After months of consideration, I finally signed up for nail school with the Yullia Beauty School in Tel Aviv. On January 16 I had my first class. This may sound cheesy, but it was a humbling experience.

For about seven years I have had a huge interest in, fascination of, and love for nail art. Once I had my first Japanese 3D nail art manicure at Valley Nails, there was no turning back. Of course I couldn't afford frequent $50 manicures (which was a lot back then, and this was for my natural nails!), but I could buy acrylic powder and liquid and work on learning how to make 3D bows and other designs.

As nail art trends have changed, incorporating elaborate charms, hand-painted art with intricate lines, and gel polish opening up a whole other world, my focus had been on the additions that enhance the beauty of a manicure, and not on the manicure itself.

So I decided it was important to get back to the basics and learn how to give a quality manicure, with a single color, as without the foundation for a long-lasting manicure, what good are all the embellishments?

It's been 5 weeks since I started my manicure course, and I must say that I have come a long way. From being afraid to cut cuticles, to at times polishing with a shaky hand, this course has helped me to be more confident in my work. I now know the proper way to file, buff, push and cut cuticles, and polish, resulting in beautiful manicures. And now I feel it's time to get back to making those manicures even more fun for the ladies of Tel Aviv.

I'm looking forward to sharing my new creations with you! I'll post them here and on my Instagram and Facebook page.