Two creative and web-savvy nail techs made the list when Modern Salon magazine announced its 2017 Modern Salon 100. The annual list highlights social media influencers — primarily hairstylists — who “inspire, innovate and share their voice and artistry.”
Asa Bree Sieracki (@asabree)
Salon: Finger Bang, Portland, Ore.
Age: 25
Best known for: Hand-painted gel nail art
Why she was selected: “Asa Bree Sieracki is one of our favorite nail artists to follow on Instagram because of her dazzling, quirky, and flawless hand-painted and hand-printed designs.”
Favorite apps: Snapseed is hands down my favorite for basic photo watermarking and enhancing, and KiraKira+ is the best app of all time to add literal sparkle to your videos, and Pinterest for constant streams of inspiration.
Favorite hashtags: #naturalnailgoals #fingerbangme #nailchurch
Who I’m following: @fingerbangportland, @sohotrightnail, @eichimatsunaga, @frederiqueolthuis, @1080mhz @watts.on, @gabriel_held and @avant.arte
Tip to get best results on a post: Good lighting and backdrops are key. Take more photos of each manicure you do from different angles and thank me later — nothing is worse than not getting a good photo of a beautiful set. Use analytic tools like Iconosquare to your advantage to see trends, and to see what content generates a response from your following.
Favorite professional beauty products: Bio Seaweed Base-1 Gel Polish is my one and only base gel for natural nails, Presto and NCLA brand gel-polish are my must-have brands for color and art, Gossip Gem Gel is my favorite high-viscosity resin gel that will hold all of your crystals and charms in place without budging.
Ashley Crowe (@astrowifey)
Salon: AstroWifey, Chicago
Age: 27
Best known for: Detailed hand-painted nail art
Why she was selected: “Ashley Crowe has created crazy-cool claws for the likes of Lady Gaga, Zoe Kravitz, Lily Allen, along with her local Chicago-based clientele.” She was also featured on Buzzfeed as one of the “17 Nail Salons You Have To Visit Before You Die.”
Favorite apps: Instagram, because it’s really helped establish independent artists. It’s a great platform for growing a small business and discovering subcultures and talent. Artists have more freedom over their work.
Favorite hashtags: #NailPorn and the hashtag I started, #NaturalNailGoals
Who I’m following: @nailsbymei, @spifster, @asabree, @macokwsk, @yirecastillo
Tip to get best results on a post: I actually prefer to just go into posting being authentic and genuine. I don’t really have a strategy, but I am learning to embrace tips from social-media gurvus about hashtagging and how to take better quality photos. I also tag everyone involved in the post because it’s important to show love back! And lastly, link your accounts like Twitter and Facebook to your Instagram.
Favorite professional beauty products: I love gel nail colors. My favorite brands have to be Presto, Ace, and Akzéntz gel. For cuticle oil, I use organic jojoba oil because it’s closest to your skin’s natural pH balance.
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