Viet Voice

Makeup Guru Michelle Phan's Role as a Nail Tech

by Kimberly Pham | May 22, 2012 | Bookmark +

She’s not a nail tech, but she plays one on TV (YouTube to be exact). Check out this video created by Vietnamese-American YouTube sensation, Michelle Phan. Michelle is a make-up guru and is followed by nearly two million subscribers on her YouTube channel. She has over 170 videos with over 479 million views. Most of her videos are make-up tutorials where she explores natural and fantasy looks for all occasions. In 2010, she became a video makeup artist for Lancôme.

Earlier this year, she started creating short-film fairy tales with themes of self-confidence, perseverance, and love. In “Underneath Your Love,” Michelle recreates a Cinderella fairy tale with a nail salon twist! She plays an insecure nail tech who hides behind her salon mask. Her mother makes a guest appearance in this video, offering her guidance and support during a heartwarming chat in Vietnamese (this part is subtitled in English).

Her mother happens to be a nail tech in real life, which she has drawn inspiration from. “My mother always told me that a beautiful heart will take you far,” she writes in her blog.


Photo courtesy of Hand & Nail Harmony

“Underneath Your Love” was sponsored by Gelish, written and directed by Michelle, co-written and produced by Richard Frias, and co-produced by Danny Haile and James Lai. Click here for some behind-the-scenes photos from the day of the shoot.



Photo courtesy of Hand & Nail Harmony


Photo courtesy of MichellePhan.com

Gelish also helped celebrate Michelle's 25th birthday with some bubble nails and the launch of her new online fashion and beauty media company, FAWN, or the For All Women Network. Founded by Michelle and Richard Frias, the media and technology company FAWN (For All Women Network) caters to "innovative and conscious-minded young women who enjoy beauty, fashion and a contemporary lifestyle," as described on their website.

For more videos and makeup tutorials, you can visit Michelle Phan's YouTube channel.

— Kim

Kimberly Pham

Senior Editor

Read more posts written by Kimberly
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