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Can you say blingtastic?
Since I was going for a Valley of the Dolls meets Dallas look for last weekend’s gala, I knew I needed a manicure that really complemented my ensemble. And while I love my standard “blush and bashful” nail polish, I also wanted to step out of my box a little. Nail art is hitting mainstream red carpets; cviewers can check out E!’s mani cam at almost every major red carpet event this season, and style magazines are always checking for Zooey Deschanel’s quirky nails.

So I stopped by Nails & More in Bessemer, where “Takasha Nailaholic” is creating miniature manicured masterpieces also known as “junk nails.” Think Florence Griffith Joyner’s nails but more refined. Junk nails are embellished with beads, rhinestones, glitter, spangles, pearls and just about any other embellishment you can think of, and the effect can be quite eye-catching. Other recent trends include stiletto nails (in which the tip is sharpened like a stiletto heel), and caviar nails, which feature tiny beads covering the nail.

Takasha, who has been a manicurist two years, became inspired to enroll in the School of Nail Technology after coming up with her own designs for her manicurist to duplicate. She finds inspiration in a multitude of places. For my manicure, she applied clear rhinestones over two acrylic nails, which were filed to create a curved tip and had been polished with OPI’s Privacy Please. She charges $25 and up for an acrylic full set, and junk nails are 2 fingers for $8. She also does gel nails. Each junk nail took 3-4 minutes to complete, and trust me: they lasted through multiple hand-washing, dishwashing, and baths. How do you remove them? Simply soak your fingers in warm acetone nail polish remover.

Takasha’s tips for winter nail care? Invest in a foot file and a pumice stone to soften rough heels at home, and your grandmother’s home remedy (slathering petroleum jelly on your soles and slipping on a pair of socks) helps keep your feet soft And if you have acrylic or gel nails that are lifting, be careful of letting water seep in, which can lead to the development of mold or fungus.

Ready to try junk nails? Call Takasha at (205) 413-9234. Nails & More is located at 1900 22nd Avenue Suite 104 in Bessemer (down from Jack’s).