These Are The Ladies That Make Big Money Doing Nails For Cardi B And La La Anthony
"Nails done, hair done, everything did" is the way Drake likes his women. Never have truer word been rapped (just kidding!) But seriously, one of the biggest obstacles of being a celeb — apart from nosy paparazzi — is looking top notch at all times, down to your manicure.
Major nails aren't new to the Black community, despite Vogue calling them "manicure sculptures" (before being dragged on Twitter). We've literally been seeing works of art created for ladies like Cardi B, Taraji P. Henson and more for a minute!
But who are the brains behind these impressive nail designs? We did some digging to reveal a few of our favorite nail tech in the industry so perhaps you can work with the masters themselves. Scroll down for more!
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Jenny Bui
Jenny Bui a.k.a "The Queen Of Bling" splits her time between the Bronx and Harlem. She's best known for creating the most over-the-top manicures for hip-hop artists, including Cardi B and her sister Hennessy Carolina. You've likely seen her blinged out nails complete with Swarvoski crystals somewhere on your IG feed.
Skyy Hadley
Celeb manicurist Skyy Hadley counts La La Anthony, Faith Evans, Diddy, and Janelle Monáe all as clients. When she's not at her As “U” Wish Nail Spa in Hoboken, New Jersey, you can find her at Blink Beauty Boutique in Harlem, making her one of the most accessible beauty gurus on our list.
Jin Soon Choi
New York Times Magazine refers to Jin Soon Choi as a nail guru for good reason — she's considered the go-to manicurist for top editors, designers and too many celebrities to name. She's also known for her uncanny ability to pinpoint current and emerging trends, then translate then into the word of nail salon. This beauty boss owns not one but four nail salons which all call her own line, JINsoon Nail Lacquer*.
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Gina Edwards
What do Mary J. Blige, Rita Ora, Kim Kardashian and Travis Scott have in common? Gina Edwards! When she's not tending to her celeb clientele, you can find her on set with Jimmy Choo, Alexander Wang, Elle and Glamour. Plus, she continues to collaborate with the most seasoned photographers and stylists in the game.
Michelle Saunders
Michelle Saunders has worked with Taraji P. Henson, J.Lo and Thandie Newton on the red carpet to make sure their nails slay. She is known for creative instincts, precise attention to detail and love of color and her work has been seen in upscale publications such as W Magazine, Elle and Vogue.
Gracie J
Celebrity nail artist Gracie J has clients such as Karrueche Tran, Teyana Taylor and more. She is the founder of the Editorial Nail, a platform for the everyday woman to keep up with nail trends relatable to their personal style. Her work has been featured in OPI advertisements, M.A.C., and Paper Magazine just to name a few.
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DAWN STERLING
Dawn Sterling has worked with many celeb clients such as Alicia Keys, Rita Ora, Mary J. Blige and Taraji P. Henson and that's just a couple of her A-list clients. She has also collaborated with Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and W Magazine. The nail artist is well respected for her talent and speedy execution. So if you need a quick nail job, she's your girl!
Honey Nailz
OK! HoneyNailz has the most innovative nail designs the fashion world has ever seen. The famed manicurist has worked with many leading beauty brands and top editorial campaigns such as, L' Oreal, Maybelline and Bloomingdales. Not to mention one of her main celeb clients is the "1, 2 Step" goddess Ciara.
Kimmie Kyees
Kimmie Kyees is the manicurist to celebs Rihanna (who was her first celebrity client), Khloe Kardashian and Mary J. Blige. She gets her inspiration from a variety of things: colors, clothes, backgrounds, wallpaper. Remember the yellow nails with black smiley faces on Rihanna? You can thank Kimmie for that one!
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Alicia Torello
Whenever you are feeling a nail design to show off your natural nails but still in need of a funky design, celebrity nail artist Alicia Torello is your girl. She has worked with celeb clients Kendall and Kylie Jenner to make sure their nails are always trendy AF. The manicurist founded her nail salon, Fantasy, which specializes in fashion forward nail art and is located in New York City.