For three sisters growing up in a big Lebanese-Australian family, Christmas began with a familiar tradition: a trip to Coles or Woolies on December 1 to buy one Cadbury advent calendar to share.
Rochele Hanna Politis, Saryne Lagudi and Jazmin Hanna Oluklu would divide the chocolate between them, although deciding whose turn it was to open each little door was another matter entirely.
Now, six years after starting Australian nail brand Ezmio Beauty with their best friend Nicolle Khattar El-Rassy, the founders have put their own spin on the festive tradition.
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Arrow
The Ezmio Beauty Nail Advent Calendar is a limited-edition collection that has taken the four women six years to bring to life, with 12 full-size gel polishes and 12 surprise gifts tucked inside.
Priced at $299, the calendar contains $423 worth of product, perfect for anyone who considers a fresh manicure an essential part of the Christmas countdown.
Ezmio Beauty’s first-ever Nail Advent Calendar features 12 exclusive full-size gel shades and 12 surprise gifts, six years in the making. Credit: Ezmio Beauty
And unlike the chocolate calendars of their childhood, this one has a much longer shelf life.
A dream brought to life
Nicolle says the idea has been on her mind since the brand launched.
“This advent calendar has been something I wanted to do since we started Ezmio, literally six years in the making!” she says.
Be the first to know: Add 7NEWS as your preferred news source on Google
“From the design to the gels, every year we would start creating the calendar and something just wouldn’t work. This year we finally nailed it.”
One thing she refused to compromise on was the size of the products.
“You get twelve full-size gels, and this was something I was not willing to be swayed on.”
For a brand built around doing gel nails at home, the contents have been designed with its community in mind. Ezmio’s customers are known for keeping the founders busy with messages asking when the next colour drop is coming, so the team wanted shades that would work well beyond December.
The Ezmio Beauty Nail Advent Calendar is priced at $299 and contains $423 worth of product, making it a festive gift for gel nail lovers. Credit: Ezmio Beauty
What’s inside?
Among the 12 exclusive colours is Ruby Rudolph, a sparkling ruby red that feels right at home at a Christmas party, while Holly Holiday offers a dusty rose with a golden glow.
Safa Snowflake, meanwhile, is a milky white builder gel with a pearl shimmer, for anyone who prefers a softer festive manicure.
The collection also includes a mix of specialty finishes, from cat eye and opalescent gels to pearlescent and sparkle shades. These are exclusive to the calendar and will not appear in any other Ezmio collection.
But the fun does not stop at the polish.
Across the 12 days are surprise gifts, including nail stickers that appear on random days and charms to collect as the countdown continues.
Day one kicks things off with a miniature keyring shaped like an Ezmio gel bottle. It doubles as a can opener, which is a handy reminder from the founders that your nails should never be doing the heavy lifting.
The calendar also comes with 12 surprise gifts, bringing the total to 24 surprises to unwrap and enjoy.
Sentimental Christmas traditions
For Rochele, the project carries a sentimental connection to the Christmas traditions that shaped her childhood.
“Spending Christmas Day at our grandparents’ house was such a fond memory. Coming from a huge Lebanese family, every year we would have a massive feast with everyone, and we still keep this tradition to this day,” she says.
The Ezmio Beauty Nail Advent Calendar is priced at $299 and contains $423 worth of product, making it a festive gift for gel nail lovers. Credit: Ezmio Beauty
The sisters’ shared chocolate calendar was another small ritual that made the festive season feel special.
“There is something so fun and so special about getting to open something in the lead-up to Christmas. It’s like it makes the Christmas period so much longer, which is the best, because it flies by so fast.”
Finally holding the finished calendar was a celebration in itself.
“When the box came in though, that was something else!” Rochele says.
“We had a big seafood lunch and popped a bottle of champs. That was the best! Perhaps the celebration was a little premature, but we had to celebrate that we finally had it and it was real!”
Ezmio Beauty’s first-ever Nail Advent Calendar features 12 exclusive full-size gel shades and 12 surprise gifts, six years in the making. Credit: Ezmio Beauty
Ezmio Beauty Nail Advent Calendar
For anyone already planning their Christmas beauty wishlist, the Ezmio Beauty Nail Advent Calendar is available to pre-order now for $299, with dispatches beginning November 10.
It is a limited-edition release, so once the calendars are gone, they are gone.
Those planning to recreate the manicures at home should also note that Ezmio recommends pairing the gels with its two-in-one Base Coat, No Wipe Top Coat and five-in-one Cat Eye Magnet Tool. These are additional products, so factor them into your budget if you do not already have the essentials.
After six years in the making, the calendar feels like a fitting tribute to the little traditions that make Christmas memorable, with a fresh manicure waiting behind every door.
