From the red carpet and Fashion Week and all over the Internet, the latest trend on girls’ hands is nail art. Nail art is a manicure or pedicure taken to the next level. It’s how girls show their personality and get creative on the small canvas of their fingernails, and lately, it’s been the hottest trend. Whether it’s polka dots and stripes to match an outfit or adding textures, such as glitter, it makes the nails pop and catches eyes immediately.
Nail art has come a long way. It started just by using a funky color polish to the “party nail,” which is the one fingernail different from all the rest. Rainbow nails, animal print nails, studded nails; there’s no stopping how far a girl will go to be crazier than the last. Each girl is inspired by something different.
Senior Lauren Magenta said she’s been getting her recent nail art inspirations from celebrities, since the award show season has just passed.
“E!’s red carpet has a mani-cam and some of the most intricate and flashy nails I have ever seen have been on it,” Magenta said.
Now, with spring approaching, nail art trends are coming from what is on the runways. Pastels, flowers, crosses and gradient, also known as ombre, are becoming the new trends. Magenta said she’s tried a lot of them.
“I like to color block,” she explained. “I have tried newspaper nails, marble nails, glitter and gems.”
Not only are these new trends hard to keep up with, but they’re also difficult to do with only two hands.
Senior Kelli Dobrin said she paints her nails daily and has come up with her own techniques to help her in the process.
“Easy nail art is making patterns using scotch tape,” Dobrin said. “The hardest is gradient, you paint your nails using a sponge and dab another color; it’s just so difficult!”
Dobrin’s favorite trend, out of them all, is textured nails, or “anything you can put on your nails to make them feel interesting,” like velvet powder, glitter or even studs.
“I actually glued feathers on my nails and they looked pretty unique,” Dobrin said.
Another trend, for those who struggle with nail painting or don’t have the patience for it, is stick-on nail art. Sally Hansen’s Salon Effects are nail polish strips that stick on nails without hassle and dry instantly. They come in patterns and colors that are popular and designed for every girl in mind.
Magenta said she loves this option.
“It makes for a great, fun manicure that I would never be able to achieve with polish,” Magenta said.
Dobrin, on the other hand, is not a fan.
“It infuriates me that I spend so much time on a manicure only to have people think it’s a sticker,” she said. “I think it’s almost like cheating nail art.”
Sticker or painted on, nail art is blowing up Instragram and Facebook feeds. And why shouldn’t it? It’s become a fad because it’s an artistic skill not everyone can do and because it’s a true form of expression.
“It’s easy, it’s cheap and it’s all about creativity and individuality,” Magenta said. “That’s what makes it so popular.”
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bdonova2@ramapo.edu
