An afternoon with celebrity nail tech Stephanie Staunton
By Helena Biggs | 02 August 2019 | Feature, Tech Talk
She’s tended to the talons of numerous celebrities, is a regular manicurist on photo shoots and has scooped a Scratch Star – and now Stephanie Staunton has a shiny new venture; her own nail setup.
Stephanie and I are from the same area just outside London; a busy suburb with plenty of traffic. However, in the last year she’s relocated to a more peaceful area in the depths of Kent, and sparked a new love for the pretty town of Appledore.
Driving to meet her on the first of her two-day launch weekend event, I passed rolling fields, farm shops and cute country houses before arriving at Blush Hair Salon . Instantly feeling a sense of calm, I parked up and walked past vintage shops and a kitsch tea room before heading into Blush, a salon opened by two hair stylists, Katie and Jade, in December 2018.
The former bridal boutique has all its hair stations on the main floor with a quaint garden area at the back, in which clients can relax while their colour sets or while waiting for a friend. Upstairs, there lies the nail gem; Stephanie’s haven and new setup, at which she resides around four days a week.
When the premises was a bridal boutique, this upstairs space was used as an office, but had been unused when Katie and Jade took over the site. A client of Stephanie’s, who was also a client of the hair salon, introduced the trio and the idea was set; Stephanie could rent the space and both parties could benefit from hair and nail clientele.
The talented tech’s nail room is chic, girly and oh-so Instagrammable. White and pink are its key tones, and in between the ceiling beams are white roses, matched by a vase of roses on a French-style dresser, which houses Stephanie’s nail glitters and more. The nail desk is immaculately presented, with two white Chicybee frames housing OPI lacquers and Lecenté glitters, while a shelf underneath boasts Stephanie’s collection of gel polish shades from The Gel Bottle.
As I sat for a nail treatment (‘Princess’ pink gel polish by The Gel Bottle with the addition of silver sparkles and stars), Stephanie revealed how calm and comfortable she feels within the space, and that her clients are a mix of glamorous mature ladies, to mums and 20-somethings eager for nail art.
My chair at the nail desk and the pedi chair is, in keeping with the style, a blush pink – oozing comfort and style. The pedicure bowl is set up on a pink towel with roses in the water, ready for the next client. It truly is a calm space; a beautiful environment in which to work and the happiness radiates from Stephanie, who is enjoying her new client base and regular space.
The quirky ‘London-style’ touches are still ever-present, however, with fun ‘OMG who did your nails?’ on cards on the side – ready for clients to give to those that ask and be rewarded with a recommend-a-friend discount in return, and pops of Stephanie’s nail art creations ready as inspiration.
