One of the things we learnt during lockdown? Nailing the perfect manicure is hard.

Manicurists and nail artists are skilled professionals and nothing will ever beat the finish and feeling of an in-salon manicure. One of these professionals is Rita Remark, editorial manicurist and global lead educator for iconic nail brand Essie.

In her role, which she took on in 2015, Rita has worked on the nails of a long list of celebrities, including Serena Williams, Meghan Markle, Annie Murphy, Jonathan Van Ness, Cindy Crawford, Kate Moss, Sarah Paulson and many more.

As part of her work for Essie, she has also designed the nail looks at countless fashion shows, including Erdem, Proenza Schouler, Christian Siriano, Brandon Maxwell and Reem Acra. It’s fair to say she’s done it all and despite the pandemic slowing down fashion weeks and red carpet events, her Instagram page is filled with plenty of nail inspiration.

So, as somebody who works on countless projects and events, what’s the one product that Rita relies on to get herself ready for the day? Here, she tells us.

Pretty Damn Good: the cult mascara this celebrity manicurist relies on for long, fanned-out lashes