Meet the CND™ icons: Nataliya Al-Ta’ai
By Helena Biggs | 24 January 2020 | Movers & Shakers, News
To celebrate 40 years of CND™ – and to honour the brand’s long-time fans, CND™ has brought back five of its most iconic shades, available for a limited time only.
The CND™ Iconic collection – featuring Company Red, Spike, Jiggy, Pointe Blanc and Satin Sheets available in Shellac only – celebrates classic style and sophistication, and is designed to ignite some cherished memories.
To celebrate this one-time launch, Sweet Squared, UK distributor of CND™, has unveiled a campaign in partnership with Scratch. It features Sweet Squared’s co-founders, Samantha & Samuel Sweet, on the front cover of the January 2020 edition, and photographs of industry professionals selected by Sweet Squared to present each colour. Here, we profile esteemed educator, Nataliya Al-Ta’ai…
MEET NATALIYA AL-TA’AI
Nataliya has been a CND™ education ambassador for eight years, and part of Global Team CND™ for five years. She is championed by the brand for being instrumental in equipping techs and fellow educators with the tools to succeed in the nail sector.
“CND™ has the needs of the nail professional at the forefront of its innovations and consistently delivers,” she reveals. “The brand has a love for education and a passion for innovation.”
Nataliya gets ready for the Iconic campaign photo shoot
The experienced educator developed the five-point polish method to deliver fast, flawless colour application – regardless of skill level. She credits this amongst her most iconic moments, alongside joining Global Team CND™.
When asked what makes a great educator, Nataliya reveals: “Educators must have an easy going, approachable personality while still being principled and professional. They must speak from the heart and remember – being an educator is about advancing your own skills as well as helping others to advance theirs.
“I know I’ve done a good job when my students achieve great results. I enjoy finding ways to make their goals a reality, and seeing their eyes light up when they achieve greatness is worth more than any money in the world.
“I have had so many great mentors throughout the years and I’m deeply thankful to them and honoured to have been their student.
“I’ve learnt that the saying, ‘you can’t teach an old dog new tricks’ is totally wrong! You absolutely can with the right approach. I learn something
from my students and colleagues every day. It may not be entirely nail- related but it’s still learning, and that’s so important!”
Nataliya wears CND™ shade Satin Sheets from the Iconic collection, available via Sweet Squared.
Read more about Nataliya’s journey and the story behind the shades in the January 2020 issue of Scratch magazine.
Campaign photography by Jon Shard.