From Brush to Fingertip: Meet the Founder and Nail Artists Behind Celebritips

Every Celebritips set starts the same way. Not on a screen, but with a nail artist's brush.

Our founder, Christy, works alongside our in-house team of nail artists to imagine, paint, test, and refine each design. The result is high-quality, thoughtfully made press-on nails.

Here's a closer look at how Celebritips began, the woman who started it, and the hands-on process behind every set you wear.

It Started With a New Mom's Wish

Christy came up with the idea for Celebritips in 2022 after having her first baby. Salon visits no longer fit her new life, but she didn't want to give up beautiful nails.

"I created Celebritips because I was tired of choosing between being a dedicated mom and having flawless, unique nails," Christy says. "I realized that if I couldn't get to the salon, I would bring the salon into my life, but only if the quality was truly next-level."

Today, Christy is a mom of three little ones. That busy, real-life perspective still shapes every set we make.

Christy's Background: A Designer's Eye, Built in the Salon

Christy grew up in Shanghai and moved to the U.S. when she was 14. Now she visits Shanghai often and a trip to the nail salon is always on the itinerary. 

Experiencing nail culture in Shanghai and Los Angeles exposed her to different products, techniques, and design styles. Many Shanghai salons use Japanese and Korean gel polish brands, known for innovative glitters and cat-eye effects. In the U.S., she discovered brands with fun, creative color selections. 

"Getting my nails done in both places taught me so much," Christy says. "I got to see what's possible in nail design from two very different worlds."

Shanghai is also home to a wide variety of specialized nail salons. Some focus on Russian manicures. Others specialize in intricate hand-painted nail art, which has always drawn Christy in. "Those were always my favorite," she says. "The detail is incredible. It's like wearing tiny pieces of art and fashion on your fingertips."

That experience shaped how she approaches our Nail Art collection. "I want you to get that same detailed nail art at home," Christy says. "No hours in a salon chair required."

When she started Celebritips, Christy worked with nail artists at a friend's salon to bring her ideas to life. She visited five to six times a month and spent a full day there each time.

Designed Around What Our Customers Love

In the early days, Christy handled customer service herself. Talking directly with customers helped her understand their needs and preferences.

"Our customers are so vocal, and I love it," Christy says. She still works closely with our customer service team to stay on top of feedback, concerns, and requests.

Customers tell us what they'd love to see in our comments. They DM us their favorite nail styles and colors. Some even send inspo photos to our customer service team. We collect and organize all of this feedback, then review it carefully before we start designing.

Our retail partners add another perspective. The beauty teams at Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters often share insights on emerging nail trends and what their customers want.

You can see this thoughtful consideration in every collection. For the holiday collection, Christy matched designs to the customers who would love them. Evergreen Ribbon is for the stylish cool girl who loved Nightcap from the fall collection. Merry Berries is for the clean-girl fan who just took off Vanilla Boo.

"My vision goes into every collection, but so does yours," Christy says. "I want every design to be something you can't wait to wear."

Every Design Begins With a Nail Artist's Brush

Today, we have our own passionate, all-female team of nine in-house nail artists. Each one specializes in different nail art techniques. Together, they turn Christy's ideas into nails you can wear. Their work earned us a spot in Anthropologie's 24 Days of Beauty Advent Calendar in 2026.

Our process starts with a brush, not a computer screen. Every new style begins as nail art hand-painted on blank nail tips. We intentionally stay away from computer graphics and Pantone swatches. That choice keeps the focus on a natural look and delicate details.

Here's how a design moves from idea to your fingertips:

1. Imagine. Christy and our nail artists start by reviewing customer feedback. Then they dream up each collection by season. They picture where each design might be worn, from a holiday gathering to a date night or an ordinary day that deserves a little something.

2. Hand-paint. Our artists paint every design by hand. Sometimes we spend hours perfecting a single nail.

3. Refine. Our team adjusts colors and details until the design feels right. A complete design can take months to refine.

4. Match the original. Factory samples must match the natural beauty of the hand-painted original before we launch.

Our Holiday 2026 Collection shows this process in action. Merry Little Things is the set our team spent the longest on, so each little figure could be cuter than the next. Wrapped in Gold started with Christy's favorite cat-eye design, She Wears Crystals on Her Nails. Our team added gold chrome snowflakes, holiday lights, and ribbon bows to turn it into a new style.

Shapes Designed for a Better Fit

Nail art gets the spotlight, but shape is just as important to how our nails look and feel. That's especially true for our Salon U-ltimate® line. Its shapes are built with patented technology. Each one has a seamless cuticle fit and a sculpted structure like builder gel, designed for performance. You can learn more about our Builder Gel in a Case (BIAC™) system in our journal.

Shape development moves at a different pace than nail art. Our artists are constantly creating new designs and experimenting with colors. We may introduce only a few new nail shapes each year.

What makes us different is how we keep improving them. Every six months, we review the shape-related feedback customers share with us. We identify areas for improvement and make adjustments or upgrades where needed. Customer requests also lead to new shapes. A recent Salon U-ltimate launch added short squoval, a highly requested shape.

Tested in Real Life, Starting With Christy

Christy is the first to test our nails. She wears them through work and everyday life with three kids. That's how she checks comfort and staying power firsthand.

For her, nails are a personal form of self-expression. They're closely connected to your mood. Every set needs to look beautiful and keep up with real life. Her design philosophy is simple: nails should fit into your life, elevate your look, and feel like you.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Celebritips press-on nails hand-painted?

Every Celebritips design starts as nail art hand-painted on blank nail tips by our in-house nail artists. Before a design launches, factory samples must match the hand-painted original.

Who designs Celebritips nails?

Founder Christy works alongside our all-female team of nine in-house nail artists. Together, they imagine, paint, test, and refine every design.

How does Celebritips decide what to design?

Before each design process, we review customer feedback from customer service, social media comments, and DMs. Our retail partners, including Anthropologie and Urban Outfitters, also share insights on emerging nail trends.

How did Celebritips start?

Christy came up with the idea in 2022 after having her first baby. She wanted salon-quality nails that fit into life as a busy mom.

Find Your Next Favorite Set

Every Celebritips set reflects hours of hand-painting, months of refinement, and a founder who wears our nails through real life. Each set comes with 32 reusable nails in 16 sizes. Explore Salon U-ltimate® for a structured, builder-gel finish. For seasonal, tasteful designs with a natural apex and comfortable cuticle fit, browse Nail Art.