Since the ripe age of smol girl, I have always loved having my nails painted.

LET'S GO BACK TO THE BEGINNING

That small act of nail care gave me the boost I needed during a time when I’d often call my mom crying, saying, “Ugh, if I wasn’t cute, I’d have nothing” (yes, we love a little melodrama, but I know I’m blessed). With loss and change, though, came growth and discovery. By 2023, I was finding my way back to myself, thanks to an unbelievably supportive circle of people—you know who you are, because I’ve probably done your nails!

Throughout that year, I was doing my friends' nails for fun, honing my application and art skills. In November 2023, I gave my cousin Chloe a Gel-X extension mani with blooming aura details, and during our time together, a conversation with her sparked something in me. The very next month, I enrolled in a nail tech program at Paul Mitchell.

I graduated in May 2024 after learning so much and making incredible connections along the way. By July, I was officially licensed in Colorado, followed by California in October—the two states that have my heart. While I visit Denver often, my home studio is based in LA, and my books are now open. I can’t wait to meet you and give you the coolest manicure you’ve ever had!

My obsession first blossomed after watching my oh-so-glamorous Grammy paint her long natural nails using an array of pinks, reds and nudes that all had that nostalgic nail polish smell. I’d sit in her big La-Z-Boy recliner and delicately paint my tiny digits, utilizing base coats, ridge-fillers and any other tools I could get my grubby little hands on.

In high school, I became the go-to babysitter for a group of sophisticated young moms with an active social life thanks to my reputation as the babysitter with the bucket of nail polish. By my junior year, I’d grown my claws so long that I often painted the undersides a complementary color. It was also the year I got my first gel kit from Walmart for $24.99 and fell in love.

Post-college it was what my best friend, Christiana, and I did to unwind after our corporate fashion gigs while watching The Bachelorette and munching on charcuterie. Leaving the fashion industry during the first few months of the 2020 pandemic led me to a freelance career in social media, a gig I have cherished and learned so much from, but I couldn’t help feeling like something was missing.

I started doing my own gel extensions at the beginning of 2022 as a way to unwind and center myself amidst a lot of change and loss that I was experiencing at the time.

Post-college it was what my best friend, Christiana, and I did to unwind after our corporate fashion gigs while watching The Bachelorette and snacking on charcuterie. Leaving the fashion industry during the first few months of the 2020 pandemic led me to a freelance career in social media, a gig I have cherished and learned so much from, but I couldn’t help feeling like something was missing. 

I started doing my own gel extensions in early 2022 as a way to unwind and center myself through a whirlwind of change and loss.