Olive & June is one of L.A.'s raddest nail salons. The interior is Instagram gold; it stocks high-end polishes in every shade of the rainbow; and the nail technicians are skilled, consistent, and have amazing taste. It didn't happen by accident: Owner Sarah Gibson-Tuttle is a thirtysomething girl boss who just gets it.
Gibson-Tuttle invited us into the salon last week to check out the nail art it's doling out most this holiday season — just in time for your lazy Turkey Day weekend. Grab your polish kit, find a comfy place on the couch, and let's get started.
Keep scrolling for the looks to copy, then press play on our Facebook Live video, below, to watch it all in action.
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Look 1: The Half-Dip
Difficulty level: 1
Color: Treat Polish in Black Tie, a classic red with deep undertones
Suggested shape: Oval, squoval, almond
Recommended color alternatives: "White, silver, gold, or glitter," says Gibson-Tuttle. One of O&J's signature looks is the classic half-moon — done in a variety of colors and finishes — but it gets a next-level update with a straighter and higher line. Meet the half-dip. In the video, below, you'll see nail tech Jesika freehand on R29 staffer Jessica Stobie, but she suggests Scotch Tape for those that need a guide. Pro tip: Leave the base of the nail bare for a modern look that grows out like a champ.
Difficulty level: 1
Color: Treat Polish in Black Tie, a classic red with deep undertones
Suggested shape: Oval, squoval, almond
Recommended color alternatives: "White, silver, gold, or glitter," says Gibson-Tuttle. One of O&J's signature looks is the classic half-moon — done in a variety of colors and finishes — but it gets a next-level update with a straighter and higher line. Meet the half-dip. In the video, below, you'll see nail tech Jesika freehand on R29 staffer Jessica Stobie, but she suggests Scotch Tape for those that need a guide. Pro tip: Leave the base of the nail bare for a modern look that grows out like a champ.
Look 2: The Reverse French With Glitter!
Difficulty level: 2
Color: OPI polish in Don't Bossa Nova Me Around, a neutral that works with every skin tone; Essie glitter in Summit Of Style
Suggested shape: Any
Recommended color alternatives: Beige or grey with a lavender undertones, like Essie Topless and Barefoot or CND Shellac in Field Fox This became O&J's most-requested style after longtime client Lauren Conrad raved about it — but we're giving it a festive update with glitter. Two coats of your neutral go on first. Then, dump some glitter polish on a piece of foil (or whatever you have around), grab a pointed tool of some kind (a toothpick will work wonders) and place the chunky glitter, piece by piece, into the paint closest to the cuticle in one even line. Easy? Yes. Time-consuming? Indeed — but worth it. Seal it with a strong topcoat; our nail technician, Debbie, used Essie's gel top coat on R29er Valentine Hidayat. Pro tip: You can use any glitter you have lying around, as long as you make sure the polish is still wet while you're placing it. Gibson-Tuttle likes Martha Stewart's loose craft glitter, which is used often in the salon.
Difficulty level: 2
Color: OPI polish in Don't Bossa Nova Me Around, a neutral that works with every skin tone; Essie glitter in Summit Of Style
Suggested shape: Any
Recommended color alternatives: Beige or grey with a lavender undertones, like Essie Topless and Barefoot or CND Shellac in Field Fox This became O&J's most-requested style after longtime client Lauren Conrad raved about it — but we're giving it a festive update with glitter. Two coats of your neutral go on first. Then, dump some glitter polish on a piece of foil (or whatever you have around), grab a pointed tool of some kind (a toothpick will work wonders) and place the chunky glitter, piece by piece, into the paint closest to the cuticle in one even line. Easy? Yes. Time-consuming? Indeed — but worth it. Seal it with a strong topcoat; our nail technician, Debbie, used Essie's gel top coat on R29er Valentine Hidayat. Pro tip: You can use any glitter you have lying around, as long as you make sure the polish is still wet while you're placing it. Gibson-Tuttle likes Martha Stewart's loose craft glitter, which is used often in the salon.
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Look 3: Stars In (Negative) Space
Difficulty level: 3
Color: Deborah Lippmann in Amazing Grace
Suggested shape: Any shape, but you do need some length
Recommended color alternatives: Silver, gold, deep purple — but white really is the coolest. Our hardest look came last and it does require a thin brush; either an old eyeliner brush or one from the beauty supply store will do. Jesika freehanded the stars, but don't stress: the more imperfect they are, the cooler it looks. The secret, it turns out, is the placement. Make it as random as possible, with one full star and one half star per nail. Seal with a strong top coat. Pro tip: Grab a family member chilled out from tryptophan to help with your non-dominant hand.
Difficulty level: 3
Color: Deborah Lippmann in Amazing Grace
Suggested shape: Any shape, but you do need some length
Recommended color alternatives: Silver, gold, deep purple — but white really is the coolest. Our hardest look came last and it does require a thin brush; either an old eyeliner brush or one from the beauty supply store will do. Jesika freehanded the stars, but don't stress: the more imperfect they are, the cooler it looks. The secret, it turns out, is the placement. Make it as random as possible, with one full star and one half star per nail. Seal with a strong top coat. Pro tip: Grab a family member chilled out from tryptophan to help with your non-dominant hand.