The post-lockdown manicure centers joy and self-expression.
We’re now empowered to handle our nails however we want.
But two years later, salons are going strong and theDIY nail worldhas exploded.
If anything, the manicure is more powerful than ever.
However, nail professionals like myselfwho live, eat, breathe, and sleep nailswe know that its not.
And its not going anywhere, saysJulie Kandalec, celebrity nail artist and educator in New York City.
celebrity manicurist and founder of Nails of LA
When Kandalec reopened her doors in late 2020, she was immediately booked solid.
I have a wait list a year long.
I had to raise my prices twice.
And Im not just saying this for me, because of what I do with celebrities and whatnot.
One of my students in South Carolina, for example, has a 400-person waitlist.
This is not just New York.
This is not just me.
This is in Ohio, this is in South Carolinasmall towns.
Were booked and we are busy, she says.
celebrity manicurist and founder of Nails of LA
They know how to properly file their nails.
They know how to put cuticle oil on.
There was a lot of learning during that time.
But, as Pink puts it, That was only part of the story.
If Im not taking care of them, I just automatically started my day on the wrong foot.
With no expectation to have manicured nails, the practice was based solely on self-care and joy.
There have been more requests for textured, 3D nail art looks…
Think diamond manicures, fried egg designs, and space-y, shiny orbs.
Long nails with elaborate designs arent frowned upon as they have been in the past, she says.
Plus, theres a bigger push to have more fun with fashion in general after months spent in sweats.
And that is reflected in the nail designs and colors that people are choosing, she says.
Itsdopamine dressingthe social media trend that focuses on wearing clothes that make you happyapplied to nails.
One look at social media will show you just how deep this maximalist nail trend runs.
Above all, the manicures of today center on joy.
[A manicure] can help brighten your entire mood, says Choi.
Others who want to simply sit back and let a pro do their work are back at salons.
Now, more than ever before, were empowered to handle our nails however we want.
Long live the manicure.
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