Less is more when it comes to the newest nail trend sweeping social media.
While Hailey Bieber’s eye-catching glazed-donut nails and TikTok’s “red nail theory,” which posits that the shade makes you more alluring to the opposite sex, have dominated fingertips worldwide this year, going cuticle-free is now a hot trend.
The hashtag #russianmanicure is exploding on TikTok with more than 625 million views and thousands of devotees swearing by it. The manicure gets its name from the “clean” look favored by Russian nail technicians. Rather than a traditional manicure — where you can see the white of the cuticle — here the cuticle is controversially removed using an electric filer, allowing the polish to reach all the way to the base of the nail bed.
Celebrities such as Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber have nailed the trend on social media, and people are now searching for salons to give them the “best absolute” manicure ever. Despite experts warning about infection risks, Russian manicures have increased in popularity in the US after propelling into mainstream salons around five years ago.
“There’s been a boom,” the woman behind the wildly popular TikTok account Nail Mart USA told The Post. “It’s crazy.”
The New York-based nail technician behind the account, Elizabeth, who asked that her last name not be printed for privacy reasons, has seen a growing demand for the “extremely neat” technique in the past 12 months.
“This is so satisfying,” one fan declared on TikTok, after watching a video of the process. “Looks clean and gorgeous!” agreed another.
The process takes around two hours — even longer if nail designs are added. Unlike traditional manicures where manicurists soak the nails in water and then push back or trim the cuticles, Russian manicures are done dry. The technique is said to yield a longer-lasting finish, but it does come a higher cost. In NYC, they start at around $70 — more than double of what a basic manicure costs.
First, a technician uses an electric file on the cuticle area, followed by a final touch-up with scissors to neaten up the bed.
Once the cuticle care portion is complete — which takes about an hour — another hour is spent applying a special rubber gel base to strengthen the nails before applying the polish and waiting for it to dry.
However, despite its popularity, nail experts warn it should only be attempted by a trained professional to avoid infection due to the removal of the cuticle, which acts as a protective barrier.
“When thin skin [around the nail] is damaged, it becomes more susceptible to irritation,” Doug Schoon, a scientist specializing in nails and eyelashes wrote in a piece for Nail Care HQ. “[This] may lead to permanent allergic reactions to nail coating products.”
The results can last three to four weeks — sometimes even longer — although it’s recommended to remove the gel before the month mark, since “all that pressure and build up can really damage the actual natural nail underneath all this product” said NailMartUSA expert Elizabeth.
Still, when properly done by a professional, some say the manicure can actually help bolster nail health, particularly if you’re prone to pulling.
“[People] tend to pick if there are a lot of hangnails. So when that’s all cut off and you apply oil, you nourish your hands with lotion,” Elizabeth explained. “It’s a game changer.”