#NowTrending: Opulent opals by Ashlie Sellers
By Callie Iley | 03 January 2021 | Feature, Tech Talk
Scratch chats to Ashlie Sellers of Lacquer Love about her future plans and how she created this dreamy opal design.
I am a very new nail tech, having only been qualified since December 2019. I had previously attended art school and have a passion for the structure created with nails. I believe my past schooling has made me appreciate the tiny nail canvas that I can create on.
My signature style is abstract art. I love not knowing what will come of something when I start. The reveal at the end is what I’m most proud of! If you was to ask my clients, they’d tell you I’m usually dancing during the top coat.
I have so many favourite products I use by different companies daily, but I definitely have some staples. The Japanese gel brand Kokoist is what I use for my base, extensions and some art gel colours. Their product is so solid and a sure favourite of mine, and I hope to be an ambassador for them one day. I also rely on the amazing brand, Medusa Nails, for much of my work, as they have the best colours and they’re fantastic quality. Another favourite of mine is Luxa Polish! They have the best top coat ever, as well as some stunning colours.
To create these nails, I used a photo of an opal stone for inspiration! I took all the colours I saw in the stone (maroon, blue, pink and purple) and marbled them on the nail. Then I used layers of sheer white and chrome flakes to create dimension and build up the layers, to make it appear like a real stone. All products used were by Kokoist and the Nail Thoughts collection.
My career has been short but I have experienced so much in this short year. So far, the highlight of my career has been getting my own suite! I didn’t expect to be moving out on my own so soon, but I am proud to say I worked hard for it. When something is right things just fall into place effortlessly.
I am currently finishing up my instructors license. In the future, I have plans to get to travel and teach nails around the world. I hope to one day open a school and a salon of my own one day, because education is so important to me. I also hope to have a gel collection of my own. Along with my cuticle oil, my own brand would be the ultimate dream for my future.
Follow Ashlie’s nail journey on Instagram, here.