The Woman Behind the Polish: Adrianna Gonzalez-Shreeve

on October 16 | in Cool Products, Slider on Homepage | by | with Comments Off on The Woman Behind the Polish: Adrianna Gonzalez-Shreeve

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Some of the biggest nail polish fanatics make the best nail polish creators. Graphic designer Adrianna Gonzalez-Shreeve has always been enthusiastic about her enamel, which is why she set out to develop an artisan brand that transcends conventional polish. We asked Gonzalez-Shreeve about her luscious line and learned more about her sparkling personality.

Salon Fanatic: So you are a graphic artist in addition to a nail polish founder? Is that what made you want to create your own polish line?

Adrianna Gonzalez-Shreeve: I currently spend my days working as a senior visual designer at an agency located in the heart of the financial district in Boston. As a result of my design background, I’ve learned to understand what clients want and how to design a viable solution. I’m able to focus on my love for color and develop never before seen shades with whimsical names that represent my interpretation of personal experiences and interests.

Labeled a magpie since I can remember, I’ve always had an attraction to beautiful, captivating things and nail polish is an extension of that. Nail polish is no longer something you apply for special occasions; it’s a way to showcase your individuality, not to mention it’s one of those affordable luxuries that won’t break the bank!

The idea for Delush Polish came to me during my recent trip back home to London for Christmas. I realized that oftentimes I just couldn’t find my ideal color choice or finish for a certain outfit and that’s when I took matters into my own hands and decided to do it myself.

SF: What is your favorite polish creation?

AGS: Cirque Fantastique will always be one of my favorite creations. It’s become one of Delush Polish’s top sellers, and it’s one of those shades that features trendy neon glitter in a fun yet elegant manner. Cirque Fantastique was also the polish I chose to recently gift international superstar Kelly Rowland from Destiny’s Child earlier this year. The songstress was so excited about the polish and kindly shared photos of her wearing Cirque Fantastique on her personal Instagram and Twitter, which was just so incredible as I’ve been a huge fan of Ms. Rowland for over 15 years!

Truth be told, I’m also extremely excited about my latest Slice of Life Collection. Delush Polish is all about experimenting with unexpected glitter combinations and formula finishes. This collection focuses on multi-dimensional tones and captivating glitter combinations that evoke incredible depth in a beautiful jelly formula.

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SF: There are so many indie polishes popping up. Why do you think so many of these brands are becoming popular?

AGS: Every indie polish maker has a unique point of view, and I feel as a polish maker, I can offer my customers a much more curated and personalized experience as opposed to the mainstream brands. The beauty of running every facet of Delush Polish is that I don’t answer to anyone else. I am the client, and as a perfectionist, I have very high standards. Delush Polish is an environmentally conscious brand, and I pride myself on offering a 3-free, hand-blended formula that results in a long-lasting, fast-drying, and of course Delushous manicure. I have developed a socially savvy brand that welcomes customers into the creative process and engages with them on a personal level. Earlier this year I got married and the amount of love and support I received was incredibly heartwarming. I’ve met so many wonderful people who I’m able to call friends as a result of Delush.

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SF: Tell us about your new Halloween collection.

AGS: This Halloween, a jelly-based, moody color palette serves as a tribute to one of the darkest characters on television. Colors take their cues from some of the most iconic facets of the character with stealthy shades that feature captivating glitters in varying size and color. The Slice of Life Collection is inspired by one of my all-time favorite TV shows, “Dexter.” As a loyal fan since the beginning, and knowing that the series was coming to a close this year, I had been planning and perfecting this collection for months.

SF: What is your favorite nail art or nail polish trend?

AGS: I really love the versatility of glitter polishes. You can wear them as a solo act as well as layer them over a range of colors (glitter bombs in particular) to completely transform your manicure. I think they can look extremely elegant when used to create a glitter gradient manicure where you build up the opacity. I recently did this with my bridal manicure for my big day. I created two shades: a soft, delicate pink blush base polish with shifts of gold and a sparkling glitter topper that had varying sizes of holographic silver glitters. The result was a glitzy yet elegant manicure.

SF: Obviously you love glitter (we do too!). Do you have any tips for applying, choosing, or removing glitter polish?

AGS: I love glitter! Every corner of my house has probably seen some by now but it can be one of those materials that are stubborn to remove. I always suggest starting out with clean nails. I like to swipe a bit of remover over them to make sure they are extra clean and typically follow  up with a cuticle cream. After letting that soak in for a few minutes I apply my base coat and then two to three coats of my polish and follow that up with a top coat to seal it. A great way to freshen up your manicure is to apply a fresh top coat mid-week, you’ll see it does wonders! In terms of removal, I recommend Zoya’s Remove Plus. It’s not as harsh and damaging to your nail beds as acetone is and smells heavenly. I typically soak a cotton round in remover and place it on each nail for a few minutes before rubbing away my polish.

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SF: Tell us about your jewelry collection.

AGS: In addition to my polish obsession, I also own dozens of earrings. Every time I visit a new place I always manage to smuggle a pair back. Designing jewelry with Delush just seemed like a natural progression and extension for the brand. Recently I was able to gift my Candice earrings featuring one of my signature colors, Bare to Be Bold, to the stylist of ABC’s hit TV series “Scandal” to be considered for use in upcoming episodes of the show. I’m really excited about this part of the brand, and I look forward to continuing to add to the collection and begin releasing pieces more regularly. Each piece is handmade and painted using polishes from my collections, and I occasionally mix several polishes to achieve a beautiful layered result. I have all sorts of pieces in development that I can’t wait to share!

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The image for the Scratch Your Heart Out promotion ended up becoming Delush’s logo, showing that customer appreciation is at the heart of the brand.

SF: Anything else we should know?

AGS: Not only does Delush Polish release collections regularly, but I also design custom polishes and cater for all types of social events. I’ve had the pleasure to contribute to some of the most momentous occasions in my customers’ lives and really enjoy working closely with them to ensure that everything is perfect for their big event.

Another aspect of Delush Polish that is unique is the fact that I love to give back to my supporters. Every order comes with a “Scratch Your Heart Out” postcard with the potential to win anything from 10% to 50% off a future purchase, a buy one get one free deal, and even the chance to name a future Delushie. This is my way of giving back to my customers and also making the experience of receiving delushous nail mail even more thrilling. I’ve worked with many of my customers to name my polishes and they have been an integral part of my collections. I also want to take this opportunity to thank each of my Delushous Lovelies for their continued support and love — I appreciate each and every one of you!

You can pick up a bottle of Delush polish here. Follow Delush on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

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