“What’s On Your Nails?” with Amber from Beauty Blogging Junkie

What’s On Your Nails? is a series focusing on my fellow beauty bloggers and industry insiders, their favorite nail polish and other hot nail topics. If it wasn’t for the subject of this week’s What’s On Your Nails?, words like totes, hilar, cra and perf would have never entered my vernacular. In fact, when I bring up her name the boyfriend refers to her as, “the Amber that’s so hilar it’s ridic.” That’s right kids, I’m referring to the one and only Amber Katz of Beauty Blogging Junkie. Amber cracks me up like no one else. Her quick wit and skill for turning out a magazine ready beauty quote makes her one of my favorite beauty bloggers to see backstage at fashion shows. When we met at a dinner last February I immediately noticed her beyond fabulous blonde mane and we clicked over our shared hair passion. I could talk hair with her for hours. It’s the way Amber mixes her love of all things 80s, Lost and most importantly beauty into Beauty Blogging Junkie that makes it one of my daily must reads. If you aren’t already hooked, you soon will be. Read on to see what shade she scours ebay to keep in her stash, what top coat she thinks is “THE BEST” and the nail faux pas that we both agree needs to go AWAY!

Introduce yourself to the ALU readers. Tell us a little about your blog. I write Beauty Blogging Junkie, a pop culture-infused beauty blog that covers a broad range of beauty topics from hair to makeup to bath and body. And obv, nails as well. By day, I’m a copy editor in an asset management firm’s internal advertising department.

What is your favorite nail polish?
All time favorite nail polish EVER in the world where we live as people is Essie’s Red Hot Mama from their 2004 Some Like It Hot collection. I rebuy and rebuy it on Ebay. It’s a vibrant medium blue-based pinky-red cream shade.

What is on your tips and toes right now?
NARS Chinatown is on my tips. I LOVE this color, but think it’s somewhat counterintuitively named as it’s not red, but a deep vampy maroon. NARS Dovima, a rich tomato red, is on my toes. I’m having a NARS moment, clearly.

Do you consider nail polish a beauty necessity or accessory? Why?
Doll, you and I both know it’s a necessity. I will always maintain that unless your locks, lips, and tips are glossy, you look a hot mess. End of story. The glossier/better condition of each of those things, the better you will feel. I think my toes have gone unpolished for maybe 24 hours throughout the entire tenure of my lifestyle. And by “entire lifestyle,” I mean, since I was about 12.

How many bottles of nail polish do you own?
Upwards of 50. And counting. I’m always game for a new Mad Men-esque red, sheer pink, or deep navy blue.

How often do you change your nail polish?
I give myself a mani about once a week. I’ll get my nails professionally done once a month or so. I get pedis every 2 to 4 weeks, depending on the season. I usually have my toes professionally done (there’s a salon that does $10 pedis two blocks from my apartment. I KNOW! Just one reason I love NYC).

Do you have a favorite nail treatment you think my readers should know about? Why is it so fab?
I think Orly Won’t Chip is THE BEST top coat. It makes my nails supes glossy. I can practically see my reflection in them after a swipe with the stuff.

What do you think will be the big nail trend for spring?
I think it’ll be short, opaque white nails, which I’m into. I was very into it the first go-round in the late ’90s. It’s very mod!

What nail trend do you wish would go away?
I never liked shimmery nail polish. I can appreciate shimmer in most other capacities, but I really like my nail polish opaque (with the exception of sheer pinks like Essie Mademoiselle and Limo-scene), cream, and glossy.

What is the biggest nail faux pas that women make?
French pedicures. I loathe them with the intensity of a thousand suns. To me, they’re just… vulgar. Guess what, people? The whites of your toenails should NEVER show. If they do, you need to CUT that shiz. Why on Earth would you want to simulate that?

THANK YOU Amber! Please, please listen to her and stop with the french pedis. For more great beauty insight, Lost episode recaps and fun theme weeks like 80s Ladies and Big Love Product Polygamy, check out Beauty Blogging Junkie.