Femi Beauty on How She Got Into Nails, Her Fave Summer Styles and Her New Makartt Collab
Femi Beauty has to be one of our favorite nail artists on all of YouTube, sharing her passion for incredible nail art and using it to build an empire.
The nail tech and entrepreneur is an expert at her craft, and her new nail kits released in collaboration with nail brand Makartt are the perfect distillation of her values and her feminine pastel aesthetic. We were lucky enough to get the chance to chat with Femi all about what nails—and the new collab—mean to her, and she's what she revealed to us.
Sweety High: How long has nail art been a part of your life? At what point did you realize you could make a career out of it?
Femi Beauty: I first became interested in doing my own nails around the end of 2014. It began as a self-care ritual that I wanted to do every couple of weeks. I think like any hobby that you enjoy, you just start to get that feeling of fulfillment and purpose. Then the creative inspirations start coming. I felt very driven to see all my nail art ideas actualized and to share this art with others. I would randomly make lists upon lists of ideas and sketch them out and it felt so important to bring these aesthetics to life. I kept following my Joy without any specific goals or intentions things just kind of worked out this way. I'm forever grateful for that.
SH: When did you decide to start sharing your nail art talents off socially? What was that experience like, and were you surprised by your growth as a nail guru?
FB: My first YouTube video was in 2016. I was totally in shock by the feedback. Initially, I wasn't expecting anything like a YouTube career or guru status. I just wanted to become part of the community and make friends. The nail art niche on YouTube was so much smaller at the time too, I never imagined nail art would become this popular amongst the masses. So I just felt like I was doing something really basic and normal. My video and editing quality weren't exceptional either. I remember checking on my video the next day and the view count was 10 times what I was even hoping for. A lot of commenters were welcoming me and wishing the best for me. It was really inspiring and motivated me to take it seriously.
(via Makartt)
SH: How would you describe your "Lazy Girl Method" and why do you love it?
FB: I usually describe it as the combination of the "Apres method," also known as "soft gel nails," and the Dual form method. I love how fast and easy it is. It takes so long to achieve similar results with traditional application. Like with Dual forms, you can create your design inside the full cover nail layer by layer. And like Apres, the full cover nail doesn't get popped off after applied, it becomes part of the nail.
SH: What are the biggest dos and don'ts for doing your own nails?
FB: Biggest do, I think shaping is something I focus on a lot. Always wanting to achieve a really snatched and well-balanced set. Structure and foundation are something I try to teach a lot. And my biggest don't—that's hard because I feel like I have tried it all. I think nail polish is a don't for me. I used to love it and collect them, but I just can't imagine going back to it.
SH: What are some of your favorite nail color and shape trends for summer 2021?
FB: I think the extra long square nails are everything right now. As for color, I am seeing a lot of vibrant French tip designs and it feels so summer. Love any combination of nude and neon shades.
SH: Tell us all about your new collaborative nail kit! How did the collaboration with Makartt come to be, and what did it mean to you to be able to make that happen?
FB: When I got the collaboration offer from Makartt I had to keep pinching myself, like yeah, this is really happening! I have amazing subscribers who would often leave comments on my videos saying they wish I could have a collab with Makartt. The idea never really occurred to me before that but I entertained it in my head and thought it would be really groundbreaking. My kawaii gang really made this a reality by requesting it so much. I enjoyed every step of the process and the Makartt team made it all so smooth for me. I got to focus on the creative details without worrying about the behind-the-scenes operations. I love the fact that I was able to put my heart into these products for my supporters. The collection is like a reflection of my nail journey, my aesthetics and my values. It felt so fulfilling to have this collection be so well received and that my feelings reached people through this collaboration.
(via Makartt)
SH: Is there anything else you'd like to add?
FB: I just want to sincerely thank everyone who has contributed to my experience in this space, big or small, negative or positive. I wouldn't trade my journey for anything. With open arms, you guys welcomed me into this incredible community. The friendship, love and support along the way has transformed my life in so many ways. I grew up a lot and learned a lot of valuable lessons. To honor this gift it's become very important to me to be a good example, uplift and empower everyone. All you need is patience, passion and faith. Always believe in yourself and never give up on your dreams.
Love getting the scoop on all things nails? Click HERE to read our interview with Billie Eilish's nail tech, Tammy Taylor.