Sunday, Jul. 20, 2008

Hitting the nails on the head

Modesto woman knew all along what she wanted to be

Julieann Fowler had the profession she wanted to pursue nailed down in high school.

Fowler is a nail technician -- we're talking hands and feet, not hardware. In 2006, she and her sister, hairstylist Steffanie Fowler, opened Marvelous Hair and Nails Salon in Modesto.

"I knew I wanted to do nails when I was 14 or 15, when my sister went to beauty college," said Fowler, 28. "I was a tomboy, but I always loved to do my nails and makeup. I used to make messes all the time."

The Davis High School graduate always has been interested in the beauty industry.

"I love everything about it," she said, especially how it allows her creativity to flourish and that she gets to be her own boss.

Running the salon isn't her only job. She's also a travel agent at The Tan Line & Cruise Center in Modesto. Family members bought the business last year "and we are loving it," said Fowler, adding that she runs the tanning portion of the business.

She also works with Modesto entrepreneur Shelly Hill, the owner and founder of Sparkles, an acrylic nail product line.

When she's not doing nails and helping clients put together vacation trips, she enjoys traveling, going to concerts, Pilates, reading and spending time with her dogs Luca, a golden retriever she shares with her sister, and Candy, an American Eskimo born on Halloween.

Q: How long have you done nails professionally?

A: Since 1999.

Q: Did you play in your mother's makeup as a child?

A: Oh, God, yes. She would get so mad. She'd come in my room in the middle of the night and ask "Where's my mascara?"

Q: How did you learn your craft?

A: I went to (and graduated from) California Beauty College in Modesto. In middle school, I remember collecting a lot of polishes and having a huge basket of them. I started getting my nails done at 15. I watched and learned. When I started (beauty) school, I asked all my friends to come in. I'd work on them at home and school, getting in any practice I could.

Q: Do you attend nail shows?

A: Yes. Last month, I attended the International Beauty Show in Las Vegas. A lot of the shows are held in the spring and summer.

Q: Have you ever entered a nail design competition?

A: I don't enter them, but I will one day. I'm too busy showing products. Competitions take a long time, up to five hours. Some of the things they do are amazing.

Q: Do you specialize in a design or style?

A: I use acrylics. And I love to do nails with glitter. My styles go from a very professional look to to glitter and color -- neons and bright and funky color mixes. I like fun, exciting and glitzy.

Do you have many male clients?

A: A couple, but the men don't like acrylic. It's too smelly for them.

Q: How do you come up with style and design ideas?

A: I've always have been good with colors. I match them well and look for colors you wouldn't think go together. I get my best ideas when I'm about to go to sleep.

Q: What's the most elaborate design you've done?

A: Probably my rainbow nails. Every nail had three different colors and no two nails were the same. They had all the colors of the rainbow. It was really pretty and took about one and a half hours.

Q: What are the most unusual requests you've gotten from a client?

A: One guy wanted a black glitter cross on his pinky nail. I asked Shelly to do that one because crosses are her thing. Another request involved money. I had someone bring in pieces of a $100 bill to put on their nails. And abalone shell. It's crushed and colored, so when you apply it on the nail, it gives it a dimensional look. But mostly I do a lot of flowers, hearts and stars.

Q: What do you enjoy most about your job?

A: The people. My clientele is great. And being able to do my creative expressions.

Q: You also enjoy traveling. Where have you been?

A: Mexico, Canada, Florida. I do a lot of local travel, within the United States. We're looking to go to the Bahamas and Jamaica.

Q: What was the most exciting and/or interesting trip you've taken?

A: Probably Las Vegas. That place ... is quite interesting.

Q: Do you have a dream travel destination?

A: Australia because of the ocean. I'd love to see beaches there. And Fiji.

Q: On your MySpace page, you list your mom as one of your heroes. Why?

A: My mom, Marla Guerrero, was a single mom who raised me and my sister. She's a motivating and positive person anyone would be lucky to know.

Are you between the ages of 18 and 40? Want to X-Press Yourself in The Modesto Bee? Know someone who does? Send suggestions to Donna Birch at: dbirch@modbee.com; The X-File, c/o The Modesto Bee, P.O. Box 5256, Modesto 95352; fax 578-2207 or call 578-2309.