By: Nana Zuke

Nail Art has become the next big thing after clothes, handbags and shoes. This type of art has taken over the world and is growing fast as a trend, transforming both the local and international fashion and beauty scenes.

Nail art is a creative way to decorate finger and/or toe nails. Today this fashion activity is mainly done to catch the eye and make cameras zoom in on the unique designs.

This type of art is currently big on runways and red carpets. High fashion magazines such as Cosmopolitan and brands like Avon are also investing in advertising this type of art. Bold nail designs are huge amongst the elite.

Retail stores also offer DIY kits for those who cannot afford to go to the salon, for them to indulge themselves and not feel left out.

Tamara Jagnik, Nail Technician at Polished to Perfection in Davenport said, “We get different requests for designs on a daily basis, each customer wanting nails that will bring out their personality and make them stand out. Different age groups want different styles though.”

A person can express how they are feeling with just their nail art which ranges from emoticons on our phones to scenes from our favorite movies. Some popular shows even use this as part of their campaigns. Tyra Bank’s season 20 of America’s Next Top Model, had a photo shoot which focused on the models and their nail art themes.

“Each and every nail art varies according to a person’s character- I’m a huge fan and as a student it’s hard not to follow trends so I’m definitely taken by it,” said Malondi Masondo, a student who prefers unique pretty nails.
In countries such as Egypt nail art or color used on nails usually represented the social class you belonged to.

The colours were used to identify what level of class the wearers belonged to. Elite men wore black, while the lower class wore green, using a substance called kohl.

Life of a modern day female has been made easy, with just a stroke of a paint brush or the use of glue, women can have their nails looking absolutely stunning in no time.

“Customized nails are requested twice a week or more, bold nail art is popular with matric students who just want to look glam for their matric balls. The senior citizens just want the subtle French manicure,” said Sivu, a nail technician.

The diversity and innovation of the modern day society is not only in technological fields, but also in the everyday routines that women use to make themselves look beautiful and bold. Nail artistry is without a doubt a multi-million dollar industry.