Pro Spotlight

OPI Pro Spotlight: @lovetrenna

Meet @lovetrenna: nail artist, entrepreneur, and champion of the viral “Red Nail Theory.”

From an OPI salon in 2019, to the cover of magazines, red carpet premieres, and more, Trenna’s career has skyrocketed in just 5 short years. We sat down to learn about her start in the industry, how she chooses the right jobs for her, and her advice for other women of color in the creative space.

OPI: You've built such an incredible career already! How did your journey in the nail world begin?

Trenna: My journey in the nail world began when I got my nail license in November 2019. My first nail job was at the OPI Salon inside of Bloomingdales at 59th and Lexington in NYC, until March 15, 2020 when COVID hit and I lost my job. I decided that I wanted to be in charge of my life and became an independent nail artist. I had zero clients, but used my social media and offered a service to do manicures and pedicures in people’s homes and word spread about me.  

OPI: As a woman of color working in the nail industry, do you feel that the landscape for creators and techs such as yourself has changed in recent years? If yes, how so, and how would you like to see it continue to grow?

Trenna: As a black woman I think that over the past 4.5 years I have seen a change in what everyone thinks is a “nail artist”. There used to be one stereotype of what and who is a nail artist, but now I see more women of all races and ages beginning their careers. I want to see it continue to grow.

OPI: Not only are you a nail tech and artist, but you're also an entrepreneur! How has being an entrepreneur helped further your achievements and mindset in the nail industry?

Trenna: I became an entrepreneur because of the people I met from doing nails. I saw a problem and created a product to fix it.

OPI: What are some of your favorite ways to express your culture and identity through your nail art?

Trenna: Just being me. Over the years when I first started, I had longer nails and more intricate and trendy designs every month. As time evolved, I changed and so did my style. I’ve definitely toned down, and now I usually go for a more polished, solid color like Bubble Bath or a French manicure.

OPI: Your "Red Nail Theory" went absolutely viral! Were you expecting such a large reaction to this trend on social media?

Trenna: Not at all. I was tired from work that day, laid on my couch, pulled out my phone and did a TikTok saying how Red Nail Theory was true. I had a client that got Big Apple Red every 2 weeks and she was a woman in power, and my other clients who got red nails were all very similar.

OPI: How do you find work-life balance when you have so many incredible opportunities coming up all the time? How do you choose what to lean into and what not to?

Trenna: I take on opportunities that align with what I am trying to put out into the world. All money isn’t good money and I have turned down jobs and certain clients because I want to feel proud of what I am doing. Doing nails is an exchange of energy—you’re holding someone’s hands, you’re in someone’s presence, and energy transfers. So I’ve learned to be very particular in the jobs I decide to take.

OPI: How do you decide which shades and designs to use when creating your stunning nail art?

Trenna: I always ask my client first: “what’s your mood” and “what events do you have coming up?” That sets the tone for the style and colors we’re going to pick and if we will do some designs. The client has to first know what they want and love for me to then do the art.

OPI: Where do you draw your inspiration from for nail art?

Trenna: My mood and inspiration always changes. Last year I loved French manicures and experimented a lot with different variations. This year I like solid colors, pastels, and I like drawing fruits. As an artist, you always change and evolve so my nails reflect that. I get inspiration from movies, foods, colors I see, things I want to draw, and go from there.

OPI: Being a woman of color, what advice would you give other women of color in the creative space?

Trenna: As a black woman my advice is to charge your price and please never feel bad about it or lower it to make others feel comfortable. Please take up space and keep being amazing!

OPI: What's your go-to OPI nail polish shade?

Trenna: My go to OPI shade is Put It In Neutral.

SHOP THE SHADE

OPI: Your work has been featured on magazine covers, tv and film, photo shoots, on celebrities, red carpets, and more! Is there one moment or event that is most special to you?

Trenna: Yes! I would say Keke Palmer’s nails in 2021. She hosted VOGUE’S Met Gala LIVE with almost 15 million people watching. It was scary because in real time social media, everyone was commenting on her nails, but I was so happy they liked it. In the taxi drive home after doing her nails, we drove past a nail salon I worked at that had let me go. It felt great to pass it and know that I didn’t need them and was doing it all on my own.

Aka @lovetrenna to see more of her amazing work!