In some ways, Alex Martin Dean is your typical polish-lover turned polish-maker. When it comes to nails, her passion is clear. “When I think of my nails, I think of 10 little canvases that are waiting for some artistic expression to be placed on them. I love getting to express myself through different colors and designs,” she says.

What makes Dean a little different, however, is that she’s the daughter of actress Whoopi Goldberg and the star of her own reality show, “According to Alex,” on Centric. On the show, she and best friend Leisa Rachal hit upon the idea of introducing a polish line that mimics cocktail mixers. The line, called Nail Buzz, launched five bold colors last fall. “Nail Buzz is not just a polish, it’s a package,” says Dean. “We’re not just branding the polish — which is awesome — you’ll be able to get the mixers that match.”

Rachal brings a marketing background to the team. “Her expertise is in the food industry, hence the mixers. She’ll figure out how we can make and distribute them,” Dean says. “The initial color line up came about very easily — we like cocktails and a lot of cocktails come in cool colors. We just had to figure out our favorites and match them up.”

When asked how she usually wears her own nails, Dean responds with laughter. “My nails are never usual! I like gel on my nails because it lasts longer, and when I wear Nail Buzz, I get a gel coat on top.” Dean is definitely a salon girl, rather than a do-it-yourselfer. “I just don’t think I’m as creative as the ladies at the salon I go to,” she says.

For more information, go to www.nailbuzz.com.