Founder of WAH Nails, Sharmadean Reid

Founder of WAH Nails, Sharmadean Reid, awarded MBE

One of our favourite nail superstars, Sharmadean Reid, has been named a Member of the Order of the British Empire, for services to the nail and beauty industry.

Reid is the founder of cult nail Mecca, the Dalston-based WAH London salon, and also the poster girl for British nail art.

Setting up her own fanzine in 2005, and later a nail salon in 2008 (mainly because, as Reid admits, she couldn’t find a nail bar bold enough with their designs, and in particular a double Dior French she was after), WAH Nails stood for much more than glossy manicures even back in the early days.

Her vision was daring, it was different, it was directional. By 2009 the Central St Martins graduate was named by Vogue as 'one of the “15 people who will define the future of arts in Britain.'

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31-year-old Reid says she had an "inkling that the nail art me and my friends had been sporting for years was about to hit the mainstream." She was right: Reid had managed to tap into a beauty zeitgeist with her nail art style before it even happened.

Today WAH Nails has pop-up shops around the country, including its longest standing at Topshop Oxford Street founded in 2010, a namesake brand in Boots, two published books, and a worldwide following. WAH London has also been enlisted to work with giant global brands, including Nike, Marc Jacobs and Diesel.

Sharmadean’s inspirational and entrepreneurial spirit, which she now shares at regular business talks with fellow beauty wannabes, is what makes her a member of the British beauty empire for us. Reid’s story is all about turning your cosmetic dreams into reality.

Here we look back at Reid's beauty tips, which she recently shared with us too:

"One of my earliest memories is of my mum combing my hair into three ponytails every morning; I used to cry because it was so painful. For church each week in Wolverhampton we had to have perfect hair and moisturise our skin until it was beaming. People say that black skin ages well because of genetics, but I think it's just because we moisturise all the time.

I have never been experimental. I always find a look and stick to it: at the moment I'm into natural beauty. It's funny that using cold-pressed coconut oil on skin and in cooking has become trendy because it is what my grandma in Jamaica has always used. I believe my role in the beauty industry is to help women to feel good and be independent. One reason I opened my first nail salon was to get women together under one roof - the fact I really like getting my nails done was just a good excuse."

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