00:00Do you like getting your nails done?
00:01I know the correct answer right now.
00:03Yeah.
00:05Yeah.
00:05But, no.
00:07If I could drop my hands off at the nail salon and come back for them later, like I would.
00:22Hi everyone.
00:23I'm Sarah Tan and I'm Refinery29's beauty director and today we are sitting here with
00:28Love Island's Leah Koteb and Thuy Nguyen, who is a celebrity nail artist to Nicole Kidman,
00:34Reese Witherspoon, Awkwafina, the list goes on, and we're about to dive into a full set
00:39of nail art.
00:40You're going to be doing some star-inspired nail art today, yes?
00:44It's like a Western-y vibe and I've just been spending more time with my horses and stuff,
00:48so I feel like it fits really well.
00:50My nail tag usually does stiletto, but we cut her down and shape it to almond, which is exactly
00:58what you're saying.
00:59I did do my research and I was like, I know what those nails are.
01:02I can feel that the vibe.
01:05You did.
01:05I've been doing nails for about 20 years.
01:08I started like just helping my aunt at her nail salon.
01:11She didn't speak fluent English and so I would just go and translate with her and I started
01:16seeing my aunt do nail art and I was like, she's drawing pictures on the nails.
01:20And I just was like obsessed.
01:22I was working with a company and it was an A-lister's nails.
01:25My hands are like shaking.
01:27I'm like, am I polishing?
01:28She took me on to like her magazine covers and her press days.
01:31I'm now doing this full time.
01:33Leah has a concept that she sent over.
01:36These are like what I call latte colors and there's like a little bit of a soft marshmallow-y
01:42white French tip.
01:43That's a lot of work.
01:44Like that sounds really edible.
01:46My like favorite thing is to do like latte nails.
01:50Like very beautiful and it's very like chic for fall.
01:54The neutrals, you can wear them like with any outfit.
01:57Did you get your nails done during the show?
02:00No.
02:00And actually, that was actually the first time ever that I wore press on nails.
02:05They were hanging on for dear life.
02:07Like if you go and look back at the episodes, like once they did fall off, I glued them.
02:13Back on with nails and they were gel-ac.
02:15Cover your ears.
02:16It's really scary to say that in a nail shop.
02:20And then I lost them when I was doing the kayaking challenge with Miguel.
02:24Like literally my entire set fell off basically.
02:28And after that.
02:29It was press on.
02:30It was press on.
02:31Let's talk about Love Island and how it changed you.
02:36Usually we got to go through life without getting to like watch back moments.
02:40Yeah.
02:40Of our lives.
02:42If you are forced, I guess, to speak about your feelings even when you don't want to.
02:47Yeah.
02:48In the moment I was very like, why am I here?
02:51Yeah.
02:51Crying every day, like going through it.
02:54But I definitely think now when I look back at it, I'm really grateful to the entire experience
02:59and like everyone that I got to experience it with.
03:03And it's been really fun spending time with everyone post-show.
03:07Obviously, I see Serena and Janae the most and Miguel live together.
03:12Yeah.
03:13When we hang out, it doesn't feel like any different than when it was just us three like.
03:18Yeah.
03:18Like messing around in the villa, you know.
03:21Yeah.
03:21What was glam like getting ready with your girlfriends?
03:23You were literally being rushed and we're like, so you want us to talk but also shower
03:29and also do our hair and makeup all at the same time and get it done in an hour.
03:36Yeah.
03:36It was crazy.
03:36Oh, that's okay.
03:37You know, people leave comments and you know, they always offer their criticisms.
03:42Like, do you pay attention to that?
03:44I would be lying if I said it doesn't affect me.
03:46Like, my boyfriend sometimes has to take my phone because I'm like reading all these
03:50mean things and I'm like, ugh, like I just can't believe like I'm making someone feel that
03:55upset.
03:55But you obviously have so many fans.
03:59Absolutely.
04:00And leaving positive comments.
04:02No, no.
04:02Yeah.
04:03Far, far, far outweighs any crumb of hate.
04:07Like, I have a lot of Middle Eastern women come up to me and be like, I am so grateful
04:11that you're having your moment right now and that, you know, a Middle Eastern girl is getting
04:17the spotlight.
04:18I used to feel like, I don't want to use the word embarrassed but like it is what it is.
04:24Like, that was just due to where I grew up, where I went to school and just, you know,
04:29being made fun of for having parents that have accents or the food that I would bring to school.
04:34They just didn't know what it was and they would make fun of it.
04:36And like, and I think when you feel weird or different, you tend to want to fit in.
04:44You know, I'm really glad that I matured because now I'm like, no, being Persian is so cool.
04:50Yeah.
04:50Why do you think you're the first Love Islander to get one million followers?
04:54I guess just seeing clips of myself that people were posting and just saying like, she's so
05:00me.
05:01At least when people come up to me as well, like they're like, I wish sometimes I could have
05:06stood up for myself in that moment, like the way you did.
05:09And like, they're like, but I have now after seeing that.
05:11So did you, you watched?
05:14No.
05:15No, you didn't.
05:16No.
05:16You still haven't.
05:17I've yet to watch it.
05:18You don't want to?
05:19No.
05:20When I see myself crying, it makes me sad.
05:23And when I see like my girls crying, it makes me sad.
05:26And when I see like certain situations, I'm like, I wish I, or freak, I wish I did that differently.
05:32I don't know if I'm in a mental capacity to watch it yet.
05:35Maybe in like two years.
05:36Did your family watch it?
05:37Oh my God, religiously.
05:40My dad hates reality TV and like hasn't watched it a day in his life.
05:45He was so into it, but my parents were like, obviously like you, it sucks because you can't
05:50speak to your daughter and you're watching her go through all that.
05:53So yeah, it's really, it was, it's, it's a weird experience.
05:58Were they, were they super proud though of you?
06:01Like, oh yeah, they're really proud of me.
06:04During that time when I wasn't able to speak to my family, I was like, I am embarrassing them.
06:08They've disowned me and great.
06:11Like what is going to be life when I get back?
06:13That wasn't the case.
06:14That was not the case.
06:15Yeah.
06:15Not disowned.
06:18I'm definitely really grateful.
06:19I think my parents and my sister have been really understanding and helpful throughout
06:24this whole process.
06:25And I'm very lucky.
06:27Is there a moment on Love Island that you feel best represents who you are?
06:32Probably Miguel's final speech for me.
06:36I think he worded me up pretty well in a nutshell of how I see myself.
06:43He just put it together so perfectly.
06:47What did your dream date with Miguel look like?
06:50Probably something with animals and like a cute dinner.
06:54I love a good dinner.
06:56What's your favorite?
06:57I love In-N-Out.
07:01Obsessed.
07:02What's your In-N-Out order?
07:03A grilled cheese, extra spread, extra chilies, extra pickles, grilled onions, animal fries,
07:13extra spread, chopped chilies, and then more chilies on the side.
07:18Okay.
07:19Because I like to have my mouth burning.
07:21And then a Diet Coke.
07:24And...
07:24That honestly sounds like the perfect meal.
07:26It's so good.
07:27Yeah.
07:28Do you like getting your nails done?
07:30I know the correct answer right now.
07:32Especially right now would be yes.
07:35Yes, yeah.
07:35But no.
07:37Yeah.
07:37I hate it.
07:38I was just saying to my sister, if I could drop my hands off at the nail salon and come
07:44back for them later, like I would.
07:46People are always like, oh my God, like her posture is so good.
07:49Yeah.
07:49But like the one place is at the nail salon that I sit really crazy.
07:54Yeah, yeah.
07:54What drew you to like the French tip with the stars?
07:58I've been pretty like vocal about my mental health and whatnot.
08:01And I've been in kind of like a weird funk lately.
08:04So I've just been spending a lot of time with my horses and my pigs.
08:11The colors, I guess, is a reminder of where I feel the happiest and where I'm just the most comfortable.
08:18What do you think?
08:19I'm obsessed.
08:21They're really, really pretty.
08:23Cute, right?
08:23That's a wrap.
08:24Leah, let's see your nails.
08:25They look amazing.
08:27They're so cute.
08:28Yay!
08:28Thank you, Thuy.
08:30And thank you, Aaliyah, for doing this.
08:31You guys are true artists.
08:34Thank you so much.
08:34These are so beautiful.
08:35We'll see you next time on Full Set.
08:37Bye!
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