If you’re anything like me, you’ve picked up a new hobby or two since the start of the pandemic. Some of us have turned to bake sourdough loaves. Some have turned to puzzles or learning a new instrument. Others have started viral TikTok accounts. I for one, have gotten really into doing my nails.
While I’ve forgone daily hair and makeup, I’ve found that there’s something really peaceful about sitting down and taking the time to create something beautiful on my nails. Something about the routine of clipping, filing, buffing, pushing back my cuticles, and painting on a little color just puts me into a trance and helps me disassociate from the reality of the world for a moment. With all of the practice I’ve gotten since stay-at-home orders began, I’ve finally mastered the at-home manicure (it only took my 25 years of living on this Earth). So when I felt ready to graduate from monochromatic paint jobs to more intricate designs, I turned to Instagram to find a little inspiration. A skincare girl at heart, most of the beauty experts I follow on Instagram are dermatologists or estheticians. But as it turns out, the platform is flooded with some unbelievably talented nail artists too, with dedicated accounts for nail art that truly belongs in a museum. Whether you’re looking for nude-inspired manicures that suit your unique skin tone or just want some eye candy nail art to pop up in your feed, there’s a nailfluencer for everyone. Ahead, the 7 best nail accounts to follow on Instagram for every kind of nail lover.
@Lolo.nailedit
Whether you’re into meticulous designs, understated colors, or swaths of monochromatic color, there’s something for everyone. Specializing in designs that suit rounded- and almond-shaped nails, account founder Lauren started posting nail designs in the summer of 2020. At just over 2k followers, @lolo.nailedit is definitely an up-and-coming nail account to watch. Give her a follow and you’ll immediately understand why.
@Betina_goldstein
Betina Goldstein is one of the O.G. nailfulencers to find success on Instagram. Goldstein is a celebrity and editorial makeup artist, with clients among the likes of Marie Claire, Byrdie, Vogue, Swarovski, Chanel, and more. Her feed focuses on aesthetic photos of intricate designs painted onto a smaller, rounded nail shape (her own). Most photos feature her signature hand posing — well-lit with polished fingertips pointed ever so slightly towards the camera. There’s no shortage of inspiration here, and even though she’s a brand ambassador for Chanel, Goldstein doesn’t take herself too seriously (case in point, this banana manicure).
@Amyle.nails
Everyone has a nail shape preference, and if yours is almond, you’re seriously missing out by not following @Amyle.nails. The founder, Amy Le, posts gorgeously-lit manicures painted onto almond-shaped canvases — all coupled with some of the most gorgeous jewelry you’ve ever seen in your life. Give her a follow — and I dare you to try and recreate one of her velvet nail looks on your own.
@Nailsbycanishiea
Look no further for all of the nude manicure inspiration of your dreams. @Nailsbycanishiea founder Canishiea J. Sams has a feed full of modernistic, abstract-inspired nail designs in every shade of nude you can imagine. (With some color here and there too.) Sams specializes in creating her unreplicable designs on both natural nails and luxury press-ons, and her growing community of 45k+ followers can’t get enough of them.
@Aliciatnails
Alicia Torello (the mastermind behind @aliciatnails) is an editorial makeup artist based in New York City, where she’s worked with clients like Kate Hudson, Louboutin Beauty, and more. While many influencers post their own hands (it’s a canvas they always have access to, after all), Torello’s feed is full of the work she’s done for her clients, which means every day you’re seeing different nail art on a different hand with a different skin tone.
@Imarninails
I don’t like to play favorites, but if I did, mine would probably be @Imarninails. On her account, you’ll find a wide breadth of nail inspo, from classic French-inspired tips to cheeky designs, to intricate appliques, and more. But more often than not, @Imarninails posts meticulously thought-out, naked-inspired manicures. Whether it’s a true nude manicure or a negative space design, there’s never a cuticle out of place on this account.
@Jessicawashick
If you’re looking for a serious wow factor, allow me to direct you to @jessicawashick. Washick is a design director for Nike and runs her nail account (with over 100k followers) on the side. In her feed, you’re going to find ultra-colorful, complex nail designs that look more like Picasso paintings than they do your run-of-the-mill manicure. (And oftentimes, some Nike Swoosh-inspired nail art too.) Each design is more jaw-dropping than the one before.
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