Nice nails cheer you up: It’s official!

Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, creative director of OPI

A while ago we met Suzi Weiss-Fischmann, a woman who has picked herself one of the best jobs in the world, that of creative director and vice president of her own company, OPI nails. She is based in Los Angeles and spends her whole day looking at nail colours, inventing new ones and giving them all whacky names (I’m Not Really A Waitress is my all time fav). If you are ever bored and need a distraction, check out the website, it’s a masterclass in engaging web design.

Anyway, curious to understand why nails are having such a beauty moment currently, we asked Suzi to explain our enthusiastic madness with nail bars/design/fakes and gel nails, “We are living in an exciting time for nails” Suzi confirmed, “it’s because nail treatments are age-less and not too expensive so can still be afforded in the current economic climate. Also unlike a new lipstick or eye colour I can see my nails all day, so I can really enjoy a new colour, it’s instant gratification for me’.

Indeed Suzi reminded us that Time magazine recently revised its Lipstick index (the world shopping barometer has traditionally looked at the purchase of lipsticks as what women buy as an affordable treat even in times of crisis) to the Nail Polish Index, nails have overtaken lipstick as our essential’ can’t do without’ treat. She insists women of all ages should be much wilder with our colour choices in order to keep our spirits up, why not wear Suzi Loves Cowboys or Houston we Have a Purple  purely for the fun of saying the colour names out loud, if nothing else.

Suzi Weiss-Fischmann's nails Every Month Is Oktoberfest, from OPI Aw12

Big in Germany, Hasselhoff red is Danke Shiny Red

But there’s a more meaningful side to having nice nails to look at, which I was reminded of when I had one of the best manicures of my life from Lee Moore, specialist nail tech with OPI. While picking colours from the Autumn 12 Germany range -Hasselhoff red anyone? (actually I made that name up, it’ actually called Danke Shiny Red) we talked about how both our mums, when suffering the miserable-ness of cancer, were cheered no end by having their nails painted. My sister on every visit to my bed ridden mum would raise her spirits by giving her a manicure and Lee did the same with her mum. “When I took my mum for her chemo” she said’ I’d take my nail polishes with me (her mum’s favourite was Passion) and I’d do everybody’s nails, because it’s one of the few treatments that makes you feel feminine, glamourous and still like a woman when you are losing your hair”.

Master OPI nail tech Lee Moore, my new fav beauty person

The Guardian journalist Deborah Orr recently wrote on what NOT to say and do to people suffering from cancer, well we hope she might approve of us suggesting you should go and paint their nails, Lee said there is even some research to prove that painting nails a very dark colour might even save the nail from falling off during some of the nastier treatments.

from left, Deutsche You Want Me Baby, Don't Talk Bach To Me, Danke Shiny Red, all from OPI autumn 2012

So if you want to brighten your’s or anybody else’s day, I suggest you get painting, I am currently in love with the metallic orange Deutsche You Want Me Baby and the greeny-yellow Dont’ Talk Bach To Me, Lee painted the orange on four of my nails and then used the yellow on my ring fingers…very arty. Stupidly, I forgot to take a picture of them, but here’s Lee’s nails from the day, painted front and back! OPI have a stand in the new John Lewis beauty hall too so you can pop along there if you are close, any excuse to go back!

Lee's nails painted on the back