Nails of New York: Lindsay Ellingson
This week's Nails of New York profile features supermodel and Wander Beauty co-founder and creative director, Lindsay Ellingson. A native of Southern California, Lindsay started her modeling career on the runways of Christian Dior, Chanel, Valentino, Balenciaga and eventually in the Victoria's Secret fashion show as one of the brand's top Angels.
Years of exposure in the makeup chair of talented artists proved to be a valuable asset when beginning a beauty line of her own. Learning about application techniques, backstage beauty secrets, and trends all over the world allowed Lindsay to develop her remarkable passion and was the foundation for Wander Beauty. Read more to learn about the importance of having her nails painted, her tips for maintaining flawless skin, and the way all of her travel experiences have shaped her beauty line.
Why do you paint your nails?
I'm a bit of a perfectionist, so I love the feeling of having perfectly painted and filed nails. It's one of the little luxuries I treat myself to every week. It's especially fun when my girlfriends are all in town, and we can pamper ourselves together before a night out.
What's your preferred nail length and shape?
I have long nail beds, so I can get away with a slightly shorter nail, which is much easier to maintain. I always ask for a square/oval shape but for me, the only place that really gets the shape right is Paintbox.
Do you have go-to nail color palettes? How do your nails influence your outfit or accessories?
Right now, I'm really into cool grey and nude shades. My go-to is Essie's Perennial Chic. You can never go wrong with a nude–it matches everything I wear since I love neutrals. My closet is also full of clothing in Wander Beauty's signature shade Wanderberry, a beautiful deep burgundy. Also, I found a soft mauve Essie shade called Ladylike, which pairs beautifully with Wanderberry–I get so many compliments!
What inspired you to start your own beauty line?
My co-founder Divya Gugnani and I met at a salon opening on the Upper East Side. We quickly bonded over our love of travel and beauty. She's a serial entrepreneur and a busy mom of two, and I'm a newlywed, cockapoo mommy and always on a plane from one country to the next. We share a similar bond, one that many women can relate to. We are busier than ever and were yearning for luxurious, double-duty products that were quick and easy to use. We created Wander Beauty to simplify women's beauty routines and save you precious time with our multi-tasking makeup essentials. It's color to be carried.
Tell us a little bit about your beauty line and how did you pick the gorgeous berry wine and gold color combination?
At Wander Beauty we create luxurious, skincare-infused multitaskers. We are the internationally-inspired innovation brand. All of our products are foolproof makeup essentials. We won't make it unless it's something you have to have in your beauty bag. We know women are often traveling from the gym to the office, to dinner dates and more, so we've taken all the guesswork out of applying our products. All of our shades are universally flattering and work on all skin tones. Our Wanderberry shade was one of the easiest choices Divya and I made together. It's a color that really pops in a sea of black packaging and so luxurious when paired with accents of gold.
What is your favorite product within your line?
For me, all of our products are essentials in my makeup bag, but my favorite is our new Wanderout Dual Matte Lipstick, which launches this month exclusively at Sephora.com. This is the only lipstick you'll need no matter what your plans may be. Our intensely-pigmented matte formula is not only a hot trend right now, it's so luxurious! We've added hydrating ingredients from eight different countries including marula oil (South Africa), sunflower seed oil (France), and mango seed butter (India).
What is your favorite part of your job?
I love to innovate! In school, my favorite subjects were calculus and physics. I loved to solve very complex problems. Dreaming up new ways of simplifying women's beauty routines is a little like that. Everything we do is unique–if I can dream it we can make it. After trying and testing everything out there, I have a very good sense of what women will love.
Where do you find inspiration?
I take inspiration from all my past and present travel experiences. For example, our Catch the Light Highlighter was inspired by my very first fashion show in Paris where I learned to illuminate my complexion and realized how this was the true ultimate beauty enhancer. And many of the shades of blush and lipstick we create emulate some of the most memorable sunsets I've seen all over the world.