HAILEY BIEBER CHROME NAILS & THE CLEAN GIRL AESTHETIC

Photo & Nail art Cred: @TheEditorialNail

Chrome nails have had our grannys in a chokehold ever since Wet n’ Wild and Revlon had metallics on lock. Because of its gaudy effect, it was often a hard sell with clients. But nail artists across the board have innovated different ways to style the pigment. From isolated overlays to 3D floating designs upholding one of the longest running viral nail art trends in beauty.

Trends have inherited an additional benchmark for virality, and it’s proximity to celebrity status. Why we’re now rebranding these as Hailey Bieber nails is beyond, but what’s even more baffling is why the former (according to The Zoe Report) is being attributed to “transcending the Clean Girl Aesthetics” given the recent backlash across social and the term’s direct correlation to white washing hood aesthetics. This topic has been making rounds throughout Tik Tok in massive waves. Like a TSUNAMI bitch. @MeeandMinnie explains it HERE and Purewow defines this as the following:

The 'clean girl aesthetic' puts thin, wealthy white women front-and-center as the preeminent aspirational figure on TikTok. A quick scan through the tag and you'll find that it lacks diversity on every front. The trend alienates BIPOC women, fat women, women with acne-prone skin and women with disabilities.

Not only is this true, but it also repackages this long existing effortless look amongst black and latin womxn/gxrls to reflect less of them and more of appropriative euro standards. You may be wondering, girl it’s just nails! But this plays a key role in a larger conversation of how celebrities sometimes affect mainstream culture in an unintentional predatory way while also glazing over the ghetto until proven fashionable concept.

We can fairly ask, do we need celebrities’ validation without their involvement or participation to collectively agree that something is a trend? Especially when it already was a viral trend.

Photo & Nail art Cred: @TheEditorialNail

Anyway chile, @Britts_Nail_Bar shared a cool tip on how she applies chrome nails, so I added an extra technique you can also try in the salon or at home! Sometimes a non wipe top coat isn’t on hand and you need to make that regular gel top coat work.

What You’ll Need:

• Nail Prep Kit

• Gel Base

• Gel Color

• Regular gel top coat

• Lint free wipe

• Chrome pigment

1. After thoroughly prepping your nails, apply the base coat and make sure to cap the free-edge. CURE.

2. Apply 2 coats of color and make sure there layers are smooth and even. No bumps. CURE.

*If there are any bumps, use this step as an opportunity to wipe off the sticky layer with alcohol and gently buff to achieve the smooth look.

3. Apply the regular top coat, also evenly, cap the free-edge and CURE.

4. Using the lint free wipe, completely remove the sticky layer. As recommended by Britt, until you hear the squeaky sound.

5. You can apply the chrome using a sponge or a clean dry finger tip.

6. Remove excess powder and gently file free-edge.

*Filing the free-edge minimizes the potential for chipping giving the base coat in the next step a solid foundation to hold on to.

7. Apply base coat and cap the free-edge.

8. Top coat to seal, do a light clean up and don’t forget to apply cuticle oil.

Are we sticking to chrome nails or are we shooting for Hailey Bieber Nails indefinitely?