Designer Nails: Create Art at Your Fingertips

by Ami Vega

Overview

Nail artist Ami Vega shows you how to turn your nails into miniature works of art. From simple designs to more complex work, you can have a manicure that’s runway ready. One of the rising stars in the world of beauty, Ami offers great advice on growing and maintaining healthy nails, polished off with step-by-step instruction on 50 fabulous and unique nail art designs. Throughout Designer Nails, she shares professional inside tips on the products used and easy ways to build a nail art tool kit for home use.

Ami leads the you through such aspects of proper nail care as:

 

   •  the correct preparation of nails
   •  choosing and achieving the proper nail shape
   •  the techniques needed to achieve healthy nails
   •  how to properly prepare your “canvas” for art
   •  maintaining your manicure

The heart of  Designer Nails  presents 50 different nail looks that vary in difficulty and detail, from simple geometrics on natural nails to detailed lace patterns on long stiletto nails.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780698188518
Publisher:	Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date:	08/04/2015
Sold by:	Penguin Group
Format:	eBook
Pages:	160
File size:	39 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Ami Vega is the creator of El Salonsito, the innovative nail art business and blog (elsalonsito.com) that brings art to people's fingertips. She has worked with such major beauty companies as Revlon, Essie, and Maybelline and her work has been featured in national and international publications. She also has a monthly showcase column in Scratch magazine in the UK. Since the launch of El Salonsito, Ami is often called on to provide her signature nail art on high-end fashion shoots and runway shows. She created a set of tutorial videos with Maybelline NY for Mercedes Benz Fashion Week and has created nail art for super models, celebrities such as Demi Lovato, Vh1’s Mob Wives, and even art royalty like Diana Picasso, granddaughter of Pablo Picasso. Other clients include Monika Chiang, Donna Karan, and Chado Ralph Rucci. Now signed to a premier New York agency, she continues to work on set and for private clients.

Read an Excerpt

Manicure Tools

Nail Art Tools

Your Polish Palette

INTRODUCTION

GETTING STARTED

¬ Large paper towel or small hand towel to cover your work surface

¬ Nail polish remover

¬ Cotton pads

¬ Nail clippers

¬ 100–180 grit nail file for filing and shaping

¬ 240 grit buffer to smooth the nail surface

¬ Cuticle remover

¬ Metal cuticle pusher, or orangewood stick

¬ Cuticle nippers (to be used with caution)

¬ Nail plate primer This solution, available at beauty stores, will remove any natural oils from your nail plate, which helps the polish adhere to your nail. You can also use isopropyl alcohol (70% or more by volume).

¬ Base coat This is a vital part of any manicure. Not only will it help prevent nail polish from staining your natural nails, it also serves as a glue that grabs the polish and holds it on your nails.

¬ Top coat Essential for a smooth, finished look and to protect your design.

¬ Matte-finish top coat This can give a special effect to a basic, one-color manicure or add an extra element to a nail art design.

¬ Quick-dry solution I prefer to let nails dry naturally, but for those occasions when you’re in a hurry, you can use a quick-dry solution. This comes in spray form or drops, or as a brush-on oil.

¬ Makeup cotton swabs Cotton swabs with pointed tips are great for cleaning around the nail if you get polish on your skin. Just dip it in a bit of nail polish remover.

¬ Aluminum foil Small squares of foil can serve as a palette for polish or paint that you’ll be using in your designs.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"Ami Vega is a force of nail art in NYC."
—-Univision
 

Editorial Reviews

"Ami Vega is a force of nail art in NYC."
—-Univision
 

From the Publisher