New business brings art to people's fingertips

Whether you prefer dainty French tips or long metallic claws, dayglo colors or classy neutrals, Wrangell's newest nail technician is ready to help you manifest your wildest manicure dreams.

Recently certified Luba Lofftus is offering manicures from her home studio and will soon be sharing space with the Stone Cold Fox hair salon downtown.

I visited Lofftus in her home to learn more about Happy Girl Nails - her forthcoming business - and to watch her expertise in action.

Lofftus does nails at a specially designed table, surrounded by potted orchids and two large windows. A steady stream of R&B hits plays in the background.

After sanitizing my hands, she got to work on my cuticles with a pair of electronic, whirring files - one pointy and one round. Though these implements looked vaguely threatening, they were pain-free, and buffed my cuticles until they were as smooth and even as a doll's.

Then, she applied several coats of black polish, which she cured to a hard, glossy finish using an ultraviolet lamp. When the look was complete, I was one step closer to embodying the aesthetic of my personal style icon, Lydia Deetz from "Beetlejuice."

Lofftus passed her certification exam in Anchorage earlier this month and is waiting for her official license to arrive. To prepare for the exam, she took an online course and completed hours of practical training to ensure that her manicures are both beautiful and safe for clients.

Nail art can be a risky business if you put your hands in the hands of anyone other than a trained professional. Much of the instruction Lofftus received focused on preventing infections and communicable skin diseases. The photos that accompanied these lessons were gruesome enough to scare any up-and-coming nail tech into a strict sterilization regimen.

Lofftus wears gloves and sanitizes her tools and hands. "It's really important for me to keep people safe," she said.

Even before becoming a nail tech, Lofftus - a self-identified perfectionist - enjoyed creating art. In addition to manicuring, she is a painter and makes custom dolls. "I'm quite an arty person," she said.

After spending about seven years caring for her children, she was looking for a new career path. "I realized that I want to do something with my hands, that's going to make me feel good ... that's going to be joyful for me," she said. Nail art was the perfect solution, fulfilling both Lofftus' desire for a creative outlet and Wrangell's need for a manicurist.

The response from her clients so far has been overwhelmingly positive. Seeing people's reactions to her work is one of her favorite parts of the job, "especially when people are so excited, they're going to let you know like 50 times," she said.

Since she started working toward her license in January, she's given practice manicures to countless customers. Some opt for gel polish like mine, which maintains the original shape of the nail but is less chip-prone than do-it-yourself color. Others opt for the artificial nail, a hybrid between gel and acrylic that is "like armor" for your fingertips. This manicure, which can extend nails beyond their actual length, is more along the lines of something you'd find on Cardi B's or Selena Gomez's Instagram.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, she can also just shape, trim and beautify people's natural nails without adding any colors or designs.

Lofftus has big plans for the future of Happy Girl Nails. After she moves into the brick-and-mortar Front Street location, she'll continue gaining new skills and certifications and learning new techniques. She also hopes to invest in more luxurious chairs for herself and her clients, plus eventually, a footbath and other supplies for pedicures.

But anyone dreaming of showing off their perfectly polished toenails will likely have to wait until next flip-flop season. "Right now, I just want to focus on hands," Lofftus said.