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If you’re looking for fresh nail-art ideas that go beyond single-color looks, a regular french tip, or the occasional clear-droplet texture, why not look to other art forms for inspiration? Exhibit A: kintsugi nails. Featured on Joey King’s engagement nails back in 2022, kintsugi nails are actually a nod to the famed Japanese pottery style.
“Kintsugi is a Japanese art that is centuries old,” celebrity manicurist Mar y Sol Inzerillo says. “When you have broken pottery, you don’t throw it away — instead, you mend it by dusting on gold or silver leaf.”
“Kintsugi and nail art coincide because it is very easy to have an imperfection, a grown-out manicure, or a chipped nail — and they can all be easily mended with gold or silver leaf to give your manicure a whole new life,” Inzerillo says. She adds that the style takes on special significance in light of the pandemic: “We are all healing from the impact of the pandemic, and this is a beautiful reminder that whether it’s on pottery or on your nails, you should embrace your imperfections and make something beautiful of it.”
The shattered effect also makes for a great conversation starter — a win-win in our book. We asked Inzerillo to break down everything you need to know about kintsugi nails, including the products you might need to DIY them.
What Are Kintsugi Nails?
There are actually different types of kintsugi nails. “You can look at kintsugi nail art from two perspectives,” Inzerillo says. “One is a nail-art design with gold leaf purposely put in to mimic cracks over a marble or tile design over a solid nail, and the other is to touch up your [chipped] nails using gold leaf or a gold or silver nail-polish color.”
