Interview with OPI educator Lee Moore

Lee Moore is an OPI educator and make-up artist:

In my former life I was a personal assistant. In 2006 I left my job to care for my mum and I could no longer afford to have my nails done so she paid for me to go on a nail course. She bought me my first colours, which happened to be OPI, and a love affair was born.

I spend most of my life on the road but I have a home-based salon. Every day is different – catching up with paperwork, playing with designs or delivering OPI training courses.

I love working with my clients but I also love teaching and meeting other nail techs and introducing them to the brand.

I have been really lucky to be given the opportunities that I have. I’ve met some fabulous people and worked on projects that I only dreamed of.

To be able to work for myself doing something that I am passionate about and to represent a brand that I love has to be the best thing about my job.

I also love anything that sparkles like glitter and crystals – I’m such a magpie. I also love working with OPI GelColor. It’s so versatile and easy to use. You can embed into it, paint with it, stamp – the world is your oyster.

Clients seem to really enjoy having something individual to them and for at least one nail to stand out. I’m doing so much more nail art than I used to.

My career highlight to date would be working on James Bond film Spectre. I was fortunate enough to work on Skyfall, and to be asked to work on Spectre too was a dream come true. I was then asked to prep for the royal premiere at the Royal Albert Hall. Seeing the newspapers with my nails all over them the morning after was a career high. 

Images: top left; Lee Moore, bottom left; Moore's nails for Spectre