Interview with Tara from The Beauty of Nail Polish

Today I have a very long and interesting interview with Tara from The Beauty of Nail Polish. She does some amazing nail art and her nails are beautiful!

Tell me a bit about your background.

My name is Tara and I was born in spring 1990. I live in Slovenia but was born in Serbia. I finished the primary and secondary school in Serbia in a small town on the North of the country, called Senta. Because I had a grandmother in Slovenia, I decided to move to her place to continue my studies at the Faculty of Social Sciences in Ljubljana, Slovenia. I graduated from International Relations in the summer of 2013. Moving from home wasn’t really easy but I got used to it after a while. I spent my free time playing nine-pin bowling which was some sort of heritage from my father. I have finished second at the WCH U-23, won an international tournament U-23, won several times at national championships! I was chosen for the best U-23 player in Slovenia in 2011. Now, I am an active swatcher for some famous indie nail polish brands and online shops. My stash keeps growing and I keep buying Helmers because I am running out of space for all the polishes. I am doing my best to organize my time in the way I have time for my nails, but not forgetting about my boys.

How did you start with nail art?

I used to be a nail biter, but after my boyfriend’s sister introduced my to the nail blogging world and all the nail art stuff I decided to stop biting my nails! And I am really happy I made this decision. I am so proud of all my nail art and it keeps getting better. The nail art itself is improving, and so are my photography skills, so there is a huge difference in photos back then when I started blogging and now.

Which is your favorite nail art technique?

When it comes to nail art, it is hard to choose your favorite technique. But if I have to, I would like to mention two. The first one is stamping which is done using a metal stamping plate, stamping nail polish, stamper and scraper. It is the fastest ant easiest way to create wonders on your nails. The other one is gradient. Unlike many other nail art bloggers, I am not using the usual sponging technique to create blendings between colors. I prefer to use a fan brush because it really makes flawless transitions. I have also done several tutorials on how I am doing this because a lot of my fans think it is complicated, but it really isn't.

What do you think about trends in the nail industry?

Trends are something I don't really care about when it comes to nails. Nobody can force me to wear typical spring colors in autumn. This is for example why I have passed the OPI Venice Collection. On the other hand – I really like the artistic nail art that is »in« this fall. It looks like some abstract paintings on nails.

How did you start blogging and why?

I started blogging in summer 2013 with no serious intentions. All I wanted is to share my passion for nail polishes and nail art. However, I have to admit I was always admiring the girls who swatched entire collections of nail polishes – I wanted to be like them, better than them. After my little baby was born I decided to dedicate a bit more time to my blog (funny, right?) so I decided to fill out some blogger application forms and this way I got an opportunity to swatch some polishes as well. After some time, other indie nail polish companies found my blog and wanted me to swatch polishes fort hem. This year, my blog turned a bit more towards other beauty & cosmetics related things, but I am not forgetting about my nails and my nail art – it's just that I am not showing to you every manicure I make. All in all, a great experience so far.

How did the people around you accept your blogging and nail art?

Slovenia is small and blogging wasn't that popular when I started. Nobody knew what to expect from it. For some of my relatives blogging is equal spending money, but then for others it is a nice way to express yourself and relax. I enjoy blogging, making manicures, nail art, makeup looks… and if that means I have to spend some money for goods I need to feel more relaxed and happier, I will. My friends aren't really sure what blogging is. None of them actually thinks that I spend 4-5 hours per post. And nobody is paying me to do so. So basically, what I have experienced so far are mixed feeling about my hobby life. But the most important thing is that my boyfriend understands what I am doing and why I am doing it, and he supports me on my way towards reaching goals.

What are your goals with blogging?

I can't really say I have goals with blogging – besides to improve my nail art and photography even more. It is clear, that blogging in Slovenia isn't appreciated as much as abroad, so making money from it is very difficult. So I still have to search for a job, because blogging will stay my hobby unless something changes – radically changes.