Crusty feet and chipped nail polish has never been a good look for women, period! Wasn’t it Missy Elliot that said that if you’re a fly gal, get your nails done, get a pedicure and get your hair did in her song, Work It? Alisha Payne-Hicks, a native of Ghanna, Ohio, a town just outside of Columbus, provides that luxury for women by taking her love of nails, art and fashion and turning it into a lifestyle.
By day, Payne-Hicks is a managing manicurist at Lishz Nail Loft in New Albany, Ohio. You name it, she does it: manicures, pedicures, gel polish and eyelash extensions. By night and on weekends, she runs Glam Girls On The Go, a traveling spa service that offers premium full spa services at fashion shows, photo shoots, weddings and bridal showers. What sets her spa service apart from her counterparts is her specialization in freehand nail design.
Check Out Her Work In The Slideshow Below:
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- supa dupa nails
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- Nails 1
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- StevieNails
According to Payne-Hicks, instead of freehand styling, many folks instead use stencils and stickers. “That’s cool too because it is popular,” Payne-Hicks told The Source. “But a lot of my nail designs you may look at and people will think it is a sticker and it is all free hand design,” she said. A look at her work on her Instagram page shows a wide variety. You’ll see the conservative look like the box shaped finger nails with red nail polish that moms and grandmother wear. But, keep scrolling down that IG page and you’ll see zig-zags, circles, and squares with every color in the spectrum imaginable and flawlessly vampire-shaped nails that would make Dracula jealous!
But that’s a good thing!
The uniqueness in the Girls On The Go’s brand stand out and folks in the industry have taken notice. Over the last few years. Glam Girls On The Go’s services have been sought out by runways of Victoria’s Secret and Macy’s. Love & Hip Hop’s Cyn Santana, fashion designers the Sachika Twins, Telfar and rising sunglasses designer Stevie Boi have all sought out Glam Girls on The Go’s services during 2014 Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week earlier this year.
“I wanted to be a household name,” said Payne-Hicks. “I wanted to build my brand in progress.”
Although she’s getting calls from big names to style nails, Alisha Payne-Hicks and her Glam Squad team travel close and far to style. But, how did a twenty-something from Ohio start building her brand by doing nails with big names?
She caught up with Her Source and shared her story:
Her Source: So what got you interested in the entertainment world and fashion?
Alisha Payne-Hicks: At a young age I became drawn to fashion. My first love! I started making my own clothes: distressed and died denim,dresses shirts etc. In middle school I began getting my nails done—my second love. I would watch every detail of the nail design that my technician (who was my cousin) did. She was young and very talented. Over the years I knew that I would have a career as a designer. I had a passion for it. I had my own unique style and anything different I saw, I wore it! My nails they were super long and colorful! I began planning my future as an entrepreneur.
Her Source: What was your plan?
Alisha Payne-Hicks: During that process I started making accessories and wearing them. They were eye catchers and I began to sell them. I gained a regular clientele. In the meantime I snagged a job at a salon that was rebuilding the team. I took on as manager and that became my life. I also began practicing natural and artificial nail techniques. I then decided to go to school and get licensed and began doing nails. I didn’t want to stop at that. I started planning for this to be a long term career and love as well as designing.
Her Source: What inspired you to start Lishz Designs?
Alisha Payne Hicks: I have some manicurists that I follow who are successful, talented and yet seem like fine and humble ladies.
Her Source: And your big break came when?
Alisha Payne-Hicks: I began reaching out and doing a lot of networking and I started attending and volunteering at New York Fashion Week as a manicurist and dresser. I also had amazing experiences working in Hollywood Hills at a Style House event. I’ve had the opportunity to be Head manicurist on set and provide a team of women to work which is apart of my Glam Squad Glam Girls On The Go
Her Source: What are you up to these days?
Alisha Payne-Hicks:In the mix of it all, my Glam Squad has done many events like photo shoots, weddings, baby showers, ladies night out etc. In the first quarter of 2014, we’ve done New York Fashion Week with a legend in the nail game in Patty Yankee as well as the X2Sea show with Designer Stevie Boi. We also did the CIAA beauty bar in February.
Her Source: What’s the best advice that you ever received that you can share with folks that may share a similar dream that you had?
Alisha Payne-Hicks: Follow your dream and don’t listen to anyone else and what they want for you to do. Do what you want to do for you and just keep going until you reach the top.
If you like Alisha Payne-Hick’s designs and want to see more check them out BY CLICKING HERE
