The Art of Expression
Nail art has grown beyond a simple beauty practice; it’s become a form of creativity and artwork for many people today. From detailed acrylic sets to trending designs on social media and Pinterest, nail culture keeps evolving but also has a deep history. Nail art isn’t just about appearance; it’s also a medium of art, expression and identity.
Sophomore nail technician Jasmin Martinez-Turcios started working on nails in March 2024 before officially taking clients later that August. Martinez-Turcios said her motivation came from wanting to make people happy through creative nail design.
“I wanted people to have fun nails that they could express themselves with from my work,” Martinez-Turcios said.
According to Martinez-Turcios, nail trends shift constantly because of the influence of social media creators and online beauty culture, which leads to new, creative and innovative designs.
“The most popular I’ve seen with my clients are polka dots and line work,” Martinez-Turcios said. “Social media influences nail designs heavily.”
For clients, the nail salon experience often goes beyond the finished design.
Junior Skylar Shultz said conversations with a nail technician can shape the overall experience.
“[Conversations are] very important,” Shultz said. “I love chatting or conversing with my nail tech.”
However, Shultz added that silence does not necessarily ruin the appointment. If the nails are good, she would go to a nail technician that wouldn’t talk during the appointment.
Social media plays a major role in how clients choose their designs.
“I usually do a pic I found on Pinterest with my own twist or I let the person freestyle,” Shultz said.
Junior Angela Laswell finds inspiration pictures to help her get exactly the nails she wants before her appointment.
Although nail trends today are on platforms like Pinterest, Instagram and TikTok, the history of nail art stretches back centuries. According to “The Tale of Little Red Long Nail” by Faith Hickman Brynie, nail coloring dates to ancient Egypt, where they “reddened their palms and fingernails with dyes made from henna” (Brynie). Then long nails in ancient China also represented social class and freedom from labor.
Today, nail art continues to combine beauty, creativity and art.
Whether through detailed acrylic sets, minimalist designs or bold colors, nail techs are artists, and their clients are using nail art as a creative outlet to express themselves.
Brynie, Faith Hickman. “The Tale of Little Red Long Nail.” 101 Questions about Your Skin, Lerner Publishing Group, 1999, p. 68. EBSCOhost, research.ebsco.com/linkprocessor/plink?id=59b1a8a0-cbbc-38a2-956c-e01de9747429.
