First Look Fridays: butter LONDON's Founding Creative Director Nonie Creme

When it comes to nail polish, butter LONDON is among my absolute favorite. And the Founding Creative Director, Nonie Creme? One of the absolute best people to talk to every Fashion Week! She's full of spunk, extremely knowledgeable about all things nails and is the sweetest person you'll ever meet. Read on to discover how she got her start as a manicurist, her favorite butter LONDON polish and so much more.

Can you tell me a bit about yourself?
Believe it or not, I’m a Texan! I was a bit of a nightmare though, so got packed off to East Coast boarding school by the time I was a teen. I developed a habit for British boys at about 17, and followed one home! My parents were so angry that they cut me off financially, which leads me to your next question...


How did you first become interested in nails and what led you to become a manicurist?
I have been into nails since the 5th grade. I was the kid who repainted her nails every single day in a different pattern! When I suddenly found myself broke, unemployed and on tour (groupie status only, I’m not a musician) with my boyfriend’s band in London, it made perfect sense to set up as a nail tech. I could work for myself, any hours I chose, and take it on the road. Eventually I got talent spotted by a top UK agent and began to specialize in high fashion shoots and celebrity work. Which also leads me to the next question...

When did you create butter LONDON, and how did it grow from an idea to reality?
I had carved out quite a name for myself on the London beauty scene (my parents even decided to forgive me) and knew that I had to find a way to create my own product range. I was obsessed with custom mixing, and what was missing from my kit in terms of treatments and aesthetics. Sasha Muir, an English entrepreneur in the USA, heard about me, and I was approached to take a look at the fledgling butter LONDON. A perfect fit! I came on board to oversee the birth of the product range, branding and PR efforts. Now I spend my days designing new products (with the help of several chemists), creating packaging and graphic concepts for all products and the company at large, copywriting, and essentially all things creative here. It’s a long way from the tour bus! When did I turn into a grown up?!

 
What are your favorite butter LONDON products and polishes?
I have a different favorite each week! This week I am in love with Twee from our new Jelly Collection, with butter LONDON 3 Free Matte Finish Topcoat on top. Looks like beach glass.


Our new Luxury Lotion line just landed in the warehouse, and I CANNOT stop slathering it on. The scents are heavenly, and I don’t have to wear perfume when I am wearing these. (They come in Champagne, Black Tea, and Country Garden.)

If you could only take one butter LONDON product or polish with you on a desert island, what would it be and why?
It would have to be Come to Bed Red. I feel so “dressed” when I wear this particular shade, and it’s literally appropriate for any occasion, even a desert island.

What are your top 3 nail tips?

1) Always wear butter LONDON nail lacquers with the corresponding base & top coats. Your manicure will last NOTICEABLY longer than other brands when you wear the whole “system”. Never mix 3 Free products with other types, you may compromise your safety and will certainly compromise the efficiency of the lacquer.

2) Using Stiletto Stick Hydrating Heel Balm morning and night will leave your heels permanently soft and supple, reducing the need for filing or exfoliation down to once every 4-6 weeks! A year long solution to sandal/slingback-ready feet.


3) The new Luxury Lotions are a moisturizing phenomenon! Skip perfume and drench your bod in these incredible new lotions. Paraben-free and vegan.

What is the most rewarding part of what you do?
Being able to bring my own vision of fashion and aesthetics to the world is hugely rewarding. I always wanted to be an artist, and my job makes me feel like I’m living my dream. Corporate life is NOT my favorite part, but I’ve learned so much about business, wholesale distribution and the nuts and bolts of how to start and run a company.

Being a manicurist must be fun -- but what do you do in your spare time?
I have a 22-month-old daughter who is the center of my universe. I spend spare time hanging out with her and her dad (drinking wine on the porch!). My house is a hub for all our friends, so at any given time there are people, babies and dogs running around, and Wii competitions in play! It’s a happy and mellow place.

To follow Nonie Creme on Twitter, click here. To follow butter LONDON on Twitter, click here.