When it comes to innovative beauty trends, South Korea is known for being ahead of the curve. The latest export that is definitely worth the shipping cost is... wait for it... glass nails.
What are glass nails?
Nail artist and manicurist Eun Kyung Park created the technique, which sees tiny ‘shards’ of cellophane applied to the nails, which gives the ilusion of broken glass. Clever really.
Refinery 29 explains that Eun was inspired by ‘the abalone, a sea snail with a very pretty mother-of-pearl-like lining in its shell, similar to an oyster.’
They were christened 'glass nails' because they catch the light like a crystal or shattered glass. So, no fear - the fear of broken nails is no more real than with a regular mani.
The look was an insant hit when she uploaded an Insta video of the first perfected glass mani catching the light causing a double-tapping frenzy, and had every high-profile lady in South Korea flocking to her salon. Fashion blogger Dani Song is one of the latest ladies to road test the look.
How do I do glass nails myself at home?
The trend was so coveted that Korean cosmetic label Amorepacific got Eun to make stickers for people to create the look at home. Despite the finished look appearing complex, it’s actually quite simple to DIY. The stickers are simply an added step in-between your nail polish and top coat.
The transfers are yet to land at UK outlets, but you can order the transfers via international shipping from G Market and at a base coat of just £1.82 they’re one beauty secret worth getting on board with.
Is there a glass nails tutorial I can watch?
It's as easy as that! We’ll happily forgo the glitter this festival season and let our glass mani do the talking.