Magazine for the professional nail industry.
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>>> 46 | NAILS MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2018 Los Angeles-based nail artist Kelly Heralda is making a name for herself as @bakenekonails. The term "Bakeneko" actually refers to a mythical changing cat, and with an ever-changing portfolio, Heralda keeps her designs fresh and true to her aesthetic by hosting a private Instagram account just for inspiration. It's this account she sends to clients so they can choose a design from there. NA ILS: What got you into nail art ? Heralda: My husband and I had to work long hours at dead-end jobs just to scrape by. A good friend convinced me to get my nails done to help lift my spirits. My hubby had a hard time understanding why it was so important to try and squeeze this expense into our tiny budget, but I made it clear that getting my nails done was not a luxury for me. It was a kind of medicine. I started to realize that the nail salon I was going to was not treating me the way I wanted to be treated as a client. One day my husband suggested that maybe I should look into doing nails myself. I enrolled in nail school and have not looked back since. NAILS: How long does it take you to do a set? What are your time-saving tips/tricks for nail art? Heralda: It takes me about three hours to complete a gel manicure on natural nails. One hour of that time is dedicated to removal, prep, and design consultation. I have been able to save a little time by utilizing an e-file and also getting more comfortable with consulting about designs while doing gel removal. One advantage I have over typical salons is that my clients are generally coming to me for original artwork and comradery, so it's understood that these kinds of things shouldn't be rushed. The clients who become my regulars understand the difference between nails as an expendable luxury versus a medium for the exploration of art. NAILS: What are your tips for taking amazing pictures for social media? Heralda: My husband has been a big help in deciding what we present to the world. We decided that our philosophy would be about really focusing on the work and allowing the viewer to clearly see a full set of nails. We try and present the nail art as clearly as possible. The iPhone 7 and a good full- spectrum lamp have also been great tools. NAILS: How do you find quality nail art-loving clients? Heralda: It started with friends and family members being brave enough to let me learn and practice on them for free. Now, with a little help from the universe and social media, my clients are finding me and it is so encouraging and wonderful. STYLE } A Kind of Medicine Heralda PHOTO COURTESY OF @PISCESDREAMS Read the full interview at www.nailsmag.com/bakenekonails.