08/25/2026
Around The Globe with IFFN; Today we hear from X'treme Nailz Entrepreneur, Deborah Frew from Grand Rapids, MI.
“I'm always telling people I am never in competition with anyone else. I'm always trying to be the best ME because nobody can do me---I am me. You know what I mean? It's just like, I can't do you, YOU are the best at doing you.” ---Deborah Frew
A resident of Grand Rapids, MI, Deborah is a mother, nail technician, make-up artist, tattoo artist and has been exploring the realm of plus-size modeling and other avenues that incorporate art. Most of all, Deborah is being Deborah! “I love expressing myself. I’m not a person who judges anyone, but this is who I am and how I look. I love me and am doing my thing! Being 38 years old and looking like I look like the artist that I am, I’m just coming hard with everything that I do so that you see it, not just on my face, but in my work itself.” Going hard with everything that she does has been the foundation of Deborah’s survival. We all make choices in life to either wallow in our misfortunes or move forward with the determination to succeed. The latter has been her choice and motivation. “As long as you are doing it to benefit you, and it does not affect your body negatively, it has nothing to do with anyone else. I always try to spread positive and uplifting encouragement to the next woman, because I grew up with nothing. My mother wasn’t rich. She wasn’t financially stable. We grew up on welfare and we grew up in the hood, you know what I mean? I guess I just know from my circumstance and my past, that was not who I wanted to be or to pass that life on to my children, so I poured all of that into my art.” Deb shared she would and still recreates her moods through her make-up artistry. “I’ve drawn clouds, or thunderstorms, or whatever on my face accenting my makeup and then added a blue wig to match. It’s something that I enjoy and am creative with. I remember back in the day when we had the ‘Lisa Frank’ trend. I did a makeup look to that and when they came out with the palette, I used every shade on my face and down my neck. Literally, any form of art keeps me focused and constantly growing, wanting to try new things and push the limits to always making someone extra! When they say, ‘Deb, do me up’, I’m pulling out EVERYTHING!” Go for it, Deb! Do you, and as part of the art industry, really go for it! You are a free spirit and pushing that envelope to the edge is being who you are!
For more of this dynamic interview catch the next issue of X'treme Nailz International Magazine Oct 2026
