It’s been a long time coming and now, just a short while after our big Hey Girl Hey event at Washington National Harbor, it’s finally time to blog about the sweet, sweet manna of life known as Japanese nail art and, the even sweeter, Naomi Yasuda of
Hello Beautiful Salon in Brooklyn. If you are in the know, you know already about the super talented and always on point Naomi.
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The Promised Land of Glitter and GEMS!!
I started getting my nails done by Naomi back in March and since then I have not gone a single day without her sassy artwork on my nails. Although I knew about Japanese nail art before, I had never experienced it personally. Yeah, I’d seen your odd 3D rose or polka dots and bow or whatever kind of wah wah stuff everyone in a major city and cares about beauty has seen. But this is the type of stuff you wear and everyone who sees your nails asks about them. In one day I had the TSA lady at the airport ask me about my nails, then the barista at a coffee shop, the cashier at a smoothie place in San Francisco, two people in a thrift shop, a lady working at a grocery store and a bartender. In two cities and one day! Yeah.
I have these at this very moment… so meta.
People will ask to take pictures of your nails on the train, you will get addicted quickly to the fanciful, fun and glittery action on your nails. As my sister Roxy, a recent Naomi convert, said, “You know what nails like this are good for? Whenever you’re having a day day you can just look down and say,”Hey, there’s a little party happening on my nails!” Well, HEY GIRL HEY. Roxy is right, it’s so sincerious. And, to harken back to the wise words of Aura Friedman, when it comes to beauty, you’ve gotta do what makes you feel good. And as cheesy as it sounds, these silly, over the top nails make me happy. Dead ass.
See the little bone and the Fred Flintstone style print?
Yeah, this was an homage to myself…
But back to the lecture at hand, not only are Naomi’s talents bananas but she uses one of the best products out there, Calgel.
Your ideal cheese ball product shot… et VOILA!
Unlike acryllic nails, Calgel allows moisture to pass through between the air and your actual nail. So not only is it a nail strengthener but you won’t get crazy lifting and dangerours fungus. Plus it dries incredibly fast and does NOT chip. Although for me personally, the gems, chains and knicknacks stuck on top are my favorite part. Here are a few more examples of work she’s done on my very own van Peebles paws.
My very first Calgel nails by Naomi… it’s like baby pictures!!
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One of my personal favorites.
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I went canoeing and hiking with these summery babies. Yaaas.
From leopard spots and fruit to tiger stripes and glitter, from cheetah spots and neon bones to metal studs and acrylic lobsters- this girl has insane skills.
Get involved with THIS rock lobster. He’s miraculously cute.
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The big honkin’ stone nails? Yaaas. FTW!
She has done nails for Lady Gaga, Amber Rose, Alicia Keys, Amanda Lepore, Jordin Sparks, Keri Hilson, Steven Tyler and currently she is working on nails for the new Sex and the City movie. She can’t stop won’t stop. And thank goodness for that. Seriously, this girl is more talented than most graphic designers, nail technicians and artists working in macro mediums… comBINED.
These, although not as colorful as I usually go for,
may have been my absolute favorite.
She is currently developing big projects for the future and you will definitely see more of her. But until then, make sure to call ahead to Hello Beautiful at (718) 387-4732 to make an appointment with Naomi, since clearly, she gets booked up fast. Git the fingernail glamour you have always dreamed of. BAM.
The loverly and enchanting Naomi Yasuda
Get involved and maybe I’ll bump into you at Hello Beautiful. I’ll be there makin jokes and talkin smack with my girl Naomi!!
xoxo
-Pebbles van Peebles
