Celebrity Nail Artists Collaborate on CARE Collection to Support Diversity and COVID Relief Efforts
Enigma by Jessica Washwick (@jessicawashwick)
11 celebrity manicurists have teamed up with ManiMe founders, Jooyeon Song and David Miro Llopis, for the CARE Collection—a unique collaboration of at-home gel mani kits that unite nail artists of all colors and distinct styles, and supports communities through alliances and solidarity.
Each kit includes a mani sheet with 15 stick-on gels, a nail file, and a prep pad (no UV needed). In addition, they are custom fit to your nails, free of toxins, and there is no dry time. The participating artists receive a portion of sales and 100% of ManiMe’s net proceeds will go towards COVID relief efforts for beauty professionals worldwide and the Movement for Black Lives to support the fight against violence and oppression.
“Strength, togetherness, and longevity are themes that we need with everything that's going on in the world,” says Kia Stewart, one of the participating nail artists. “For my design, I wanted to help people feel empowered, unique, beautiful, and vibrant. I am so appreciative of partnerships with brands like ManiMe. It's important for brands to provide outlets for creatives to create, especially for those who might not have been seen before."
ManiMe was founded in 2019 and became known for their custom-fit, 10-free gel nail adhesives made with proprietary 3D modeling and laser-cutting technology to create salon-quality manicures that were accessible, healthier, and easier to apply. The company hopes to optimize their platform as just one of the ways for nail artists of all colors to have a voice and a place where they share their artistic expression with the world.
Electric Prism by Cassandre Marie (@cassmariebeauty)
“The last couple of weeks have been eye opening for us at ManiMe,” adds Song. “We initially launched this collection with zero people of color and we didn’t even think about the lack of diversity. The current landscape has made us more mindful, and we are committed to doing better. There are a lot of voices within the black nail artist community—and we’ve learned that in many cases, these artists do not get equally paid for their work. We’ve also heard from artists—of all colors—that they have been significantly impacted by the pandemic. So it was really important for us to keep the structure of revenue sharing with these artists while donating 100% of brand proceeds to causes that matter.”
For more information and to purchase, visit manime.co and follow them on Instagram: @manime.co
[Images courtesy of ManiMe]
Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk