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NOW READING The Best Korean Nail Art Instagram Accounts to Inspire Your Inner Artist
June 28, 2019
The Best Korean Nail Art Instagram Accounts to Inspire Your Inner Artist
Get ready to screenshot for your next salon visit.
I have been an avid nail art fan since as long as I can remember. I used to use those cheap nail stickers on my fingernails as a kid. And as soon as I was old enough for a job, regular trips to the nail salon was my first priority. When I lived in Vietnam, I had a nail artist that would spend HOURS painstakingly embellishing my fingernails with the smallest details — ice cream cones, tiny flowers, pineapples, bows, and tiny crystals. I still miss her to this day!
In Korea, nail art is also a way of life. You might have seen your favorite K-pop stars with bedazzled nails, or maybe you’ve heard of a certain someone called Unistella, who basically changed the nail art world as we know it.
I wanted to share with you some of my favorite Korean nail art accounts to look for inspiration. Some things to take note of:
1. Most Korean nail art (if not all) use gel polish on natural nails. You typically won’t find any long, acrylic nails.
2. Pretty pastel shades and delicate designs are the name of the game with Korean nail art.
nail_unistella
THE QUEEN OF NAIL ART. Eunkyung Park, better known as Unistella, is a trendsetter for nail art, not just in Korea but globally. Remember the shattered glass nail trend? That was all her. Wire nail trend? Unistella. Tattoo nails? NAIL JEWELRY? It’s a thing, thanks to her.
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Brands like Sally Hansen tried to cash in on the success, but thankfully, the national outcry became so loud that Sally Hansen was forced to remove their “K-Beauty Inspired” nail designs from the shelves.
Look to Unistella if you want out-of-the-box designs or want your nails to look like works of art.
nailtam2na
Nailtam2na is located in the fashionable Sinsa district in Seoul. Nail looks tend to be dreamy and ethereal — think lots of pastel and nude shades, crystals and holographic nail polish. Like with most Korean nail artists, acrylic nails aren’t really a thing.
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nail_by.jjoo
Are ultra-feminine, dainty fingertips your jam? Look to nail_by.jjoo for inspiration. You won’t find tons of bling, but you’ll find pretty pastels, delicate flowers, circles, and dots, and of course, glitter.
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lemonde_nail
Whenever I see this account on my feed, I immediately think BLINGGG. But not the gaudy kind — the understated, chic kind. Lemonde Nail is located in Gwangju, South Korea, and specializes in crystal and glitter embellishment. It’s the kind of nail art I feel like Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, would get if she could actually get nail art. Think nude and blush tones, with a few nails decorated with crystal hearts and gemstones. Trés chic!
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nailalamode
Have you ever seen a manicure that was SO perfect, it made you stop and do a double take? Well, that’s how I feel whenever I see Nail A La Mode on my Instafeed. Sharp, geometric shapes and clean cuticles take center stage, with unusual color shades making an appearance. If you can’t wear crazy nail art or you’re looking for something chic and modern, this is the account to follow.
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drawing__show
Drawing Show is where you want to go if bold and daring is your jam. Drawing Show reminds me a bit of Japanese nail art — it’s colorful, each nail is ornately decorated, and hand-drawn designs are the norm. Look to this account if you want to see galaxy-inspired nails, insane flowers that look like a watercolor painting, and 3D acrylic designs.
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Are you into Korean nail art? What are your favorite accounts to follow? Let me know in the comments!
Sheryll Donerson got her start as a beauty writer by writing K-beauty reviews for her blog, The Wanderlust Project. These days, she's lifting heavy weights, eating tacos, drinking (too much) coffee and is 1/4 of the beauty podcast, Beauty Beyond Basics (or Triple Bees for short). You can find her on Instagram and Twitter at @sheryllrenata.
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annapark 3 months ago
I need Unistella on speed dial (and a teleporting machine to take me to Korea). These designs are to die for. Thanks for the inspiration!