Nails of New York: Tiffani Carter-Thompson
Our latest Nails of New York spotlights Tiffani Carter-Thompson, VP of Integrated Communications at Shiseido. With years of experience both on the brand and public relations sides of major beauty brands (Philosophy, Essie, and Estée Lauder to name a few), she truly understands how 360-degree initiatives can greatly impact a brand. A recent recipient of the Cosmetics Executive Women Top Talent award, Tiffani's hard work and humility shines through and is incredibly inspiring. Read more to learn about her mother's love of red nails, the power of beauty in her life, and how a manicure makes her happy.
What's your first memory of a woman with great nails?
My mother! She used to always say that a lady wears red. She kept her nails medium length and panted them red every week (and at 84 she still does!). I always thought it was so elegant and classy.
How do you pick your manicure designs?
It's quite a process. About a week before my appointment, I scour the Paintbox Instagram and latest menu, taking screenshots of all my favorites. My husband has a great eye for designs, so I typically ask his opinion. And then in the studio, I usually convene with my nail artist Mabelyn Martin (Paintbox Associate Creative Director), and we select the color combo and design together. When I see the design come to life, I am always so excited.
In one word how does a mani make you feel?
Happy.
What were your prom nails?
As a senior in high school, I was rocking clear, long, rounded nails.
When do you notice your hands the most and why?
In selfies, when I'm doing my hair, and when I'm lifting weights at CrossFit. I also love seeing my nails when I'm holding a glass of wine. The elegance of nails as an extension, not just of your hands, but of your personality is who much fun to see.
How did you get into beauty?
I began my career in fashion and music PR, but after an industry colleague referred me to Estée Lauder, I knew beauty was for me.
What are your cult-products?
Shiseido Ultimune Power Infusing Concentrate is a must-use every morning before I moisturize; a natural oil like UMA Pure Energy Wellness Oil, which I buy at Inscape Meditation Studio; and a daily moisturizer with sunscreen.
What has surprised you most about your industry?
Beauty is obviously a visual industry and has such a strong emotional impact among consumers. Integrated marketing campaigns that embrace the digital eco-system to tap into that desire and emotion is what makes this work so exhilarating and compelling.
I also love to tap into my own creativity to create and communicate messages to the public through the media they consume. I also find building and maintaining relationships very rewarding–being able to leverage relationships to create results is critical to this job.
When do you get your best ideas?
The people I work with every day are stellar, creative, and a lot of fun, and we translate all that energy into ideas. I also tend to think of something right as I'm falling asleep so either get up to write it down or train my brain to remember it for the next day.