Lezlie and Jim McConnell over at Light Elegance made us a custom matte  nude color to our specifications. It’s now available in the permanent  collection under the name Skinny Dipping.

Lezlie and Jim McConnell over at Light Elegance made us a custom matte nude color to our specifications. It’s now available in the permanent collection under the name Skinny Dipping.

After 18 years in the Human Relations field, June Sierra decided to become a nail tech. That was five years ago, and she’s been moving forward ever since. “Being a nail tech provided me the opportunity to be my own boss,” she says. “I schedule the hours and days I want to work, and I choose the products I want to work with.” Just a few months before the shoot, June became the proud owner of Final Touch Salon in Rancho Mirage, Calif. She rented space at the salon before taking it over and opted to leave it as a booth renter salon.

But doing nails and Human Relations aren’t as different as you might expect. June notes that in both fields you have to learn to deal with different (sometimes difficult) personalities, follow stringent state regulations, and get your scheduling down to a science. The main difference she sees: “Being your own boss and making decisions without all the red tape that precedes HR decisions.”

 

Nail tech June Sierra (right) drove out to Los Angeles from the Palm  Springs area to do a full set of gel fingernails and gel toenails on  this month’s cover model, Ariel.

Nail tech June Sierra (right) drove out to Los Angeles from the Palm Springs area to do a full set of gel fingernails and gel toenails on this month’s cover model, Ariel.

She’s been using Light Elegance gels for the last year and a half and she was certified as an educator this past February. Her salon only offers gels; she explains, “Light Elegance provides me with three viscosities, along with incredible durability and flexibility. You can create a beautiful set with tips or by using forms. Repairs are a snap. It’s also hypo-allergenic so it can be used on my sensitive clients as well.”

Here’s how you can do these nails:

1. Prep the nails. (This is very important.)

2. Apply Bonder and cure for 120 seconds.

3. Apply Extreme Gel and cure for 120 seconds.

4. Cleanse the sticky residue from the nails, file the nails to shape with a 180-grit file, and cleanse the nail again to remove dust and oils from the filing process.

5. Apply gel color and cure for 120 seconds. (We used Light Elegance’s Skinny Dipping.)

 

6. Apply Super Shiny and cure for 120 seconds.

7. Cleanse the nail to remove the sticky residue and apply Light Elegance Cuticle Oil.

For more information on Light Elegance Products, visit their website at www.lightelegance.com.

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