For senior Mina Ke, nail art is a way to express her style through wearing and sharing her own designs.
Ke’s interest in nail art began in her freshman year when she started doing free press-on nails for her friends to build experience and practice.
“I did my friend’s nails for their senior and junior proms, and later, when I did it on my own nails, I felt I was getting better,” Ke said.
There is a wide range of designs and styles that Ke can transfer onto a set of nails.
“For example, if you want Hello Kitty, my first step is to make the base coat pink or white and then to add the other elements from there,” Ke said.
Each nail design that Ke makes is one of a kind and showcases her personal art style.
“I think it’s really creative and is not similar to the very popular press-on nails in stores, because it’s with her own creation,” junior Yuyu Zhang said.
During Ke’s process of creating a set of nails, she utilizes the same materials that are typically used by nail artists in China.
“It’s like a gel, but you have to polish it to the shape that you want,” Ke said. “In China, we just use construction gels or glue and polish it. Then, we do all the designs, and we put on the top gels.”
Ke briefly developed a small business for her work but then found that she wanted to pursue nail art as a hobby.
“I made three posts on Instagram, and then I stopped. Because I have to finish my studies and my classwork, I don’t have the time so it’s just an interest,” Ke said.
The motivation to improve is important to Ke’s process, and she works to apply this to her other interests.
“In either my nails or my makeup or my braids, to see that I’m getting better feels so good,” Ke said.
Getting started with nail art is no easy feat, so having the right materials is vital for beginners.
“Don’t buy something on TikTok. Get something that’s really going to help you, not something cheap,” Ke said. “If you are really interested, get something from a famous brand to get you started in the right way.”
With nail art being a growing form of creative expression, Ke’s craftsmanship showcases her talent.
“It’s very cool that she got to actually take her art and transform it into something that everyone can see and wear, doing it on such a micro-scale level,” senior Luci DiBonaventura said.
