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B Side
Traditionally, the B side refers to the flip side of a record. The A side contains the more front-facing hits—the singles—but on the B side, you can get in a bit deeper with the artist. And quite honestly, there’s no better metaphor we can think of for the creative team behind a beauty look. They pull the references, scour the archives, and paint the picture you see on the big screen. The celebrity, model, or actor is the single with the most airtime. But the glam team? They’re the producers, conductors, friends, and family members. For lack of a less ubiquitous phrase, they make it work.
It has always been our mission to shine a light on the BTS of beauty, as the artistry of hair and makeup is an intricate, detailed exploration that lies at the cross section of aesthetics and culture. Why? Because the origin of a look is just as important as the look itself. The backstory deserves its hard-earned glory.
This time around, we’re introducing you to nail artist Zola Ganzorigt and hairstylist Hikaru Hirano, the masterminds behind the nail and hair looks for Byrdie’s 15th issue—The Travel Issue—featuring Nicola Peltz Beckham. Below, join us in taking a peek behind the curtain, as their consistent creativity is what keeps us inspired.
Nail Artist Zola Ganzorigt
On the inspiration for the nail look…
“Nicola and I both like natural and elegant yet trendy, nails. We chose medium almond nails (they’re her natural nails!), as the shape gives that elongated feminine look. We went for a minimalist, swirly French nail design with light lavender nail polish. I used OPI Spring Into Action polish for the look.”
On working with Nicola…
“It’s always nice to work with her. She’s really caring, funny, and kind. When it comes to nails, we have similar tastes, and it makes it so easy to [collaborate].”
On her early years and starting her career in beauty…
“I grew up in Erdenet, Mongolia. It’s a small city with a little over 100,000 people. I first got into the beauty industry in 2016 as a side job when I moved to the U.S., and then I began to take it more seriously in 2020. That was when I chose it as my career. During my early years in the industry, I was trying to learn as much as possible and trying everything. I wouldn’t say it was an easy road. I had to start from the bottom—I was so new to the country and culture. I wanted to be able to do [whatever a client asked for] from acrylic, sculpted nails to natural nails. Then, I realized it’s better to do what you really love and to have a specialty. To me, it was natural nails and nail designs. If you stay true to yourself and work hard, it always pays off, and along the way, you can inspire other people.”
On her career highlights…
“There [have been] so many big moments in my career, but the biggest was definitely when my glazed-doughnut nails on Hailey Bieber [went viral] in 2022. Nothing makes me happier than seeing my client’s happy face when they get their nails done and love them.”
On what beauty means to her and how it’s empowered her throughout her life…
“To me, beauty means self-love. Whether it’s taking care of your body, hair, skin, nails, or your mental health, learning and accepting who you are and improving things that only you can change is power—that’s self-love and beauty.”
On her mentors and icons…
“My beauty icons are my clients! I’m lucky to work with all those great people and get inspired by them every single day.”
Advice for those coming up in the industry…
“Practice makes perfect and never stop learning. Specialize in things you enjoy, whether it’s avant-garde nail design or a natural nail.”
Hairstylist Hikaru Hirano
On the inspiration for the hair looks…
“I’m loving the big waves and modern [twist] on this ’60s movie actress style for the first look. The second is half-up, half-down with that same bouncy volume. It’s inspired by French actress Brigitte Bardot. The third look was our supermodel moment. Sleek and very chic.”
On working with Nicola…
“Working with Nicola is always fun for me. She has [a] great sense of style and beautiful ideas that always inspire me. She is not just beautiful. She has strong energy and very iconic looks. Working with her is so much fun every time.”
