I remember when I lived in New York how busy and fast life was. I’d work all day in the studio then change to run out the door to brand events at night. I got manicures once a week, that’s what Manhattan ladies did. But, as a photographer, I am always working with my hands. Heavy equipment, cameras, lenses, moving sets around, which inevitably would cause chipped nails. For some reason, chipped nails made me crazy. I would be instantly self conscious and quite literally stressed about it! So, back to the salon, squeezing it in, spending hundreds of dollars a month. Then France happened. Since no one was around, no events to go to, no one to be, I decided to just do bare nails. Clean, short cut, bare nails. And you know what, I loved it! Not only did I find the natural effortless look of it beautiful, but all my stress over chipped nail polishes was gone! It freed up space in my mind and my day to focus on more important things, more fun things, more beautiful things! It looked chic and was more low maintenance than ever before which made me chicer because I was more relaxed, less anxiety, and enjoyed less money spending.
Fast forward 7 years and I have fully embraced the natural nail lifestyle. It’s beautiful for my work, the timelessness of it, I always feel like I am treating my body like a piece of art in a museum! Then I can go work in the garden, forage for nature pieces to create a still life, and never worry about chipped polish.
Clean, classic, natural nails do require some minimal home maintenance. Here is what I do once every two weeks at home or when I’m traveling.
- After a shower or bath when my skin is softened I apply a cuticle eraser.
- Using The Push Back tool, which they say to use gently but I do it very aggressively, I push my cuticles back.
- The Cuticle Eraser makes it so that you don’t need to trim the cuticles, they disappear a bit with this formula. However, if I’m about to go on a trip and want my natural home manicure to last longer, or if I’m going to shoot my hands in a photograph, I will then go ahead and trim my cuticles with The Nip, which I think is the key for the most chic of natural nails.
- I then cut my nails back to the natural bed. You can of course file them if you want but I don’t even bother.
- Wash my hands.
- Apply The Rose Oil as a finishing touch. *Rose oil can be re-applied between self-manicures to keep cuticles healthy and smelling lovely.
On the very rare occasions I want to really dress up my look, say a black tie event, I like to use one coat of a very natural looking polish. When Tenoverten asked me if I wanted to champion a natural nail care kit for home or travel, I said YES but to please allow me to make my dream natural nail color! After rounds of trials we finally found the perfect solution. It’s almost invisible, super sheer, but adds just a touch of finish that looks extra chic for those extra moments in life. The best part, when it chips it’s barely noticeable so no need to stress. It’s all made for “La Belle Vie” –a beautiful life!
Our natural nail go to kit is made to be pretty enough to sit on your bathroom counter and functional enough to throw in your baggage for wherever life takes you. I am thrilled to reveal the flora lining is from a photograph I created in my studio in Provence of floating pink and golden roses on a sea colored painted canvas to evoke the joy of Botticelli's “Birth of Venus”... now what says “La Belle Vie” more than that!
xx Jamie Beck
