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Painting Outside the Box

Former beauty editor Eleanor Langston (Cosmopolitan, Fitness) founded Paintbox, a new concept nail studio.

October 1, 2014
Painting Outside the Box

Located in New York City, this high design nail studio covers 1,500 square feet and has 18 manicure stations.

1 min to read


Located in New York City, this high design nail studio covers 1,500 square feet and has 18 manicure stations.

Paintbox founder Eleanor Langston (left) turns the typical nail salon visit into a chic collaborative experience. Creative director Julie Kandalec (right) translates runway trends into wearable styles.

Former beauty editor Eleanor Langston (Cosmopolitan, Fitness) founded Paintbox, a new concept nail studio. Celebrity manicurist Julie Kandalec is the creative director, designing a new collection of nails to offer clients every season. Each collection is edited to showcase runway and editorial trends and can be executed in either gel-polish or traditional polish. Designs are customizable with the client’s choice of colors too, but the menu showcases the designs as conceptualized by Kandalec. Single colors and accent nails are also offered. Perhaps the most interesting feature of the salon is the Photobox. Post-manicure, clients type in their e-mail address and place their hands in the box (the Photobox even suggests poses). Once you approve of your photo, the image is sent to your e-mail with the Paintbox logo on the periphery. It can then be uploaded to social media.

The studio’s goal is to transcend and transform the traditional manicure experience.

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