Christina Fitzgerald has lost count of how many manicures she’s done in her life. “I calculated it six years ago - it was about 60,000 treatments back then,” she says. “I’d hate to think what it is now.” When it comes to nails, this is one woman who knows her stuff.
After co-establishing popular Double Bay salon Smyth & Fitzgerald in the early 1990s, Fitzgerald went on to not only treat and paint the nails of some of the country’s chicest women and celebrities, she also trained many an up-and-coming manicurist. In fact, Fitzgerald’s trademark short-and-square nails - either triple-coated-opaque or fine-lined French - are on the specialty list at countless other salons these days.
Maybe it was the sign she needed to embark on a new challenge … four years ago, she immersed herself in the development of her own products - an eponymously named nail colour line that is selling extremely well both in Australia and beyond. “The salon gave me the best market research I could wish for,” says Fitzgerald. “I designed my colours specifically from the knowledge of what my customers wanted.”
Fitzgerald is currently working on the next phase of her brand - so watch this space. In the meantime, some of her words of wisdom:
The Best-sellers: “Most women want pale nails. The most consistently popular polish is Diana, a pale translucent pink … My white, Barney, is also becoming a classic. Women are starting to get it. It’s like a white shirt or t-shirt. When you’re unsure of what to wear, white will always be a fall-back and always look great.”
Her Top Tip: “It’s not easy for anyone to paint their own nails. That’s why I designed my own top coat. You just put a big blob of it on and do lots of little strokes and no matter how badly you have painted on the nail colour, the top coat will just blend it down and even it out.”
Biggest Mani Myth: “Filing in one direction - that’s such an old wives’ tale. The most important thing when it comes to filing is pressure. If you have a weak nail, you have to file the nail very gently. But if you have strong nails, you can file however you want.”
Nailcare No-no: “Cutting the cuticle. Never let anyone exfoliate away or cut your cuticle. This will only produce more cuticle. You want to simply treat and push the cuticle once a week. This will keep it neat and tidy and protect the matrix, which is where the nail grows from.”
Mani Must-Haves: “You need a barrier cream, such as lanolin, and an orange stick, for treating and pushing the cuticle area weekly. Also, rub lanolin into the area every night. Use a hand cream for day that absorbs well. You can buy a richer one for night, or you could try mixing it with a sorbolene for extra-hydration while you sleep. Apply it to your feet and knees and elbows as well as hands.”
Salon Sense: “Ask a salon how it cleans its equipment. Better still, take your own equipment along. And you should never sit down in front of a manicurist who isn’t wearing gloves. I’m also against those salon foot-spas, they can breed all sorts of nasties.”
Other Best Beauty Buys: “I’m a beauty junkie from way back. For skincare, I like everything from Dove to La Prairie to Elizabeth Arden’s green tea range. For makeup, the brand I seem to have the most of is Becca. For body care, I like any cream, as long as you can afford to slather it liberally over the body every day. And as for perfume, well I don’t think anyone likes to give that one away - but I will say I wear men’s scents more than women’s ones.” Pictured: Becca Creme Blush ($45, Adore Beauty).
For more information, see Christina Fitzgerald.
