Opening the Nail Files...

This past friday, I had the absolute pleasure of meeting the vivacious star of the new TV Guide Channel series 'Nail Files', Katie Cazorla!  She was here in Las Vegas with her mobile manicure truck, which was spreading nail polished tips across the nation! I have to say, she is a total doll. She is every bit as silly and bubbly as she comes across on the show, she's hilarious, fabulous, and as I described her, a total firecracker. Below you'll get to read our conversation, and see a little bit of what she's like!

In honor of meeting Ms. Nail Files herself, I knew I HAD to do special nail art for the occasion. I wish I had her reaction, because it was awesome. It completely made my day to see how stoked she was about the manicure (especially the Katie nail!!). :) I love it!

One sad thing about this manicure is that, while at work that night, I fell and broke THREE nails on my left hand (including the Katie nail!!) :( I was SO bummed, but glad that Katie got to see it before it was ruined.

Watch Katie and her crew Tuesday nights at 10/9c on the TV Guide channel! Check your local listings, or set your DVR! You won't want to miss it! (especially Episodes 3 & 5 according to Katie!)





TDN: You’re from a small town in New York, what made you move to the West Coast?

KC: Ok, so I love that question actually. I went to college for a couple years and found out that it wasn’t really my thing, and throughout college I was telling jokes at little bars, and always making my friends laugh and an agent saw me and was like “You’re funny, you should be a comic.” So she took me to LA, I ended up having a blast, and stayed. Um, unfortunately, I had no place to live, so I was kind of like one of those people that live out of my car for a couple of months until I found a place, and I was doing stand-up comedy for almost 10 years. After the 10th year, I was like ‘This is ridiculous, I need to get a life, I’m almost 30, I am gonna be eating Top Ramen until I’m 50 years old, so I had this crazy premonition and dream about my business and I drew it out and decided to really go for it.

Free mini-manicures on the Nail Files truck!

TDN: I also am from the other side of the country, from Michigan, and made the move to the west. Did you know anybody?

KC: No, I actually did not know anybody at all.

TDN: Was it terrifying for you?

KC: You know, not really, because i was 20, and I think I was kind of stupid, and thought it was going to be so much easier than it really was. So I was kind of, I guess I would like to say naive to the way LA works, and how you think you’re just going to go out there and make it, because it’s not like that. You don’t just move out there, I mean, one in a gazillion chance of that ever happening, and less of a chance for someone to move out there like ‘I’m going to get my own show, and I’m a nobody’, but it’s kind of like that’s what happened.

TDN: I have to comment on Jessica, I have no idea how you didn’t punch her.

KC: Oh my God, everyone is saying that , I think its just that Jessica is nice. The problem is is Jessica did everything wrong from what I really wanted, and I had to pay for all of that stuff. So, unfortunately, I wasn’t happy, and it was probably pretty apparent by my crying. But everyone is just like “God, she’s such a crybaby,” but that cost me $2,000, it’s so expensive, and they didn’t show all the other other stuff, the big banners and signage, and to have the main displays messed up was really a problem for me. So, you know, it ended up being kind of a problem, and unfortunately, we probably aren’t friends anymore after that episode.

TDN: Was she really laughing inappropriately when you were in a state of duress?

KC: Yes, she really was laughing like that. I think it was more of a nervous laughter, but it just didn’t come off that way, and I feel bad that she came out like that, but it is what it is, what can you do?


TDN: So, one of my downfalls, I’ll admit it every time, I love to do the nail art stuff, but I suck at nail care. What is one of your best nail care tips?

KC: Really? Ok, well here. Number one, I think you should ALWAYS use cuticle oil. You have to, because here’s the thing, even if you don’t get your cuticles nipped all the time, which, I don’t nip my own, I don’t get them nipped. I think that actually leads on my personal body to more cuticle growth than what I want, so I just kind of push them back and buff off the extra, and if there is obviously like a hangnail or something, I’ll nip that off. But cuticle oil is my best friend, I use it everywhere, hands, elbows, little dry spots, whatever. I absolutely love it.

You know what I just discovered? This product called ‘Get Fresh’ based out of Santa Monica. Oh my God, their lemongrass foot products... I want to eat. They sent me their lemongrass pedicure kit, so now we do the lemongrass pedicure in my store. Amazing, and they have a heel balm, and all these fun products you can use to do upkeep at home.

TDN: What are your thoughts on nail art? (this was a question I had planned to ask, but it got answered in the middle of a conversation about my blog...after I mentioned the huge response from Brazilian women, and their love of all nail art in general)

KC: I love nail art, and people who don’t like nail art are just not my friend. They can’t be, it’s not fair.

The contents of my goodie bag! :) Click to enlarge!

TDN: Because it’s fun! Yes, it can go into the tacky range, but it’s mostly fun. 

KC: Oh, ok, here’s where it gets tacky. When somebody’s nail is really long and it curves like a corn chip nail tip and it’s got someone’s name on it, and it’s pierced with a charm. (we both said the last part at the very same time) You get me...we speak the same nail language.

You know what’s really annoying, is when people say, “Oh, you’re not a real nail tech because you didn’t graduate from nail school” and I’m like, But I went to nail school, I just didn’t graduate because I found my salon in time and it was like ‘Oh my God, I have to get this before somebody else does.’ and I’m sorry , I want this space, it’s my dream space.” Plain and simple.

TDN: Right, when opportunity knocks, you can’t let anything stand in your way. You can always finish nail school, but that space might not be there tomorrow.

KC: I can always finish when I want, because I have hours that don’t expire. I think I have two hundred and some hours. Gosh, that’s a lot. I only need like 180 more hours or 200. I have finished almost half, but it’s 3 1/2 months, it’s a commitment, every single day, all day long.

TDN: But you’re one of those people that don’t go to college and still become insanely successful.

KC: Jet Blue guy, didn’t he drop out of college? (I looked it up...yes, he did, from University of Utah after 3 years). The Microsoft guy (Bill Gates), he dropped out of Harvard. Hello, one of the richest men in the world. (my words: bazillionaire!!) You know what, so eff you college, I don’t need you. I don’t need you today, or any other day!

TDN: Your nail pet peeve. We’ve already discussed corn chip nails, but do you have any other ones?

KC: Oh my God. You know what else I don’t like? Long, French manicured toes.

TDN: I read your interview with Michelle of All Lacquered Up, and actually cheered when I saw that.

KC: She said the same thing. It’s so gross!

TDN: It’s the worst. You see it a lot here in Las Vegas, it’s everywhere.

KC: It’s because there are so many strippers, and they love French manicured toes. Not that there is anything wrong with that, it’s just not the look I’m going for. (me: It just doesn’t look classy) I don’t think I’ve ever seen a classy stripper, but if I did, she wouldn’t have French manicured toes.

TDN: So on your first episode, Debbie Gibson came in, and you said that you have to treat celebrities like everybody else, even when on the inside you’re really squealing.

KC: I know, I totally wanted to sing Electric Youth. It was hard for me because I was like ‘Oh my God, Debbie Gibson is in here,’ and I was totally like a mall rat crazy person fan of hers and I needed to hold it together and be a normal person. She looked ridiculously amazing. She’s the type of woman that could grocery shop in a thong, and it’d probably be ok. She’s awesome.

Katie's funny hand sanitizer. Click to enlarge.

TDN: On that note, if anybody were to walk through the doors of your store, and you would absolutely lose it and go all fan-girl, who would it be?

KC: I’d love to give Ryan Reynolds a manicure.

TDN: I’d love to give Ryan Reynolds more than a manicure! (Aaron, one of the promoters commented that I was a dirty bird...oops! :-D What can I say, he’s adorable, funny, and sarcastic...need I list more?)

KC: I know, he’s hilarious, and so cute. I love it. I think that would be my number one, he’s a doll. It has to be a guy...but if it were a woman, it’d have to be Barbra Streisand, because she has the most insanely gorgeous nails I’ve ever seen in my life. They’re beautiful, and I want her to wear my polish. (Get some sparkle on her.) Yes. I want sparkle on Barbra.

TDN: So you’ve got a lovely rock on your finger, I know there is no date set for a wedding, but what color do you plan to wear for your wedding?

KC: I really don’t see myself having a wedding, if I did, it’s going to be glitter, I’m not going to do anything traditional, I’m such a non-traditional person. (What, so no french manicure?) No, maybe I’ll do a picture of Walter on my nail.

TDN: So, you’ve conquered the nail world, you’re conquering the TV world, what’s next?

So Katie did confess what she's up to next, but she also said it was kind of a secret!  Until she gives me the go-ahead to share it with you, you'll just have to eagerly wait!  It's definitely something fun!

Katie & I in front of the manicure truck - it was over 100° outside!! SO HOT!

What'd I use?

I used American Apparel Cotton as a base for all nails...

Thumb: Part of the 'Nail Files' logo

Claire's Stiletto for the red base, with Nicole by OPI OMB! over it for the glittery parts.

Index: Part of the 'Nail Files' logo

Claire's Stiletto for the red base, with Nicole by OPI OMB! over it for the glittery bottle, CND Blackjack for the cap of the bottle and for the nail file with a mixture of CND Blackjack and Orly Mirror, Mirror to shade.

Middle: TV Guide logo

Claire's Stiletto for the red base, with Nicole by OPI OMB! over it for the glittery parts, then American Apparel Cotton for the TV guide lettering. 

Ring: Katie Nail!

CND Blackjack for the background and for the eyes, combinations and layering of  American Apparel Manila, Zoya Dea, Zoya Helen, and American Apparel Cotton for the hair, Ulta Moody Blues for the eyes. For the skin, a mixture of Zoya Helen and American Apparel Cotton, then mixed that with a bit of Claire's Stilettos for the lips. 

Pinky: Mojito! (Katie's signature drink)

For the glass outline, I used Orly Mirror, Mirror, for the mint, I used a combination of Frida Nails grass green jelly (has no color name), the Icing True Beauty, and CND Green Scene. For the liquid, I used a mixture of Frida Nails grass green jelly with Nubar Yellow Primrose, and a little American Apparel MacArthur Park to shade the ice cubes. 

Topped everything off with 2 coats of Seche Vite top coat.