Hunched over my desk at 3 a.m. with my face inches away from my fingers, I applied the final clear top coat to my nails, sealing the intricate designs I spent hours perfecting. With the sharp smell of acetone and chemicals in the air, a chaotic assortment of gel polishes, thin brushes, tiny pearls, rhinestones and a UV lamp cluttered my desk.
While this setup may not sound ideal and may even run afoul of EPA recommendations, painting my nails has become a staple part of my self-care routine and one of my favorite hobbies.
My nail fixation began at the start of my junior year. After I stopped playing cello, I was able to grow my nails as long as I wished and decided to paint them. I was captivated by the jelly nail style I saw on Pinterest — designs that were thick, translucent and had a glossy finish resembling gummy candy — and I was determined to make my nails look like that too.
My first experience with nail polish began with a bottle of clear polish, mixed with a few drops of a light pink shade. After quickly layering the sheer polish in multiple even coats before it dried, I had successfully achieved a particularly delicious looking set.
For a couple of months, I continued to use light coats of polish every time I changed sets and quickly grew used to my long, always-painted nails. On my birthday, my friend gifted me my very first set of gel nail polishes, consisting of six shades of nudes, pinks and reds. Since then, I have continued using gel polishes. I prefer the consistency of gel polish, as it is easier to get an even coverage and allows me plenty of time to paint before it cures with a UV lamp.
After AP tests ended and my workload lightened, I began experimenting with press-ons to design my nail art. I added more materials to my collection: a pack of fake nails, a stand to paint the press-ons and a variety of brushes.
Having done my research, I was prepared with a few YouTube tutorials and music in the background to begin designing my first press-ons. With eager anticipation, I carefully crafted a set of maroon nails with pearls and french tips to match my prom dress. Although I accidentally over-buffed (filing the surface too much) my nails, causing their surface to be thin and squishy, I considered the effort to be a success. Realizing the limitless designs I could draw on 10 beautiful gel press-ons, I was addicted.
As the days went by, my new hobby soon took up hours each night as I researched various techniques to keep long, healthy nails and styles to experiment with nail art.
When painting on my natural nails, I start by lightly buffing my nails to create a slightly rough surface so the polish can adhere stronger and last longer.
Next, I use a rubber base gel that creates a self-leveling apex to prevent nails from bending or snapping. From there, my designs vary through the drawings I paint with thin brushes; pearls and rhinestones I apply with a glue; and a thick, putty-like builder gel I sculpt to make 3D shapes with. Each set typically lasts me a week or two before I get bored of them and sit down for another four hours to try a different design.
After painting a few sets for myself, I started painting them for friends and family. It became a hobby that I shared with my friends where we could design a set together and then catch up and talk as I painted their nails. Putting on a movie or listening to music while painting my nails also became a therapeutic activity for me and a form of self-care.
Now, I can no longer have short and unpainted nails for even just a few days without having the urge to paint them again. Since school restarted, I’ve dialed back the number of sets I’ve painted, as the late, long hours and constant contact with chemicals isn’t great for my health. Nevertheless, if you love art and design, I recommend nail art as your new medium to explore.
