The next generation nail art

MANILA, Philippines - Last Friday, I was out dining with an old friend of mine and as we joked around and high-fived, I felt a strange texture on her nails. I had to grab her hand, have a look at what on earth was going on. She said to me, “It’s called nail caviar.” Nail caviar? Imagine tiny, silver spherical-shaped beads (that look like mini-caviar, of course) drizzled on your nails. Hers were metallic silver that changed color when you moved it under the light. That made me stop and think about how much of a phenomenon nail art is. It’s evolved to a different level of imaginative women’s recreational activity heaven. Think about it. Many girls, after having a bad day, like to go get a massage or get their hair done; but more often than not, they get their nails done. I always come out of the nail salon feeling so polished, fresh and clean.

There are tons of new forms of nail art to choose from in salons, from freehand design, to decals, stencils, print-on, jewel embellishments –– the list goes on and on. Laser printing on nails is something that fascinates me. Just imagine being able to pull any image off your computer, pop your hands into an oversized printer and have any design of your choice printed on your nails. Another thing I can’t get enough of are the chrome or gold press-on nails. They come in plain chrome/gold or with designs like zebras/giraffes/animal prints, etc. The first time I had my nails done up in chrome, I thought, “This is some futuristic sci-fi goodness right here.” They don’t get any shinier than that. And the press-on versions usually last longer depending on how well you take care of your nails. My only qualm about it is when the glue starts to wear off it makes running your hands through your hair impossible because they tend to get caught up in your strands.

This is where I stop and wonder: What will they think of next, magnetic nail polish? Already done. Just last night I was told that there was such a thing. What does it do? Well, basically you apply the polish onto your nail and it comes with a magnetic strip, which you hold above the nail without it touching. The idea is to move it around to form a pattern. The outcome? Think gunmetal black polish with a design that looks like a galaxy in outer space.

Conveniently, those who don’t have time to hit the salons have better options these days with stick-on/sticker nails. They come in a pack with variations of sizes that you just have to match to fit your nail. They even provide sizes for your toes in case you want your feet done. When you find the right size, you stick it on and the remainder of it that sticks out or protrudes is filed off. I believe it’s advisable to put a top coat or clear coat of nail polish over it to seal it in. And when you’re done with it and want to have it removed, you simply peel it off. No need for cotton and nail polish remover. It’s ingenious. And I love how the designs are so intricate because they’re printed on. Some favorite prints I would love to have are houndstooth, camouflage, tie-dye, or something like those hologram stickers you used to collect back in grade school. But come to think of it, hologram nail polish does exist now as well.

Take all these options and try to mix them up. Mismatched nails look pretty good. I’ve tried a gradient look where the color of each nail is different but is a gradual shade fading into another. Another look that I’m seeing a lot of is ombre, which is a French word for “shade/shadow.” It’s when you take two colors and have them gradually fade into one another. So many variations and combinations that you could conjure up in this fun era of nail fashion! The possibilities are endless. It always excites me to see what kind of madness and inventive ideas the future of nail art has in store.