Nails of New York: Rose Guglielmo
Come January, many of us resolve to live better, whether spiritually or physically. Whatever your resolutions, there's one we come back to each year—make time to pamper yourself. No matter how you get your kicks—be it exercise, nutrition, or a manicure—it's important to make time for you and doing the things that make you feel your best. As part of an ongoing conversation on wellness this month, we're focusing our Nails of New York profiles on women who have devoted their careers to the wellbeing of others. These are quite literally healing hands.
Our first profile this month features Rose Guglielmo, facialist at the award-winning La Prairie Spa at the Ritz Carlton on Central Park South. This brilliant esthetician works magic on others all day using her hands. She understands the importance of taking time to take care of one's skin, but also her own (which includes her hands and nails).
Rose wears Urban Jungle from the Paintbox FW'14 Collection.
Why do you paint your nails?
I paint my nails because it's better to feel in color! My work as an esthetician gives me the opportunity to touch peoples’ lives—both physically and emotionally. Since my hands are my livelihood, I always keep them well groomed and professional, but polishing them allows me to express myself creatively. My nails become my jewelry since rings or bracelets would be an obstruction in my line of work.
Do you have a favorite polish or go-to look for your nails?
I need the stamina of gel. In my line of work, my hands are a tool, and I am constantly washing them. Add in peels, scrubs, and other lotions and polish wouldn’t last a day! For day-to-day color, it’s always baby pink or nude but on days off I love a fierce, bold red.
Where do you find inspiration?
Beauty to me is not a state of being. It is an emotion. Like love and happiness, everyone feels it, everyone can be it. That’s what inspired me to become an esthetician. Every person I touch inspires me to redefine my own sense of beauty… I truly love that I connect people to their own one-of-a-kind allure.
Another primary source of inspiration for me is the ocean. Growing up in East Hampton, I had the privilege of always walking alongside the tides. No matter what the season, it always had the same impact on me—from the casualness of the summertime sunset to the stark intensity of a winter’s solstice, the sea became a metaphor for the one constant in life: change.
And last but not least, I always get inspiration in the look of discovery from the smiling eyes of my new dog, Kona.
Left: A few of Rose's favorite La Prairie products. Right: Real gold in another La Prairie favorite echoes the gold foil in Rose's Urban Jungle manicure.
Go on, treat yourself. To book an appointment with Rose at the La Prairie Spa, call 212-521-6135. The spa is located in the Ritz Carlton at 50 Central Park South.