Whether you see it on Pinterest, you're following your faves on Instagram, seeing your favorites on the red carpet and of course when you're at the nail salon selecting your favorite hues - the power of the nail is everywhere! From innovative shapes, techniques, nail art and more! We had to sit down and talk with Celebrity Manicurist, Sarah Bland who is also an ambassador of Smith & Cult to get the scoop on what we need to know about what's going on in nails.

ATHLEISURE MAG: What took place in your career that allowed you to include nail art within your portfolio?

SARAH BLAND: I think that most music videos that I have worked on and red carpet manicures that I have done require nail art to make it different from all the other celebrities.

AM: Who are some of your celeb clients that you have done nail art on?

SB: LaLa Anthony, Kelly Rowland, Jessica Alba, Paris Hilton, Zooey Deschanel and a bunch more that I’m not allowed to mention ;-).

AM: Can you share events that your nails have been a part of from Awards Season, NYFW shows and more?

SB: I tend to work on celebrities for different things like lifestyle manicures, red carpet, TV shows, concerts, and press/editorial.

AM: How did you become a nail artist and what inspires you in your work?

SB: I started painting nails when I was five years old, I’ve always had a passion for nails and nail art. I started doing nail art in fourth grade. A lot of natural landscapes and architecture inspire my nail art.

AM: What are your must haves in your nail kit and what do you suggest that we should have at home when we're in between our salon appointments just in case we have to do a touchup?

SB: A few must haves in my nail kit are rhinestones and glitter. I also never forget to have Smith & Cult Nailed Lacquer in 1972 because it is a client favorite. In between appointments to keep your manicure looking fresh, I suggest adding a topcoat 1 to 2 days after you get your manicure to avoid chips and keep it shiny.

AM: We know that you are a Smith & Cult Nail Ambassador, what does this entail and what are your roles/responsibilities there?

SB: As the brand ambassador, I create all of the nail art designs that are seasonal, I travel around the world educating salons and nail artists on nail art and about the product. I also do special events for the brand.

AM: We’re in the thick of wedding season - what 3 nail art designs would you suggest that are perfect for weddings? We’d love to know about looks that play with negative space, nail art for those that are not afraid to be bold as well as for someone who is new to including this within their look and wants to dip a toe in?

SB: I would suggest doing a very neutral hombre French manicure with negative space in the background, I also think very dainty geometric designs look great with neutral colors. For a bride that likes something very blingy, I would suggest adding glitter and/or rhinestones.

AM: In terms of nail care - how can you ensure that you are protecting your nails ESPECIALLY those that are frequent users of gel as we get many questions on the type of gels that should be used as well as how often can one do gels before they need to take a gel break?

SB: Unfortunately, it's impossible to ensure you’re protecting your nails these days because there are a lot of dangerous products out there that uneducated professionals use. Especially when it comes to artificial nails. The biggest piece of advice I can give is to stay away from drilling your natural nails. A lot of salons will even drill the soft gels to remove them which is extremely damaging to your nails and the laziest way of taking them off. I also suggest staying away from hard gel if you want to protect your natural nails. They are only removable with a drill which is very damaging. I tell my clients to take a break from gel every few months and to use Smith & Cult as the in between polish. In my personal experience and my clients’, I’ve seen drastic improvements of the health of my nails since I’ve been wearing Smith & Cult. It literally dries so quickly and lasts over a week without chipping! It is also 8 free so it’s almost like you’re repairing your nails without the nasty chemicals.

AM: Since you're based in LA, where would we find you this summer from grabbing cocktails and dinner with friends, shopping and do you have a fitness studio you like to go into?

SB: Rumble is my new favorite spot after I discovered it for the first time in NYC. Grabbing cocktails & dinner is super fun at Zinc or Gracias Madre on Melrose. Rooftop at the Nomad Hotel in Downtown LA is amazing for a fancy night out of summer cocktails. Shopping is a must downtown at the ROW. It’s a new historical development that has one-off unique shops. LA is always fun in the summer!

PHOTO COURTESY | via Sarah Bland's Instagram

IG @SarahBland