When she was five years old, Michelle Mismas took her mother’s Avon catalog, picked up the phone, and ordered every lip balm she could find. Luckily, the Avon lady straightened things out with Mismas’ mom, and the large order was cancelled. But a lifelong love of beauty products took root.
“I’ve always been into beauty products,” says Mismas. “I’ve always loved color.” These interests led the University Heights resident to launch her nail-focused beauty blog, All Lacquered Up, in early 2007. Mismas had already been interacting online with other nail polish lovers at Makeup Alley, an online resource where makeup and beauty product fanatics can post product reviews and share information on subject-specific message boards. “I remember people laughed when they started the nail board. It was like – what do we need this for? Who’s going to use it?”
The new online community proved to be hugely popular, but nail polish collectors were frustrated with the inability to find information about new colors and collections. “No one was covering what was next,” says Mismas. “There were no blogs for nails. On a whim, I just decided to start one.” She began by simply sharing what colors she was wearing. “It was fun for me – I’m not always one to wear color in clothing, but I can express myself through my nails. It’s small, simple and easily changeable.”
Over time, her audience grew. Then the beauty industry came calling, and Mismas gained access to just the type of information she and her fellow lacquer fans were looking for. Now, she shares celebrity nail trends and fashion news, plus previews and reviews of about-to-be-released colors with more than 90,000 visitors a month.
Whether Mismas' blog emerged as part of a growing trend, or whether she herself helped usher in the so-called "golden age of nail polish," both manufacturers and consumers have benefited from her efforts."There’s been instances where posting about a new collection has sold that collection out," says Mismas, citing the pre-release excitement of Chanel's Blue Satin as an example. "Brands recognize that the immediacy of blogs is to their benefit."
This fall, Mismas was able to leave her mark on the industry she loves, when New York City-based Rescue Beauty Lounge released a limited edition set of "blog writers' colors," including a deep purple creme dubbed Mismas. She's also been able to attend New York Fashion Week and other industry events, where she not only meets industry icons, but is recognized by them. "I'm thinking, 'You know what my blog is? You know who I am? Really?' That’s been amazing.”
This is all a bit ironic in that Mismas is a former nail biter. In college, her sorority sisters gave her such a hard time about the condition of her nails that she began polishing them as a deterrent to biting. "The first bottle I bought was I’m Not Really A Waitress,” she says, referring to one of nail polish juggernaut OPI’s best-selling colors.
"And that's where it all started."
Author:
On November 9th, 2009 @ 11:08:am,
this is an inspirational blog. as inspirational as feeding the hungry! because you wrote about your passion and your voice spoke to so many. when I was in college I was a nail bitter. so I started wearing bright blue to stop myself. my Dad had a fit, can you imagine bright blue on stubs. but since then I have searched the world when traveling, especially paris and rome, for new colors. thanks for following a passion and teaching us what good things can happen when you do. leslie electicimpulse.wordpress.com