Meet the nail artist behind Nicki Minaj’s Pink Friday Press-Ons

Following the release of Pink Friday 2, Nicki Minaj has dug her crystal-encrusted claws back into the world of beauty. This time the queen of rap has been released Pink Friday nails after the premiere was announced at the end of last 12 months. Her first collection, released a couple of months ago, featured 11 printed designs containing a whopping 300 gems. To help her bring this latest nail empire to life, she hired her own personal nail technician, Yvette Garcia as creative director.

“I started doing her nails about 5 years ago” Garcia– also known for her collaborations with Rosalia, Normani and Kelly Rowland – says ESSENCE. “When she decided to start Pink Friday, she knew she wanted me to be a part of it.” This is sensible, especially since Garcia is the artist answerable for Barb’s most iconic nail art moments; turning on “Princess Diana” remix music video.VMAs and on the cover.

And after the birth of her son in 2020, Minaj became the inspiration for luxury easy nails. After the baby was born, “we slowly started using custom clasps for her. Everyone was constantly replicating our designs,” says Garcia. “She realized there was a place for press-in nails that was different from everything else.”

Now Pink Friday Nails bridges the gap between hundred-dollar custom nails and reasonably priced drugstore presses, bringing Minaj’s most iconic moments to your fingertips. For example, her viral VMA nails were considered one of the inspirations for some great press.

“Her toenail fell off at the VMAs and a fan sold it $55,000 on eBaysays Garcia. It was a defining moment that the duo jokingly came up with “The Queen’s Ransom”, selling for lower than triple figures for Pink Friday Nails. Meanwhile, kawaii nails was inspired by her music video “Super Freaky Girl” and the otherworldly world chrome nails shout “Spaceships.” “It’s a way for people to feel a part of her,” Garcia says

To make it even higher, the nails are extremely top quality and truly stick. “Unlike other thin presses, ours are much stronger,” he says. “We had to start with a good base that would hold all the big, beautiful amulets.” To do that, they’d to make custom pressure molds. “We didn’t find anything that met our standards,” he says.

Additionally, the nails are rigorously packed in an especially charming pink box equipped with a nail file, cuticle pusher and nail glue. “Both Nicki and I are perfectionists, so we knew we had to provide the highest quality for everyone,” adds Garcia. “We stand out and fill a space that was very much needed.”