It’s time to move over OOTDs, ‘cause, it’s all about letting your nails do the talking! Nail art is no longer a flimsy business in town – young working professionals, on an average, in the city spend around '3,500 - 5,000 only on their nails every month. All, for the love for a good #nailfie! Even those wanting to skimp on a few bucks by going the DIY route have confessed to buying elaborate imported gel kits that can easily cost about Rs 1,500 –Rs 3,000! In a candid chat, we explore the fetish, which has snowballed into one of the biggest beauty trends of 2018!
“I’ve blown up close to '15,000 in the past, owing to my obsession with embellished nails. I knew the craze was getting out of hand; at least Rs 5,000 would go on the nails every month, after cutting down. So I started ordering nail kits worth US 70$. However, I’m least regretful because nails play a huge role in enhancing your personality and a look for that matter,” begins Shruthi Vijay, a radio professional. While shelling out big bucks isn’t the concern, what matters most is how the entire art work turns out. For some, aside of going behind a few bucks, time’s a huger investment and wouldn’t mind spending an entire evening getting it right. Women are even gifting each other nail art treatments for bachelorettes! Naaila Khan, a 27-year-old lifestyle writer shares, “Nails are a great canvas to express your style! I love trying out the latest mani trends – I’ve had chromes, holographics, colour changing ombrés, free hand painted designs, chain embellishments . I even dedicated a design to a friend during her bachelorette, which she thought was really special. There’s so much you can play with depending on your style, mood or occasion!” Naaila, who spends around ' 4,000 per month on her nails, adds,”I get my acrylic nails done once a month and change my design about twice a month. Everybody asks how I manage them because they’re a bit high maintenance, but when my mani is on fleek, I feel like the best version of myself! And anything that makes you feel like that, is always worth it.”
A popular city emcee Zeishah Amlani is known to flaunt her creative nailfies on social media. She says, “So, I usually see stuff on Instagram and pinterest and end up gushing over it. I even ended up buying loads of tools/stickers/stamping plates/ etc from Mumbai and even had some shipped from the states! It takes a whole lot of patience mainly for the various coats to dry. Earlier, I would do it every fortnight. Nail art, if done right, looks great and makes you stand out.”
