WHAT HAPPENED TO FUN MANICURES?
The art of elevated, maximalist nails lie within the right nail tools. Here's what I'm using.
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In between working on bulletin boards for the church and watching me, my grandma would take me to the nail salon for her monthly manicures. I was young enough to need supervision but old enough to know nail days were an essential beauty ritual.
It was an honor to witness the magic within a nail technician’s hands.
Sitting at the edge of the leather seats, I would gaze at those rows of O.P.I nail polishes on the walls, the smell of monomer embedded into the air. For a child as girly as I was, this was heaven on earth.
Fast forward to the Snapchat-era when high school upperclassmen posted sparkly videos of their coffin-shaped nails to the newest Ella Mai song. Chunky glitter and neon polish was the mood for that era.
Then something shifted.
More french tips. Funny bunny nails. White toes.
I love minimalism, and there’s always a time and place for simple manicures—mainly when I don’t feel like doing anything extravagant. But in this stripped-back, barely-there era of beauty, it feels like fun nails are not in vogue.
As someone who does her own nails, I take pride in having unique nails and even greater pride in being my own nail tech.
The post-pandemic era of beauty has prioritized a more minimal approach to beauty, but nothing beats stiletto nails embellished with chunky pearls and charms.
Intentional curation is the ingredient to crafting fun, maximalist manicures. We all know black and white pair well, but who knows how to blend burnt orange and cool blue to create a desert chic look?
An eye for design matters.
In 2026, manicures are returning back to color and longer lengths—hello sherbert tones—but we can take this a step further with a return to funky designs, 3D patterns and elevated french tips with a twist.
Ombré is one of my favorite ways to embrace dimension into my nail routine. It’s versatile and an easy elevation for regular manicures.
I recreated aura/gradient nails using blooming gel and nail sponges, but the best and most seamless look for ombré nails is with an airbrush. Though it looks complicated, I’ve been watching how nail artists use it, and it’s not as intimidating as it looks. All it takes is acetone and your gel nail polish of choice. I prefer JODSONE’s brand since it’s inexpensive and comes in an array of colors.
GET THE TOOLS:
Crpen Airbrush Kit — $21
JODSONE Gel Nail Polish Set — $20
Onyx Professional Pure Acetone Nail Polish Remover — $5
Cynthia Erivo gave me inspo for detailed nails during the Wicked press run in 2025, and I’m running with it in 2026.
3D nails have been undoubtedly the most time-consuming part of my nail routine. The steady hands, the details and the time spent creating flowers for one pinky is enough to send me into a spiral. Instead, I stick to long, curved lines across the nails or even little “bubbles” for the three dimensional vibe.
Note: there’s a difference between solid builder gel and sculpted painting gel. The sculpted gel is best for shell-type designs and anything that requires more movement in your nail art. The builder gel is solid and for structured, more intricate designs like flowers.
GET THE TOOLS:
Makartt 3D Gel Nail Art — $10
SAVILAND Solid Builder Nail Gel — $10
French manicures are classic, but they don’t have to be basic. Something about chrome and silver is oh-so-timeless and the perfect addition to spruce up a set of frenchies. It’s the bridge between the traditionalist and the modernist look.
If you’re not one to experiment too much or you want to dip your toes into a more unconventional method of french tips, I think this will serve you best. If you’re like me—too scared to get into chrome powders—opt for silver nail charms to give your manis a face lift.
GET THE TOOLS:
BELLEBOOST Silver and Gold Nail Charms and Gems — $6
Double Rhythm Translucent Gel Polish — $7
Artdone 16 Jars Chrome Nail Powder — $12
Loved this post! I definitely fell into the simple trap of nails with doing only white square or almond French tips, or some neutral color, until I started doing press-ons. I love intricate designs and shapes and feel more expressive. I've also stopped shying away from wearing them at the office.