Hourglass Nails Are A Whimsical, Trendy Twist On A French Manicure (And They're About To Be Everywhere)
Each fingernail is a blank canvas waiting to be transformed. The clean girl era has paved the way for neutral shades and minimal art to shine through. Like the minimalist ballerina slipper nails and Hailey Bieber's donut glazed manicure. And who can forget the queen of them all, the French tips? Just when you think the French manicure can not be revolutionized anymore, the nail goddesses create a new design.
However, what's in store is not the barely there nail art this minimalist era has given birth to. We love a good baby pink that matches our nail beds, but we also love a hot pink that stands out from across the room. Hourglass nails are the best of both worlds. The hourglass is not just a hot body silhouette but now a nail design you're destined to try. It's on the big screen, our favorite celebrities, and coming soon to your nails.
The euphoria behind hourglass nails
Hourglass nails play with the illusion of space, similar to the French manicure and all its trendy versions. Painted swirls are polished at the side of your nails, leaving the middle empty. That negative space looks like an hourglass, hence the name. The design was featured on the hit HBO show Euphoria. The envy of all and popular girl, Maddy rocked the black hourglass nails with a matching cut-out dress. Celebrity nail artist Natalie Minerva is the stylist behind the show's killer nail looks. Her hourglass nail design isn't the only one of the show's looks that got approval from the masses. The mermaid net nails, also worn by Maddy, got quite the buzz.
For this trendy twist on a French manicure, Minerva says fashion visionary Thierry Mugler was her inspiration. The late designer was known for his hyper-feminine architectural pieces. That sexy, illusory vibe is what Minerva wanted to bring to nails. Mission accomplished.
How to get hourglass nails
Mastering the twin swirls in these hourglass nails is what separates a professional from a novice. "Start in the middle and work your way out," nail technician Natalie Minerva tells Allure. She explains it's the key so your design can "look symmetrical and even throughout." Minerva painted the whimsical hourglass design in black, but there's no need to shy away from color. Paint each nail a distinct shade, or make the left and right swirl in different hues. Celebrity nail artist Kim Truong recreated the look on Kourtney Kardashian using a sultry red.
The empty hourglass space is the perfect opportunity to add decals. Rhinestones, hearts, and glitter all have room to shine and won't overpower the swirls. This is also the moment to experiment with contrasting colors. Sure, you can keep the base simple with a neutral white, tan, or pink. Or you can choose an orange base and paint on blue swirls. Or try a light contrast with a pastel green base and dark green swirls. The possibilities are endless. Either way, you'll have stunning nails with trippy art.