Hello, beautiful, gorgeous people!
Welcome to Polished Sole. You could be reading any “About Me” page in the world, but you’re here with me. I love that for us.
My name is Erica, and I’m a millennial mom living in Harlem, NYC, who stays with a fresh set of nails. Like, I don’t step out of my home with bare nails. Ever.
Polished Sole is an idea that started in 2020 when I was working from home while raising a toddler. I wanted to inject some creativity into my life and really wanted something to do that was just for me. I needed something to keep my brain engaged and let me express my personal style. I’ve always been into sneakers (wannabe sneakerhead in my teens, full-blown enthusiast with adult money now!), and I wanted my nails to match that same creative energy. But between work and parenting, sitting in a salon for hours? Never happening.
So I started doing my own press-on nails at home. And it changed everything.
At first, it was just a creative way for me to play around with color, techniques, and design something uniquely mine.
But then something unexpected happened. People started stopping me in public to ask where I got my nails done. The look on their faces when I told them I did them myself, at home? Priceless. I realized I might actually be good at this.
Fast forward nearly six years, and I’ve spent that time figuring out which products actually work, cutting through the trial-and-error, and creating a process that lets me design high-quality, editorial-looking sets with ease. People ask me all the time to do their nails or tell me I should become a nail tech, but that’s not my path. What I can do, though, is share everything I’ve learned with you.
Why Polished Sole?
The name comes from my two loves, nail art and sneakers. My sneaker collection often inspires my nail designs. I build my outfits from the bottom up, and my nails are the finishing touch that ties it all together.
DIYing my nails was intimidating at first because I wanted intricate designs, but I’m no Amy Sherald. It took some time, but I finally learned that I don’t need to be an artist to create beautiful nails because creativity isn’t about being naturally talented. It’s about having the right guidance and practice, practice, practice. That’s why I’m so passionate about busting the myths around DIY press-ons. One of the biggest misconceptions is that they’re cheap, low-quality, or impossible to do well without drawing skills. None of that is true.
What you do need is a solid process. Don’t worry, I got you. That’s why I created The POLISH Method.
What You’ll Find Here
Most people scroll Pinterest or Instagram looking for nail inspo, only to find gorgeous designs with zero information on how to actually recreate them. Frustrating, right?
On PolishedSole.com, I’ll walk you through my entire process, from inspiration to a completed, long-lasting set you’ll be proud to show off. I share every product I use, my prep steps, application instructions, and a step-by-step design method that gets rid of the guesswork.
My approach is all about playful experimentation. Designing your own nails is self-care. It’s artistic expression. And most importantly, it’s about tapping into your creativity and personal style.
Whether you’re brand new to press-ons or you’ve been doing your nails for a while and want to level up, I want you to feel like you’re getting trusted advice from a friend who’s been there, figured it out, and is genuinely excited to share it with you. So welcome to Polished Sole, your one-stop source for creating press-on nails that look like a professional did them (because, well, you did).