IN MY KIT

On any given day, Nyc-based nail guru Jin Soon Choi is formulating new products for her eponymous range, overseeing the nail direction at NYFW and on fashion campaigns, or popping into one of her salons. She reveals her secrets to staying polished

Nail guru Jin Soon Choi reveals her perfectly polished essentials.

“It goes without saying – moisturiser is a must.” 1. Fresh Lotion For The Body, $71,

DIPTYQUE, mecca.com.au 3. Make A Difference Rejuvenating Hand Treatment, $23, ORIGINS, mecca.com.au

“I’m never without a few classic polish shades that suit everyone. My Nail Lacquer in Coquette is a rich, vibrant red that’s sexy, modern and ageless, and it works well with all different skin tones.” 2. Nail Lacquer in Coquette, $26,

JINSOON, mecca.com.au 11. Nail Lacquer in Pixie, $26, JINSOON, mecca.com.au

“It’s important to push cuticles back thoroughly and trim only the loose portion that results from this process.” 4. Rockhard Cuticle Nipper, $65.95,

TWEEZERMAN, i-glamour.com 12. Pushy And Nail Cleaner, $32.95, TWEEZERMAN, i-glamour.com

“I keep a few bottles of top coat in my kit so I can add shine to nails between shots.” 5. Top Gloss Quick Dry Top Coat,

$26, JINSOON, mecca.com.au “For a natural nail, I use these two nude shades from my collection. Muse is a sheer pink that imparts a fresh look, and Nostalgia is a rosy beige that is particularly suited to long nails. I sometimes layer two shades to tweak the right look for different skin tones.” 6. Nail Lacquer in Nostalgia, $26,

JINSOON, mecca.com.au 7. Nail Lacquer in Muse, $26, JINSOON, mecca.com.au

“I added strengthening biotin and keratin, plus diamond particles for durability, to my base coat. It really helps prime and protect the nail.” 8. Power Coat Strengthening Base

Coat, $26, JINSOON, mecca.com.au “Sometimes I’m able to sneak away from a shoot and do a few minutes of skipping to get invigorated. I also keep coconut water, an apple, chocolate and mandarins on hand for a quick energy boost.” 9. Skipping rope, $1,790, CHANEL,

1300 242 635 17. Coconut Water Straightup, $22 for eight, RAW C, rawc.com.au

“I wear an LED headlamp for when I really need to see details clearly while painting nails.” 10. 7 LED Headlamp, $10, TACTICAL,

anacondastores.com

“After clipping nails, I file and buff gently. I think shaping straight on the sides with a soft edge on the corners while seguing to a slightly curved form as you approach the tip area is the most flattering nail shape. My nail technicians call it the ‘Jin Soon shape’.” 13. Nail file, $6, MECCA MAX,

mecca.com.au 14. Stainless Steel Fingernail Clipper, $14.25, TWEEZERMAN, i-glamour.com 15. Stainless Steel Toenail Clipper, $16.95, TWEEZERMAN, i-glamour.com

“Most of my polishes are 10-free [without 10 toxic ingredients] and I use a non-acetone nail polish remover — it’s effective without the harsh chemicals.” 16. Non-acetone Nail Polish

Remover, $20, KESTER BLACK, adorebeauty.com.au