The rise and development of men’s nail art
In 2016, Harry Styles also joined the nail art craze—coincidentally, almost coinciding with his glamorous departure from One Direction—and readily accepted the challenge of redefining masculinity in his own way. From striking smiley face nail art to releasing official album covers with nail polish, the singer was quickly imitated by Lil Nas X and Machine Gun Kelly (MGK). The former has repeatedly proven that diamonds are a man’s best friend, while the latter ventured into what is considered “forbidden territory”—pointed nail art. There’s even a dedicated fan page for MGK’s hands and his nail art style.
These three are not isolated cases. Numerous celebrities, including Brad Pitt, Johnny Depp, Jared Leto, Troy Sherwin, A$AP Rocky, and Bad Bunny, have successfully demonstrated a societal trend of breaking free from gender stereotypes in the beauty industry over the past few years. In fact, these stars not only use nail polish to enhance their daily lives but have also launched their own brands and lines—such as MGK’s unisex nail polish line UN/DN, a collaboration with Unlisted Brand Lab.
Lil Yachty’s Crete brand is also on the list. According to its website, Crete was founded in May 2021 and is dedicated to “redefining the perception of gender norms and striving to break down social constraints.” Since its inception, the rapper has launched two lines, Heatwave 002 and Glow 003. These lines both come with easy-to-apply nail polish pens in colors including red, orange, purple, blue, and green, as well as stickers with designs such as butterflies, smiley faces, and lightning bolts. With Chanel launching its men’s nail polish line and American blogger and host Jonathan Van Ness becoming Essie nail polish’s first male spokesperson, nail art seems to have moved from the stage to the masses, quickly becoming an everyday nail trend for everyone.
For 64-year-old Duke, his first manicure was a year after his wife’s death, during the early stages of the pandemic lockdown. “I had a new girlfriend who was living with me,” he recalled, admitting he’d always wanted a manicure or pedicure, preferably with clear nail polish. “She surprised me by showing me the color she used for her pedicure, so I went with fire truck red.” Duke went on to describe it as love at first sight. “I laughed every time I took off my socks,” he added.
When asked about people’s initial reactions to his manicure, Duke emphasized that, aside from his brother’s experience, the vast majority of public reactions he encountered were positive. “Most people didn’t say anything, but those who did usually complimented,” he said, adding that the feedback was usually “I love your nail polish” or “The color is beautiful.” “Some people ask ‘why?’ Of course, I was nervous at the time, but that was all just my own overthinking.”
On the other hand, in a conversation with Louis, the nail art enthusiast admitted that he started doing manicures to develop a self-care habit. “About six months ago, I had my wife paint my nails,” he said. Although Louis’s own attempts at manicures since then have been inconsistent, he admits that his skills have indeed improved over time.
“The reactions to my nails were mixed,” he continued. “My wife and kids were very supportive, and my mom was very easygoing; she’s never judgmental and is very supportive. My sister smiled, but with a hint of surprise. Her reaction initially upset me a little, but she quickly got over it—just a little surprised.” While Louis’s father’s joke about it hurt him a bit, the nail enthusiast admitted that shop assistants always compliment men who wear nail polish. Louis said this gives him opportunities to have pleasant conversations with others—especially women.
“There are some really great colleagues at work too. I often talk about nails with a few female colleagues, and I really enjoy those conversations.” However, Louis’s new nail polish choice also attracted some strange looks from male colleagues. “I’ve heard comments like, ‘What the heck is that?’ and ‘Why?’,” he said, then explained a common misconception in male nail culture: that men are just product testers for their partners and children. “One day, three people actually asked me if my kids had painted my nails, which was incredibly embarrassing. Others asked if I was going to wear makeup or if I was planning to open a nail salon,” Louis said. While the feedback wasn’t all positive, he emphasized that so far no one had made any malicious comments. “Most people are either very friendly or simply don’t comment,” he added, agreeing with Duke’s point.
A rich and colorful history
Men wearing nail polish is nothing new. In fact, a quick glance at the history of this grooming custom might make you wonder if history is repeating itself. Excavations of royal tombs have uncovered the first set of nail-wearing tools in ancient Babylon, dating back to 3200 BC. At that time, men of all social classes in Babylon wore nail polish, but instead of henna as previously speculated by Indians, they used eyeliner-like gel. It is speculated that Babylonian warriors would spend hours meticulously grooming their nails before going to war.
As early as 3000 BC, the Chinese and ancient Egyptians used nail dyeing to distinguish social classes and dynasties. The Chinese mixed egg whites, beeswax, gum arabic, and flower petals to create a pigment, then soaked their nails for hours to achieve the desired effect; the Egyptians, on the other hand, preferred henna dye—for both men and women. In 19th-century Britain, women wore nail polish primarily as a symbol of purity and hygiene. By the 1930s, brands like Revlon began directly marketing red and pink nail polish to female customers, but there is little evidence to suggest how this beauty practice evolved into a form of female self-expression.
However, counterculture brought nail art back to the forefront of American punk and grunge movements. Icons like Iggy Pop, Kurt Cobain, Lou Reed, and David Bowie abandoned the overly masculine image championed by their predecessors, and nail art gradually infiltrated the skateboarding scene—where it was seen as a basic form of self-care. With the rise of urban masculinity and the blurring of gender stereotypes, today, those who value masculinity have undoubtedly elevated nail art to a new level.
“I feel that men’s nail art has become increasingly common in the last year or two, and it’s definitely getting more accepted,” says Alex, owner of At The Studio nail salon in Edinburgh. Alex started her salon to establish her brand in the industry, and now she’s dedicated to helping others find their place while providing opportunities for aspiring nail technicians. “Now that I have my own studio, all of this is possible,” she explains. “I want my studio to be a space that’s friendly to both men and women, because I know that nail salons can sometimes feel restrictive.”
Alex started by doing manicures for a friend. “He loved doing fancy nail designs from the beginning, and I think he really influenced more male customers to come to my salon,” she said, adding that she’s happy to see many male customers now coming to the studio regularly. Speaking about the general reaction from these customers, Alex said they share her passion for nail art. “I think a lot of people stereotype that men who get manicures are all part of the LGBTQ+ community. But actually, there’s no difference between men’s and women’s manicures—it’s just another way of expressing yourself.”
When Screen Shot contacted TJ, the founder of Bicolor, a nail studio in Beverly Hills, California, the artist expressed a similar philosophy. “One of my goals is to create a safe environment where everyone can freely express themselves,” he said when asked about his motivation for starting the studio. TJ recalled his experience working in a nail salon, mentioning that some nail technicians were surprised by male customers, especially when male customers wanted many colors on their nails. “Sometimes people say they won’t accept my services because I’m a male nail technician. I’m really unhappy about that, so I always say ‘nail art is gender-neutral.’ I genuinely want my customers to feel comfortable enjoying the services they want without worrying about anyone.”
To analyze the demand for men’s nail art at TJ Studio, I asked the nail technician whether the service was a recent trend or had always existed but wasn’t very popular before. “I’m a new nail technician, only been in the business for two years,” TJ said. “Even compared to when I first started doing nail art, I’ve noticed a growth in demand for men’s nail art.” He attributed this growth to social media and fashion and beauty magazines, adding that more and more masculine-looking people are using nail art to project confidence. “Since I opened my studio, the number of male customers coming to my shop has definitely increased,” the nail technician confirmed.
Everyone is happier after getting their nails done.
Despite the growing popularity of men’s nail polish, Duke still looks forward to naturally encountering other men with polished nails. “Sure, it definitely seems more trendy now, but I haven’t seen a single man on the street with polished nails,” he said, adding that he believes many men are probably just getting pedicures. “While I like the trend, I think we need more,” he concluded. As for Louis, this nail enthusiast mentioned he doesn’t follow trends or celebrities and therefore isn’t aware of the recent nail polish craze. “I haven’t seen many men with polished nails, so I think it’s still quite rare. But if it really gets more popular, I’m totally in favor, so I won’t be stared at like that anymore.”
While we wait for these insights to settle before sharing the next insider tidbit, let’s look at the advice these four nail enthusiasts give to those still hesitant to try nail polish. “Wait until you’re ready and feel comfortable before you start,” TJ said. “Several times, I felt unsafe going into certain places, so I hid my hands in my pockets. For some reason, I just felt I had to hide—maybe because I grew up in a society where men weren’t allowed to wear nail polish.”
Duke further points out that in some situations, it’s unsafe for men to wear nail polish, which exacerbates this dilemma. “Think of very conservative countries, or families filled with homophobic hatred,” he explains. However, at the same time, he believes part of the anxiety stems from our own psychology. “Our friends and family accept us as we are. It’s just nail polish.”
When asked how customers overcome anxiety and social pressure to express themselves confidently, Alex first points out that getting a manicure for the first time is often nerve-wracking because you don’t know what to expect or how to express yourself. “I think choosing a friendly nail salon—preferably one recommended by someone—is a good starting point. Remember, no one is judging you. It’s wise to be in a comfortable environment when getting your first manicure.” The nail technician also mentions the example of a male customer who only wanted gel polish on a few nails for his first manicure to gradually adjust. “After we started, he felt a bit braver and decided to get all ten nails painted,” she said excitedly.
Alex is also grateful that her customers are so open about their feelings during the service. “I can’t speak for other nail salons, but for me, I treat all my customers as friends. I’ve built wonderful relationships with many people through nail art, and while it’s a profession, I believe it can also be a fun and personal experience.”
As for Louis, this nail art enthusiast emphasized the importance of community, which can help you confidently use this colorful form of expression. “Asking people who do nail art for advice is really helpful,” he says, provided you know some people you can trust to ask for help. “Be prepared for all sorts of comments. If someone asks why, I always say it’s because I love doing nail art.” Louis also suggests starting small, like getting your nails done while doing small shopping trips. “You might be surprised by how positive people’s reactions are. Give people some time to adjust, and after a while, the people you care about will see it as a ‘normal’ feature of yours.”
Duke, 64, recalled an interaction with another nail art enthusiast on the r/malepolish forum. “A guy asked me where I got my nails done. He was thinking about getting them done, so I introduced him to my nail technician, Tracy. He started with a clear coat, then black, and now he’s obsessed with purple. He went step by step, while I went straight for bright pink!” Duke, who will turn 65 in a few weeks, regrets not falling in love with nail art sooner. “I had a lot of fun, and I hope this helps others be more comfortable being themselves,” he concluded. After all, nail art is something everyone can enjoy, and in my opinion, everyone needs some color to brighten up their lives these days.