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BEAU TY • NAIL POLISH

The Biggest Nail Art

Trends Around the World
Will Make You Feel Like a
Globetrotter
By Kelsey Castañon
Updated on 1/4/2020 at 11:25 AM

Courtesy of Paintbox

In between the croissant holding in Paris,

the kangaroo feeding in Sydney, and the
"noraebang" mic dropping in Seoul, it can be
easy to miss the one thing that differentiates
a hand in one city from the next: their nails.
But consider this permission to stare,
because you'll find more nail art and polish
inspiration from around the world than
there are seats on a Stratolaunch aircraft —
and it's enough to launch your boring old
manicure into the stratosphere.

We've got the proof. From the negative

space designs flooding the streets of South
Africa to sticker nail art gaining popularity in
the UAE, there are plenty of new looks to try
this season. To help us break them down,
we've asked the pros to share the biggest
trends taking over their respective towns
right now — because that intel is a little
trickier to navigate with Google Translate.

Courtesy of Skye McIntyre

Nail Art Trend in Sydney,

Australia: Abstract Metallics
Australia has officially entered the Spring
season, and Sydney-based nail artist and
CND education ambassador Sky McIntyre
has noticed people drop the darker polish
shades in lieu of brighter colors almost
instantly.

"I am finding they love mixing up their bright

manicures and choosing a matte finish,
which makes the color pop," she said.
"Abstract manicures have also been very
popular, and I have been adding in different
colors with a splash of metallics. This is
trending due to our change in season.
Sydney heats up very quickly now, we are
having 30+-degree days — 86 Fahrenheit —
and we spend more of our days outside,
enjoying the sun, surf, beaches, cafes,
socializing, and longer days."

Courtesy of Paintbox

Courtesy of Skye McIntyre

Courtesy of Paintbox

Nail Art Trend in Seoul, South

Korea: Lipstick Shape
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Changed all my fingernails #intothelipstickshape

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One of the biggest trends to come from

Seoul is a totally new form of nail art — and
it's all about the shape. Seoul-based nail
artist Park Eunkyung dubbed the trend
"lipstick-shaped nails," and the slightly
slanted tips are typically filed onto the tips
of extra long nails.

Park recently told POPSUGAR that she found

her inspiration for the shape at a photo
shoot: "As I was working at a photo shoot for
a cat's eye-shaped sunglasses, I thought it
would be interesting to shape my nails into
that shape and gave it a try," she said. "It
turned out like a lipstick shape, so I did it on
my nails immediately."

Nail Art Trend in London,

England: Print Blocking
London-based nail artist Sadie Jordan, who
works with startup Beautystack, recently
told POPSUGAR about the "print blocking"
trend: "A simple half animal-print nail is a
playful take on a classic color-blocking
design," she said. (Note, you can also use
another print design if animal spots aren't
your style.) "Combining this with some
negative space will add a clean and futuristic
feel to the nail design."

Courtesy of Paintbox

Nail Trend in USA: The New

French Manicure
In the states, you can't swing a nail polish
bottle without hitting someone requesting a
french manicure at the salon. The trend of
the early aughts has been getting a 2019 spin,
however, with people asking for colored tips,
"deep" iterations, and metallic details (like
the kind shown here). No matter how you
play it, we have a feeling this one is here to
stay.

POPSUGAR Photography | Balim Tezel

Nail Trend in Cape Town,

South Africa: Negative
Space

"Most of my clients love doing abstract nails

with a clear base as their nails will last longer
in between appointments," said Minell, a
Cape Town-based nail artist. "These negative
space nails have a clear background, so I
think they love that it doesn't show a
regrowth. It also lets them show a fun side of
themselves no matter the industry they are
in. My clients wearing these types of nails are
makeup artists, doctors, and even high-end
lawyers."

Glitterati Nail Lounge

Nail Art Trend in Bangkok,

Thailand: 3D Nail Art
Everything about Thailand — from the gold-
plastered temples in Bangkok to the islands
that look like they were plucked from a
desktop screen saver — can seem too
picturesque to be real . . . even when they
are. That theme feels carries over to the
country's biggest nail trend, too. Artists at
the Bangkok-based Glitterati Nail Lounge
told POPSUGAR they have been seeing a
surge in popularity with 3D nail art designs.
The most common requests? Flowers,
branches, and leaves, all inspired by Fall's
biggest themes.