By Olivia Alsept-Ellis |
Most nail salons aren’t located underneath a fort in Mehling Hall. But that’s where freshman Karen Brown has set up shop, and the cost is free.
“I don’t like to charge people because they’re usually my friends, or if they aren’t my friends, we are by the time I’m done painting their nails,” Brown said.
Brown is an experienced nail designer. She has developed her skill of nail design since she was in fourth grade and has been painting her family and friends’ nails for years.
“I’m the only girl. I have two brothers so I wanted to do something that made me different from them,” Brown said.
Brown said she would usually practice on the weekends but, because she attended a school with a dress code, her nails would have to be wiped clean by Monday morning. Regardless, Brown continued to practice nail art because she loved the art form.
“I love to doodle and I think that’s why I love nail design as well. My notebooks are covered in doodles and my walls are too,” Brown said. “It’s always been an outlet for me.”
Brown’s toolkit is packed with a variety of color options. Alongside the actual brush, Brown uses toothpicks because nail design is different than typical nail care. On top of a smooth coat of color, Brown will paint intricate designs that fit the impish canvas of a nail.
Brown has painted cherries, cats, snowflakes, flowers and many other images on nails before. However, she said that she is usually unafraid to try new designs.
“I’ve done some pretty crazy designs and I’m not afraid to mess up because you can just wipe it off and start over,” Brown said. “Once, I glued tiny rhinestones onto my friend’s nails for a dance. That was probably the hardest but it turned out great.”
Nicole Stucky, a freshman friend and client of Brown, had her nails done over fall break and she said Brown set up a blanket-fort for the event. Stucky said Brown painted her nails pink first and then decorated them further with tiny roses. Stucky said the whole event took only 20 to 30 minutes.
“I thought they looked so perfect. Too perfect, like they were stickers,” Stucky said. “It’s just awesome to be walking around campus and random people will just say, ‘Wow I love your nails!’ It’s a great conversation starter.”
Painting nails has, over the collected the years, saved both Brown and her clients lots of money. Around prom, rather than visiting an expensive salon, she could customize her and her friends’ nails for the event, for free.
While Brown is currently undeclared, she said she would not be interested in making a living off of nail design because she wouldn’t want to mix stress with her artwork. Although a career as a nail artist is not in her future, she stays informed of trends in the industry.
“It started as a fun hobby but now I definitely pay attention. There is a lot of talk about nail design on the internet - about what is ‘in’. I keep up so I can build on what I do and for the people I paint nails for,” Brown said.
Because she is well versed in nail trends for almost a decade, Brown has seen many trends fade in and out of popularity. She knows what she likes and what she doesn’t.
“Right now there is a trend where you grow your nails out and you file them into a point. They’re called ‘The Teardrop,’” Brown said. “I don’t like them. I think they would get in the way and you might not be able to shower or reach for something in your pocket. If someone asked me to file them into the teardrop, I would definitely try to convince them otherwise. I would be afraid their nails might rip off.”
While Brown might not understand ‘The Teardrop,’ there are others who might not understand nail design at all. Brown said her brothers and primarily male friends often jest about the purpose of nail design.
“They will ask me why I spend so much time working on my nails, especially when it can really only last one to two weeks tops. Guys definitely don’t get it,” Brown said. “My brothers would sometimes tease me. But I would tell them, they have video games and I have nail design.”
For Brown, nail design is an artistic retreat and a de-stresser.
“I think they think that girls paint their nails to impress them,” Brown said. “But any girl who has ever painted her nails knows that isn’t true. We do this for ourselves.”
