Black-Owned Nail Press-Ons, Polish & Products To Use While Quarantined
This quarantine made me realize I've definitely been taking my salon trips for granted. Don't get me wrong, not getting my nails done isn't the worst thing in the world, but I definitely miss that fresh set feeling. Recently, we dropped an article on this site called "10 Press-On Nail Inspo To Get You Through Quarantine"; and now we're giving you the tea on who, what, and where to get the things you need to get your nails on track. And you already know, this list is going to be blackity-black-black!
Before I get into the list though, I have to say, I love the variety of black-owned businesses to shop. I mean to go from growing up without many black businesses to variety, our ancestors would be proud. While it's necessary to have businesses for us and by us, it's just as important to support them.
From press-on nails to nail growth products, here are some black-owned nail brands to use while in quarantine.
Nail Supplies & Wraps
bVAIN Nail Supply
First of all, you had me at the name. Vanity usually has some negative perception but this business wants to encourage you to take pride in your looks, especially your nails. bVAIN offers everything you need to enhance your nails like: charms, decorations, crystals, and more.
Power Nail Decals
If you're wondering what the heck is a nail decal, it's pretty much a sticker or gem that is applied to a portion of your nail. Power Nail Decals offer a variety of high-quality but affordable nail decals that highlight black culture one handshake at a time.
Press-Ons
ETN (EthereallyTouchedNails)™️
Ethereally Touched Nails is a luxury nail company based in the UK. Ethereally offers trendy and custom nail designs, from animal prints to ombre styles.
Complimenté Nails
Complimenté Nails offer a variety of vibrant gel color press-ons. Get into the spring/summer season with light and bright colors like this "Madame" red.
Precious Kreation
Precious Kreation creates a variety of custom nail options for your birthday, prom, etc. This LA-based nail company offers one-of-a-kind designs for every moment in your life.
Léluxx
If long nails are your thing, then I definitely recommend that you check out Leluxx Beauty. Their press-ons give you long chic but classy vibes. They offer long-length coffin, stiletto, and almond shaped nails in almost every design you can imagine.
Sassy Nails Studio
Sassy Nails are nothing short of its name. It's far from basic, this is for the girls who like to add sassiness to their nail design. Sassy Nails offers high quality custom multi-design press-ons, plus the option to make your own.
Glam NailZ
Glam NailZ offers a variety of affordable glam-worthy press-ons and accessories for those who like both an edgy and natural look.
Nail Polish
Law Beauty Essentials
LAW Beauty Essentials is a luxury nail polish line that's innovative and eco-friendly. Their pigments are high shine, chip-resistant and 13-free and cruelty-free, meaning no animal testing or harsh chemicals.
LaPierre Cosmetics
LaPierre is a luxury nail polish brand that embodies elegance and class. Their polishes are free of harmful ingredients so you don't have to put your health over beauty.
Rooted Woman
Rooted Woman bridges nail care and self-care together. It's a non-toxic, ethical nail brand that offers treatments to promote radical self-care for women.
POLISHED BY PRETTI
Polished by Pretti offers acrylic nail powders in a variety of colors, nail cuticle oil, and press-on nails. Polished by Pretti gives a very girly and trendy look for your nails.
Triple O Nail Polish
Triple O Nail Polish is dedicated to inclusivity. They provide imagery, nail lacquers and gel polishes for underrepresented skin tones so no color is off limits. Their mission is to inspire people to explore beauty that is relatable.
Breukelen Polished
Breukelen is a luxury vegan nail polish brand straight out of Brooklyn. They cater to the health conscious who isn't afraid to own their dopeness.
Kaeess Nail Polish
Kaeess Nail Polish empowers everyone to break boundaries through color and self-expression. This brand was created to be diverse and empower those who are boxed in and want an outlet to express themselves through subtle yet bold color art.
People of Color™ Beauty
People of Color Beauty offers quality and vegan-friendly nail polish that represent everyone who lives in and loves color. One of their main missions is to represent People of Color and the various shades of brown skin when curating our nail polish collections.
Pear Nova
Pear Nova is the perfect mix of function and fancy and is committed to celebrating the strength and beauty of women everywhere. Pear Nova is cruelty-free, vegan-friendly and 5-free, which means — no harmful ingredients.
Mischo Beauty
Mischo Beauty nail lacquers are vegan-friendly, cruelty-free, gluten-free, and free of artificial fragrances and ingredients. Mischo offers over 16 soft and very pigmented nail lacquers.
Nail Growth
Woo Me Beauty
Woo Me Beauty offers a nail growth nail serum made with all-natural ingredients like Olive Oil, Biotin Oil, garlic, and Vitamin E Oil. The nail serum claims to transform brittle and fragile nails that refuse to grow into strong healthy nails.
Nail Gel System
Pottle
The Pottle offers a variety of nail care systems for you to get the most out of your nail design like the Ebony and Ivory set. This set inspires more DIY projects and allows you to create your own colors and creations. They also offer healthy gel nail alternatives.
Featured image via LaPierre Cosmetics/Instagram
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Freelance writer, content creator, and traveler. She enjoys the beauty of simplicity, a peaceful life, and a big curly fro. Connect with Krissy on social media @iamkrissylewis or check out her blog at www.krissylewis.com.
'Love Island USA' Star JaNa Craig On The Reality Of Black Women On Dating Shows
Love Island USA just wrapped up its sixth season, and it has been the talk of the town. According to Nielsen, it's the No. 1 show on streaming, proving it's just as entertaining as the UK version. One of the reasons this season has been successful is due to the authentic relationships formed between the islanders in the villa.
You have the sisterhood between Serena Page, JaNa Craig, and Leah Kateb, aka PPG, and the real relationship moments between couples like Serena Page and Kordell Beckham, who were named the winners of this season. The other finalists include Leah Kateb and Miguel Harichi, Nicole Jacky and Kendall Washington, and JaNa Craig and Kenny Rodriguez.
While JaNa made it to the finale with her boo Kenny, her journey in the villa was far from perfect. Viewers saw the Las Vegas native get her heart stomped on a few times after many of her connections didn't work out.
At one point, it even looked like she was getting kicked off the island. While she had a lot of support from people watching the show, it was clear that she was in a position that many Black women on reality dating shows find themselves in: not being desired.
It has been an ongoing conversation among Black women watching reality dating shows as we see time and time again that non-Black women or racially ambiguous-looking women are often chosen over Black women, especially dark-skinned women. In a discussion with Shadow and Act, JaNa opened up about the support she received from viewers.
@cineaxries i love them 🤧 #janacraig #janaandkenny #loveislandusa #foryou #peacock #loveisland #janaloveisland #xybca #kennyloveisland #janaedit #loveislandedit #janaedits #loveislandusaedit #viral #loveislandusaseason6 #foryoupage #peacocktv
"You know what’s so crazy? I’m so grateful, because when I got my phone, the way they’re making us The Princess and The Frog…I felt honored. I will be that beautiful chocolate queen if I need to be. And the comments like 'beautiful chocolate girl,' I’m like, all Black women are beautiful. There’s the whole light skin versus dark skin, which breaks my heart. I just really don’t understand that, but I will take pride and represent us well," she said.
She also candidly discussed her experience as a dark-skinned Black woman on the show. JaNa and Serena had been in the villa since the first episode, and they were the only dark-skinned Black women there. As new men aka bombshells came into the villa, they found themselves not being wanted by many of them.
"Me and Serena literally had a heart-to-heart before Kenny came in and she’s like, I just don’t think it’s fair that the Black girls don’t get enough fair chance.' Every islander that came in, we were not their top pick. And we just [thought], maybe because we’re Black girls, and the dark-skinned Black girls. It sucked," she said.
"I’m like, 'Serena, we know what we bring to the table. We’re great personalities. A guy’s going to come in for us.' That’s when we manifested what we wanted, and that’s when I manifested Kenny."
@ashleyvera__ We love to see it 🥰 #loveislandusa #loveisland #loveisland2024 #janaandkenny #loveislandseason6 #peacock #realitytv #fypage
After many failed connections, Kenny came in and immediately turned JaNa's experience around. America watched the model get the care and attention that she deserved.
"I’m not going to hold you. When I was in the bottom for a quick second, I’m like, ‘There’s no way America doesn’t [ride for us]. I know Black America had to ride for me, but maybe because I’m a dark-skinned … hmm … maybe … you feel me? And you saw the Casa Amor lineup. Beautiful, beautiful light-skinned [women]," she said.
"We looked at each other like, 'Damn, Love Island did their big one with this. And every single Casa Amor girl was like, 'You girls are gorgeous, you guys are stunning.' They expressed love. You guys are beautiful and it felt good."
Although she and Kenny came in third place, JaNa is happy that she got her man in the end. "I think the thing I’m most grateful about is the fact that this is a beautiful love story like you guys complement each other and there’s no hate toward the skin color. It’s all love and support. I love that more than anything," she said.
"That’s why I was like, 'I won,' even though I didn’t win. And the fact that Serena won, we were like, 'Yeah, run that.' Either way, we won. And I love the support from all communities."
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According to Mrs. Savannah James, she would like to be addressed as “wife” — other monikers simply won’t do.
In a recent episode of the Everybody’s Crazy podcast, James and co-host April McDaniel received a call from a listener caught in a love triangle between a man she was dating while entertaining a “sneaky link.”
The hosts went on to advise the call-in guest to pursue singleness as she sorts out her needs, which led to a discussion what the meanings of "sneaky link" and a "side chick," a topic their producer eventually clarified for them.
“A sneaky link is somebody that you know you sneaking with,” their producer decoded. “But your side chick the majority of the time your main girl knows about the side chick.”
Agasted by the definition, McDaniel went on to share her stance on ambiguous relationship statuses. “I don't even want to be the main chick,” she stated.
“I need to be the wife these days. I don't want to be the ‘wifey.’ I don't want to be nothing. I want to be the wife.”
James went on to express her strong dislike for the term "wifey," sharing that she didn’t want to be called a wife until she officially made one by her now husband, NBA star, LeBron James. “When I tell you I hate, loathe ‘wifey’ with my whole entire soul,” said James. “I'm sorry, don't call me your wife and I'm not.”
“I had to politely tell my husband back in the day,” she says. “He used to introduce me, ‘This is my wife.’ I had to pull him to the side like, ‘Excuse me, sir, don't introduce me as that, please. I am not your wife, and I deserve that title when the time is right.’”
She continued, “I don't want you to start to think that it's okay for you to say this and then, you know, means don’t have to go the next step.”
As we age and new terms become popularized, it’s common to not fully know what titles and terms work best for the relationship and dynamic one might navigate. In McDaniel’s case, finding the right titles to introduce the new men who come into her life can be tricky.
“But that has been interesting, recently, when introducing certain individuals, at my age,” she explains. “‘Boyfriend’ sounds crazy, ‘my man’… mhmm… ‘my partner’ sounds like I’m a lesbian.” Conquous to what the best intro would be at the “big, grown stage” James offered “tiers.”
“I feel like it's tiers,” James said. “You have to start at the bottom and then come up.”
“One of these days we have to go live so we can ask people live like, what is the titles? Because I'm very intrigued by knowing what are the titles people go by and what feels ‘premium.’ Because I want the premium title,” McDaniel concluded.
While every relationship is different, placing the proper titles on who you're dating and where you see it going is key to formulating a bond that’s both secure and amicable. After all, it’s not what they call you, it’s what you answer to.
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Featured image by Araya Doheny/Getty Images for Baby2Baby