Philishea Everage wants to spread the love, and she’s doing it through her passion for nails. Everage is the owner of Barely Blush Nails, a luxury beauty brand specializing in vegan nail care products that celebrates all skin tones and a love for everyone.
Average launched the brand back in 2017, when she started out as a premium pop-up nail bar experience. Then, in 2020, she launched her signature nail care retail products like cuticle oil and sugar scrub as well as the nail polish line with the first collection, The Pandemic Collection.
“Barely Blush was a seed that was planted as a young child growing up in the mid-90s,” says Everage. “I would ask my mother if I could paint her nails and toes when she would get ready for an important event or a night out on the town with her girlfriends.”
Everage says it was the simple act of painting nails and the joy it brought her in seeing the end result. “I recognized it gave me an opportunity to connect and talk to her, and build memories,” she says. “I also noticed when I painted her nails her attitude changed and it gave her a boost in self-confidence.”
Everage’s mother eventually started getting her hair and nails done, and collected nail polish in a box.
“This box, to me, was the secret sauce,” she says. “The box had to contain at least 75 different polishes. It had lots of bright colors and nails and embellished gems. I was immediately drawn in and fascinated.”
Although she wasn’t supposed to, Everage found herself sneaking into the box and setting up shop in the neighborhood, providing nail services to girls and women who would allow her to do their nails.
The passion for nails and creativity carried on, and Everage knew that she wanted to help African American women in the 90s express themselves through bright colors and nail art.
“African American women were bold and stood on all of their glory unapologetically,” she says. “Beauty is the bridge to connection and relationships with other women. As a nation we are so divided, and even women are becoming jealous and competitive. Barely Blush helps give women value and worth to build healthier relationships rooted in embracing oneself and empowering and celebrating with other women.”
Barely Blush Nails offers manicures, pedicures, nail art, and nail extensions using healthier alternatives to acrylic. “Our job is to make your nails beautiful while keeping them healthy,” she says.
And Barely Blush Nails is keeping your nails healthy with their non-toxic polish.
“All of our products are vegan, including our polish, which is completely free of animal ingredients or animal by-products,” says Everage.
Products from Barely Blush Nails are also cruelty-free and not tested on animals during any part of the production process.
Everage says that she’s always planning something new for Barely Blush Nails, and will soon be launching the reusable, press-on nail collection.
You can find Barely Blush Nails inside Spruce Nail Shop, their salon partner, in Over-the-Rhine at 1818 Race Street, Suite 101. Learn more about Barely Blush Nails at https://www.barelyblushnails.com or follow along on Facebook and Instagram.
