Jin Soon Choi is the owner of the hottest manicure bars in New York, and as it happens, one of the nicest people to boot.
Choi is currently in Sydney, having just emerged from the frenetic New York Fashion Week shows where she created signature nail looks for Michael Kors, Marc Jacobs, Phillip Lim, Prabal Gurung, Tommy Hilfiger and Derek Lam. She also created a new take on the 'accent' nail at the Tibi show, painting the pointer finger of the models a different colour to the rest. She's highly sought after for magazine editorial work, and just opened the latest of her zen, stream-lined nail salons in New York's Tribeca area.
![Jin Soon Choi working her magic backstage in New York .](/web/20170306054231im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/u/l/0/8/u/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.gul01e.png/1487985726109.jpg)
Choi, who began her working life in New York in 1989 when she arrived from Korea with not much English and a drive for "survival" also has her own ranges of nail polish.
For Choi's first nail polish collection she enlisted the help of the supermodel contingent, including Karlie Kloss and Coco Rocha, to name the six polishes in the range. Her polishes are free from formaldehyde, toluene, DBP and camphor, as well as being high-gloss, highly-pigmented and chip-free. Her latest nail concoctions are especially exciting, the feature a powdery effect that you 'dip' your nails into that. But we will have to wait for the end of the year for those. She did, however, pain one of her signature "accent nails" on my thumb and pinkie, so I am officially ahead of the trend.
Choi's latest collection takes inspiration from the graffiti artist Chris Riggs, and embraces the "love, peace and hope" that features in his work. She has even developed a set of stick-on nails with his graffiti motif.
Our picks from Choi's current collection are Kookie White, Beau and Doux. You can find them at Mecca Cosmetica's Trove.
The nail tips Jin Soon Choi swears by
· "It's all about moisturising, just like your face." Keep nails constantly topped up with cuticle oil containing vitamin E. She likens nails to "wood that needs constant replenishing".
· Always keep hand cream close by. Choi says, "You must make it a habit to apply hand cream daily."
· Apply a topcoat every second day to keep polish looking shiny. "Top coat creates magic." The JINsoon Top Gloss Quick Dry Top Coat is her best seller to date.
· Jin loves 'squoval' nails [a combo of square and oval] "so people's own natural nail shape. Short to medium length is good."