On Saturday I was happy to attend the grand opening of KandiLand in Long Beach. The opening of this salon was a spur of the moment idea from celebrity nail artist Kandi Banks. Banks had previously worked at an L.A. salon, but when this space became available she jumped at the chance to work close to home. “It was a former waxing studio, so the space was a perfect fit for a nail salon,” says Banks.
KandiLand will focus on manicures and nail art services. Banks is known for her fresh, funky, and fun designs (you can see the blood-dripping nail art tips she did for Halloween in the slideshow above and on our Instagram). Since Banks attended FIDM for merchandise product development, KandiLand T-shirts and scarves will be available at the nail lounge as well.
The public event caused the nail lounge’s neighbors to come out in droves. I personally was very happy to see so many Salon Fanatics show up to support their new local nail lounge. I also learned after the event that Banks became booked solid through October due to her new digs.
This event is just another example of how social media has paid off for Banks. When I asked her how she got her celebrity clients, she revealed that it was through Twitter and not through an agency. “They found me!” says the 22-year-old nail tech. In her three years as a nail artist she has styled the tips of Christina Millian, Nicki Minaj, Demi Lovato, Lil’ Kim, Jada Pinkett Smith, and Brandy Norwood to name a few. You too can now get the celebrity nail treatment by booking Banks here. If that wasn’t reason enough to treat yourself at KandiLand, I found out that Banks will also be taking part in Oxygen’s upcoming reality series, Nailed It. Stay tuned.
