she put a lot of thought and refinement into her creations. The majority of my work on set is with traditional polish and the field of brushes for traditional polish is always a little, how to put it softly, TACKY. Lots of glitz, the weird handles with beads in them, cheap imports, plastic and lots of bright bright colors.

What stood out to me most was the design. They are made of brass (which is gorgeous but most importantly, acetone resistant) and have caps that screw on and off.- which is a literal godsend since I’m the Queen of crushed and bent bristles. The weight in hand is lovely and very easy to work with, like a fancy pen. They came in a gorgeous velvet storage case that can be used to set my station as well for extra wow factor.From a functionality standpoint you can easily transition from thin to thick lines with a bit of pressure, my most used brush by far is Arte 2 (here’s a video of me using it in a tutorial), but Arte X comes in clutch for cuticle clean up and finessing lines. In general, as an artist, I prefer longer bristles so while I haven’t reached for Arte 1 as often, I could see it being great for fine detail work.

The palette ring is as gorgeous as it is functional- I find that I work best with it on my left thumb (if you’re a lefty, you’ll be better with it on your right). Super easy to clean and to be honest, fashionable enough to wear as a statement piece on its own.

Neon Matisse Nail Art Tutorial

Modern art has always had a place in my heart and, as I was growing up, the walls of my family home. While I’m not necessarily taken by everything Gen-Z is reviving (sweater vests and low rise jeans are a hard pass for me) the renaissance of respect for Henri Matisse’s cut outs is right up my artistic alley.

The key to the bulbous ends on the leaves is to put just a little too much gel on the edge of your brush and place the edge first and drag towards the steam. I’m using my favorite detail brush by Narina Chan. You can definitely use any color palette you like, I just love the juxtaposition of the muted rust orange and the pop of neon pink.

Products used:

Kokoist Color Gel E-218 Smoky Persimmon & E-23 Neon Toy Pink

Nail Thoughts x Kokoist Application Brush

Narina Nails Detail Brush

Kokoist Velvet Matte No-Wipe Top Coat

You can save 10% on your Kokoist purchase when you use code RACHEL10. This is an affiliate link, you can read my disclosure statement here.

Autumn Abstract

As a full-time salon owner and manicurist, finding time to create content is equal parts chaotic and intentional. Generally speaking, I keep a list of ideas and just kind of chip away in my spare time. However, sometimes ideas come on the fly and you just gotta go with it. This was one of those ideas.

I wanted to create a super easy and impactful autumn-ish design. Something easy to do on myself or clients.

Step 1: You’re going to start with a coat of Presto SC-300. Most of the time one coat is enough, but if you need two- do two. Cure.

Step 2: Using a square brush apply Kokoist Color Gel in E-219 Midnight Burgundy. Start at the free-edge and sweep upwards, softening your pressure as you go to get that painterly look. Cure.

Step 3. Use the inhibition layer as an anchor for your gold foil. The foil is really delicate, you’ll want to encapsulate with Presto Pre Art Gel before moving forward. Cure.

Step 4: Using a clean cuticle stick and Johen’s Elastic Gel in Black, add your spider-gel detail, cure.

Step 5: This look is great in glossy or matte, so pick your poison. Cure.

Dark Marble

We’re on cruise control straight into Spooky Season. If you’re looking for something Halloween-y that’s not like skulls and blood, this look is for YOU. I love the way the mica flakes pop through the jelly black, creating an oil-slick rainbow when the light hit’s it just right.

Step 1: After you cure your base gel, gently press Green Rainbow Mica Flakes and Blue Rainbow Mica Flakes into the sticky inhibition layer, encapsulate with a thin layer of art gel, cure.

Step 2: Apply two coats of E-206S Black Martini, curing between coats.

Step 3: Apply a thin player of Pre-Art gel, cure.

Step 4: Apply diagonal dots of Black Bleeding Ink, give it about 10-20 seconds to dry out a little and then using the Pointed brush with alcohol (be sure it’s not too saturated) gently pat the ink so that it dissipates in to a marble-ish pattern. Let dry completely and add a thin layer of Pre-Art Gel, cure.

Step 5: Repeat step 4, but place it on the other side of the nail.

Step 6: Apply No-Wipe Top Gel and cure.

You can save 10% on your Kokoist USA purchase when you use code RACHEL10. This is an affiliate link, disclosure statement available here.

Mocha Swirl Gel Nail Tutorial

The verdict is in, we’re all crazy for browns this season. All shades, all opacities- so long as it’s somewhere on the mocha spectrum.

All products by Kokoist unless otherwise noted. You can save 10% on your Kokoist USA purchase when you shop code RACHEL10.

Step 1: Apply 1-2 coats of E-249 Hazelnut Concealer, cure between layers.

Step 2: Using the Long Liner Brush and E-17 Bitter Chocolate, create a diagonal swirl, fill in and cure.

Step 3: Create a parallel swirl using the same method and E-88 Milk Chocolate, cure.

Step 4: Apply a matte top gel and cure.

Step 5: using a no-wipe clear art gel create a third swirl alongside the other two and sprinkle with brown glitter (I’m using Bronze by @youngnailsinc ), cure.

Step 6 (optional but recommended): apply a thin layer of E-0 Art Clear and cure to keep glitter from infiltrating your top coat and also to even out the design.

Step 7: Finish with a top gel, I’m using Nail Thoughts Glassy Top Gel, cure.

Natural Accent Gel Nail Tutorial

Do you ever have a nail art concept that you just can’t wrap your head around? Welp, that was me with chrome accents. Thankfully, when chatting with Marissa (one of the artists at Vacation Nail Collective) and she gave me the tip of a lifetime (I’ll share below). Instead of a matte top coat, you need to buff the surface of the nail. MIND BLOWN. All these months I was trying to use matte top coat to try to sequester the chrome zone and it was driving me full bonkers.

Here are the essentials for creating this look:

Thin No-Wipe Art Gel: Earlier this year Nail Labo repackaged and launched a TON of clear gels and while I was shopping a particular one caught my eye: Pre Art Gel. It’s a no-wipe gel with just a hint of an inhibition layer, so it’s stellar for chromes, but I’ve also been loving it to create a nice smooth surface when I really need to precision paint. Since it’s not a top coat, it’s easy to layer between other products.

Thick No-Wipe Art Gel: I snagged the TOY’S x INITY No Wipe Art Clear High gel from Nail Formula (a Canadian based Japanese nail product import shop). It’s thick and get for creating really raised looks like this one. They also make No Wipe Art Clear Low that I really really love as well.

Sponge Buffer: This is the trickier one, but I really love the 180 grit side of the Kokoist Sponge Buffer Moon, it’s not excessively abrasive so it’s easy to gently buff away the shine without removing color.

Step 1: Two coats of a soft milky pink- cure between coats. I’m using Haven by Luxio.

Step 2: Apply a coat of clear gel- cure.

Step 3: Gently buff the surface of the cured clear gel using a 180-grit or finer sponge buffer.

Step 4: Add an elevated swoop of thick clear no-wipe gel where you’d like the chrome detail, cure.

Step 5: Add your chrome on top of the clear art gel. I’m using @kokoistusaChrome Pen in Silver.

Step 6: Add Charm gel and place your shell.

Step 7: Seal it all in with a thin No-Wipe Art Gel or Top Gel, cure.

Step 8: Complete the look by encapsulating everything with a glossy top gel.

Pumpkin Spice Leopard DIY

It’s halloween time, y’all! Are you ready to make some magic with a fun spooky-color-themed leopard DIY? Sweet! Me too!

Let’s wrap a bit about the products I’m using. For those that have been following me for a while, you know I’m primarily a gel nail artist, however, when I’m working on set (or on my mother, who is not a fan of gel) I use traditional nail polish about 99% of the time. While a lot of brands have my heart, the only lacquer service I offer in my studio is Dazzle Dry. Dazzle Dry checks all the boxes that my clients care about (vegan, cruelty-free, non-toxic, made in the US) but all the green marketing buzzwords in the world are meaningless if the performance isn’t there. I’ll tell you right now, Dazzle Dry DELIVERS. Easily lasting 2+ weeks on clients and fully dries in 5 minutes. Is it sorcery? Witchcraft? Science? All of the above.

You can absolutely do this look with any polish, the dry time will just take a bit longer.

Step 1: Prep your nails. Remove all product, groom your cuticles, moisturize and use a cotton ball with some acetone or alcohol to remove any oils from your nail plate before starting.

Step 2: Once the nail is clean apply your base coat and let it dry. If you’re using the Dazzle Dry system, follow the instructions and apply two coats of base making sure that it dries matte between coats.

Step 3: One to two coats of Amber Glow, allowing lacquer to fully dry between coats

Step 4: Add offset large spots of Citrus Streak (in the video, mine are a little thick so there was some pooling, so err a bit more conservatively than I did) and allow to dry, apply a second coat on top if needed, allow to dry completely.

Step 5: using a palette and Doublemoss Arte #2 brush and Black Stamping Lacquer, start adding black spot detail around the Citrus Streak blobs. I like to alternate between large and small, allow to dry completely. I choose the Black Stampling Lacquer because the dry time is slower, so it gives me more time to hand paint.

Step 6: Add additional black dot detail to some of the negative space of the design, allow to dry completely.

Step 7: Apply Top Coat and allow to dry completely

Step 8: TRICK OR TREAT VIBES COMPLETE

See my disclosure statement here.

Meet Me in Tulum: NailPro Magazine Feature

When NailPro Magazine reached out to me to create looks inspired by Tulum, Mexico- my mind immediately went two places: vibrance and earthiness. If you’ve ever had the privilege to spend time in Mexico, these are two common threads seen throughout- be it in folk art, buildings, artists and just the general beauty of the culture, people and land.

Let’s start with my first look: Abstract Tropical.

Here’s a video of me creating the Abstract Tropical look:

I love the contrast of earthy ceramics and rustic texture. There’s just a grounded beauty to ceramic inspired art, and some of my earliest exposure to ceramics was in Mexico. My parents loves to adorn their house and yard with pieces from local artisans whenever we visited.

Here’s a video of me creating the Gilded Ceramic look:

Featured on Allure.com

So far 2021 has been off to a pretty good start and I’m beyond flattered to have three of my manicures featured in Allure.com’s 22 Spring Nail Art Designs to Try This Year. After a glitzy glam holiday season chock-full of sparkles and bold deep hues the pendulum tends to swing towards more muted and simple nails in the new year. However, come February and March, my clients are ready for some fun and color again.

You truly cannot go wrong with a nice warm terracotta- in my studio we call it a “hot Madewell girl color” the color in this picture is PREGEL Prep Doll Gel (from Japan) in shade B-76 Cinnamon Roll.

This is one of my favorite nail art looks forever and ever. Cutie pie daisies with gold charm accents. The base used in this look is Peace by Luminary Nail Systems.

Ya’ll know that my heart forever belongs to negative space nail art. This look was created with Kokoist Color Gel in Party Balloon Red and the backdrop is Peace by Luminary Nail Systems.