First Look Fridays: Orly Creative Director & Ambassador and Manicurist Fiona Hay

Australian manicurist Fiona Hay is certainly busy now that she's the Orly Creative Director & Ambassador. I got the scoop on every Orly product she loves and couldn't help but tell me about ... plus more! Find out all about Fiona after the jump.

Can you tell me a bit about yourself?
I live in Sydney, Australia, where I have lived my whole life! I went to Strathfield Girls High, Sydney.

How did you first become interested in nails, and what led you to become a manicurist?
I actually started my career as a makeup artist, assisting on editorial shoots and doing weddings. I saw the importance of completing the look with perfectly manicured fingers and toes.

What are some of your favorite nail looks?
I love short, chic nails. With a shorter nail, any color works. I am passionate about natural nail care, so perfectly manicured nails and healthy cuticles are a must.

How did you become involved with Orly, and what do you love about working with the line?
I was approached by Orly nearly two years ago to be their Australian Ambassador & Creative Director. It was just before fashion week, where the brand was relaunching to the Australian market.

I love that Orly's products are "3-Free." It gives me, and importantly my clients, peace of mind that they are not using harmful ingredients. The colors are all gorgeous too!

What are your top 5 favorite Orly products?

1) Orly Cuticle Care Complex: An antioxidant-rich oil that penetrates the nail matrix and conditions cuticles to promote health nail growth.

2) Orly Nailtrition: This amazing product helps strengthen peeling and splitting nails with collagen, wheat protein, keratin and bamboo extract. A must for recovering from acrylics.

3) Orly Bonder: A rubberized base coat that anchors polish to the nails, yet remains flexible to resist chipping.

4) Orly Polishield: The top coat that does it all. High shine, fast drying, chip resistant, love it.

5) Orly Flash Dry Drops: I cannot survive on shoots without these miracle drops! Applied to nails one minute after painting, nails are touch dry in minutes.

What are your top 3 nail tips?
1) Give your cuticles lots of TLC. Apply cuticle oil daily.

2) Never peel your nail polish off when it starts to chip, this removes layers of your nail and leads to future peeling problems. Always use a nail polish remover.

3) Always wear gloves when washing dishes or doing household cleaning. Cleaning products are so harsh on your skin and nails. Apply a layer of hand cream before you put on rubber gloves to do the dishes, the warmth will help the cream penetrate.

Being a manicurist must be fun -- but what do you do in your spare time?
I love spending time with my family and friends. I have an 11-year-old daughter, Tayla. I also love getting out in our 1960 Cadillac and racing our 1960 Pontiac! I'm a bit like Penelope Pitstop!