This week’s #BeautyBoss is Naomi Gonzalez-Longstaff, Founder of NAOMI Nail Lacquer—an organic, vegan-friendly line of bespoke nail polishes that have been custom-blended to create beautiful sheer and nude nail colors to match different skin tones.

A native New Yorker, Gonzalez-Longstaff spent more than a decade as a leading celebrity and editorial nail artist, and beauty manicurist, working across the United States and United Kingdom on major campaigns with brands such as CND, Essie, and Zoya. She has led nail teams backstage at multiple Fashion Weeks, and worked with the likes of Shakira for the Super Bowl, Serena Williams, Marchesa, and Ralph Lauren.

Gonzalez-Longstaff was inspired to launch her own line of inclusive nude polishes after struggling with finding the right shades while working on set with models on the runway and at photo shoots. Her daughter, Jacqueline Marie, was also a source of inspiration for the line, and they spent time together in the lab testing and blend pigments to create the perfect colors for the line.

We chatted with Gonzalez-Longstaff, who shared the inspiration behind her successful brand, favorite beauty and wellness tips, secrets to success, and more. 

When was NAOMI Nail Lacquer founded? What does the name mean?

The idea of NAOMI polish came in 2009 when I was looking for my first salon. I began to write down some names of polishes with my daughter Jacqueline. The name of the brand represents my career in nails, beauty, and fashion. 

What inspired the creation of the brand?

The brand was inspired by my years of working on set and backstage during New York, Miami, and London Fashion Weeks, and working on commercial and editorial campaigns with celebrity clients where I found myself mixing and blending pigments to color match skin tones, especially those of women of diverse backgrounds. There was never a good or perfect nude color tone to match my Latina, black, reddish, and pink skin tones.

What sets NAOMI Nail Lacquer apart from other nail polish lines?

It’s the perfect nude color for every skin tone! I know color theory, I know pigments, and I know how each can complement hues of warm to cool skin tones. My 12 years of working in beauty and fashion taught me the importance of color matching to create a beautiful manicure—hence developing a technology for a Perfect Nude color match, which is true from bottle to fingertips. You can apply one coat for a sheer nude or a second for more opaque nail look.

We only have two true opaque colors in the collection, which are Rose Marie and Bliss. This was done purposely to create a range of coverage. Each color has been curated by me for today’s modern mani! Women love nude nail polish, but it’s hard to find a great nude that fits all. Each color has also been inspired by the needs of our customers so they can recreate their very own runway nail looks at home.

We are an eco and vegan-friendly company. We produce in small batches compared to big brands. We do this to limit our carbon footprint on the environment, in addition to protect the integrity of our colors. It’s literally a farm-to-table company, except it’s from our lab to our consumers, so there is limited storage time for shipping out. Consumers get fresh colors every time.

Where are your products sold?

As of now, we are an exclusive e-commerce brand. We sell directly to consumers on our website. We would like to partner with indie beauty shops and have some shelf space. But with the recent state of affairs concerning COVID-19, online purchases are our main focus. 

Do you have a hero product? What’s your most popular nail polish color?

We have two colors, one is Sand and Skin—this is the most beautiful beachy, sandy, peachy color developed especially for dark to tan skin tones. It’s a gorgeous hue with a graceful coverage on nails. It literally leaves nails with a beachy glow. It’s magnificent!

My second hero color is Young Love—it’s a flirty take on a classic pink. Its semi-sheer, rosy pink tone is perfect for every skin tone and every age. It makes your nails look cheeky and fun! 

What are your favorite products from the brand?

My favorite color is Rose Marie. It’s very special because it’s the first opaque color in our collection. This color was inspired by my daughter, Jacqueline Marie. We went to the lab together to test and blend pigments, and it was such a bonding moment. This color is an elegant homage to the combination of cream and rose. It’s perfect for the stay-at-home mom or for the girl boss conquering the world. It’s strong, bold, and yet graceful—like my daughter.

Future plans for the brand?

We launched our Sweet Almond Cuticle Oil this summer, since the need for continued nail hydration is a must. I can see new colors inspired by things we all like to indulge in such as ginger, cotton candy, and chamomile tea. We are also testing lip gloss to launch to market and eco-friendly nail files. We are keeping busy! 

What inspires you?

My biggest inspiration is my daughter. I was a single mom when I began my company and it was a struggle balancing motherhood, budgets, and homework—the struggle was real! We were a team, from the journey of having the first vegan-friendly organic nail bar in Sanford, Florida to doing the NFL Pepsi half-time show campaign for Shakira and Jennifer Lopez, this journey has been both extraordinary and worth all the sacrifice to show my daughter that all things are possible. She’s a professional dancer who will be part of the dance cast of In The Heights by Lin Manuel Miranda and performed at her first NYFW for Nike! 

Secret to success?

To never, ever give up. Even in moments of darkness, don’t give up! Innovate, recreate, take a break—but never give up. And have a lot of faith and confidence in yourself. You have to be your own cheerleader. You’re the one with the vision, the one with clear goal of what you want, so believing in yourself is also key. 

Beauty secrets?

One of my faves is applying used teabags to my eyes and cleansing my skin with witch hazel like my abuela (grandma) taught me. I also love to go to the beach and exfoliate my skin with the sand—it’s great on feet! Don’t forget to moisturize in the evening with a touch of rose hip and coconut oil, which I love.

My skin is loving AveSeena Essential Radiance Serum and the Honeyactive Beauty Mask. I love these products for so many reasons. They refrain from testing on animals, they’re also advanced natural beauty products, and each product is free from parabens, alcohol, petrochemicals, artificial fragrances, as well as anything that can potentially upset sensitive skin.  

Collagen has also been wonderful. I use a collagen powder and add it to my coffee or water. Collagen has improved my skin elasticity and increased its hydration. 

Wellness tips?

Drinking water is so important and keep moving! I love to dance—I love it so much that in January 2019 I became a Zumba instructor. It’s such a fun way to balance fitness and dancing. 

Best advice?

Some of the best advice that was given to me was, “Be wary of people that keep your world small.” If you take this principle and apply it to everything, not just relationships, it’s a great perspective on living a successful and abundant life. The world is so big, dreams can be as big as you want, hence keep yourself in the space where nothing is too big to be accomplished. Limit negative space thinking and the world is yours! 

How do you like to relax?

I love to enjoy nature and be outdoors. I love the beach—I love the smell of the beach, the sound of the waves, the seagulls singing, and the sun on my skin. When I’m back home in Florida I’m at the beach every day. When I’m in England, I love to work in my garden and take long walks along the English countryside and the lovely canal. I love seeing the sheep and cows during my walks or the swans in the canals. I feel that nature helps me connect with myself and rejuvenate my thoughts. It makes me more creative and inspired as well.

For more information, visit naomipolish.com and follow on Instagram: @naomilacquer @nailingwithnaomi

[Images courtesy of NAOMI Nail Lacquer]

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