Swatcher Spotlight: Ashley / Southern Swatches
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What's the most exciting thing about swatching for you? (i.e. why do you do it?)
I'm indecisive by nature, so getting to see and play with polish colors or finishes that I normally wouldn't gravitate towards is so fun!
If you could give advice to newbies it would be _______________?
Don't overdo it! Burnout is real and it can hit you out of nowhere. Also, be confident in your photos! Second guessing or doubting yourself is a heavy weight that can crush you if you let it.
What was the first brand that you worked with?
Heather's Hues, back in August of 2018.
Has swatching changed your relationship with nail polish? How?
For sure. I look at polishes with a much more critical eye than I used to. It takes a very unique polish to catch my attention these days. I rarely ever purchase polishes for personal use anymore, mostly because I know I'll never get around to wearing it.
Favorite finish to photograph? Least favorite finish?
I love photographing flakie jellies! They have so much dimension. Least favorite is less of a finish, and more of a color: white. White polishes are the hardest for me to accurately capture, especially if they have shimmers or iridescent flakes.
Any fun stories to come out of swatching? Like strange things you did to get the photo? Weird poses? Stuff that felt like a disaster in the moment but was funny later?
Any of my photos of soaps in action... I took with my nose.
How much time do you spend each week swatching, taking photos, etc?
Way more than I'd like to admit... probably 40 hours give or take.
If you could only wear one polish finish what would it be?
Metallic or foil flakie bombs
Given all the swatching, how often do you get to actually wear polish for yourself?
Once or twice a month, maybe. I rarely ever wear a polish of my choosing anymore, but again, my indecisiveness kinda makes this a good thing most of the time.
How do you store your polishes?
I have custom wood shelves my boyfriend built me, along with a converted old dart board cabinet for polishes special to me. Also, the staple: a helmer.