Pro Spotlight

OPI Pro Spotlight: @roxanabenta

Our December Pro Spotlight pick has gone from winning at athletics to winning at manis!

Based in Romania, Roxana (@roxanabenta) had a sports career before entering the nail industry and, in 2022, received an OPI International TrendVision Award (ITVA) for her nail artistry. Below, learn more about her, including her work as an OPI brand ambassador and her go-to holiday looks. 

OPI: How did your journey start in the nail industry?

Roxana: Honestly I was inspired from so very little from my mother who was into doing her manicure alone and that was the moment when I started to try it on my own and realising that I was really into design. That was the moment when I felt that I had to start working on my calling. I took a course , and the opportunity came right after someone saw my work and called me for an interview.

OPI: You've been an OPI Pro Ambassador since 2018! What's been the most exciting part, and how has being a part of the OPI team impacted your career?

Roxana: Being part of such an amazing team is more than an opportunity, it is an honour to represent this amazing brand, all these reflected in how my career had such a fast soar. These came at the right time to meet new people, learn from and with the best and that is the perks of being part of the team.

OPI: Your online presence and social media aesthetic are so stunningly curated. What advice would you give to other nail artists working to further their social presence?

Roxana: I will begin by saying that being present on social media can count as a second job and it can be overwhelming sometimes but it definitely has a winning taste. My advice will be to be consistent and dedicated if you want to see the results because at the end of the day you can connect and learn from artists around the world and also you can never know what kind of opportunities can appear.

OPI: Now that the holidays are finally here, we'd love to know which shades from our Holiday Collection have been your favorites?

Roxana: This fabulous collection is one of my favorite because let’s be honest this time of the year is definitely “Terribly Nice” exactly as my favorite shade “Put on Something Ice” that reminds me so well of how Christmas looked back in the days. But being a minimalist girl. I also adore the “Peppermint Bark and Bite” that is evidently the hardest color from the collection.

OPI: We see that you opened your own salon! What was that process like, and what do you hope to see for your nail career and business in the future?

Roxana: I was overwhelmed by the desire to evolve and reach to the next level, and what better way to project your ideas than having your own space to be the best that you can be and finally jump in with both feet. And also having by my side people that feel the need to spread their wings, in which I can invest my time and passion.

OPI: Do you have any go-to looks for the holidays?

Roxana: A look that can’t be left outside it definitely involves red for this time of the year with that being said I will go for a clean manicure that defines and pleases me and my clients.

OPI: How do you feel that the nail industry in Romania has grown in the last few years, and what are you most looking forward to?

Roxana: Being born in Romania has its advantages because we as a nation are very motivated when it involves growth , and the last few years we achieved so many things by working hard. I am looking forward to meeting new people ,learning as much as possible and taking all the opportunities that will come in my way.

OPI: You were an OPI ITVA NailArtist in 2022! Tell us about that experience!

Roxana: It was a unique experience and it felt amazing to realize what hard work can do. It was full of people from the whole beauty industry that inspire me every single day and also the feeling was quite familiar seeing everyone  walking all together representing their countries, taking me down memory lane back when I used to win in athletics . My goal now is to go from a lucky finalist to conquer the ITVA….

OPI: What prompted you to shift your career from sports and hospitality to nails? Was it a hard transition, or was it mostly thrilling?

Roxana: The transition was the smoothest that can be because with the sports I was finished long before and also in the hospitality domain I knew it would be for a short period of time. But how I like to believe that everyone has their passion inside I felt that mine was growing slowly but surely.

OPI: You have some of the most amazing nail art looks and detailed lines in your work! How did you become such an expert at perfecting these details?

Roxana: Being such a perfectionist gave me the opportunity to see that the most important thing is to clean the nail bed because this depends on the final result. With these being said the details are more defined.

OPI: You have some of the most amazing nail art looks and detailed lines in your work! How did you become such an expert at perfecting these details?

Roxana: Being such a perfectionist gave me the opportunity to see that the most important thing is to clean the nail bed because this depends on the final result. With these being said the details are more defined.

OPI: What are your favorite techniques to use when creating intricate nail art?

Roxana: I am a minimalist nail artist and that is the main technique that I use when the goal is to achieve something perfect. Being such a perfectionist it is within me and I have to say it is a love-hate relationship but I manage to see it as an advantage.

Be sure to follow Roxana, AKA @roxanabenta on Instagram!