Nail piercing is the chicest way to elevate your manicure 

Just when we thought we’d reached the pinnacle of nail art with the glazed donut and milky manicure trends, we’ve discovered our newest obsession: nail piercing. 

Nail piercing is exactly what it sounds like. It’s when you get a small piercing - or a few piercings - through the tip of your nail and adorn it with jewellery. 

If it sounds familiar, then you probably remember when the trend was big in the ‘90s, but it’s made a comeback in a major way. 

“It’s part of a wider trend of self expression, where people are experimental with their makeup, fashion and nails,” celebrity nail artist and one of the people bringing nail piercing into the 21st century, Iram Shelton, says. 

“It can be such a nice way to elevate your nail look, depending on your own personal style -  if you’re a minimalist you can keep it fairly simple, or if you like something more maximalist you can go crazy with charms and multiple piercings.”

Iram has shared several examples of the trend on her Instagram, with the favoured look tending to be a glossy nude manicure with a small gold ring. 

“Nails are jewels not tools! I’ve wanted to pierce my nails for a long time but needed to grow them out a little before I did! I loved how they turned out,” she captioned one post. 

The nail piercing trend is growing on TikTok too, with videos including the trend surpassing 21.8 million views.

“Accessories are a great way to put a whole look together and for me my nails are always an accessory whether it’s something simple like nude nail, or a bold look it always adds to the final look,” Iram adds. 

While going to a professional is probably the safest way to pull off this look, it is possible to do it yourself - you just need to take precautions so as not to damage your nails. 

“You must be very careful if you decide to pierce your natural nails,” Iram advises. “If you’re someone who does a lot of cleaning, or washing then maybe they’re not ideal for you, as they can get caught on things. It is definitely more of an editorial look but if you choose to pierce them without a charm that dangles, they’ll probably be easier for you to manage.”

She adds that while you can piece through gel nails, this would need an electric tool which she only recommends a professional doing. 

“If you decide to piece your own nails, they need to be grown out a little so you have a free edge to pierce,” she says.

“Alternatively, you can try and pierce press on nails. This way you can save a trip to the salon and take them off at your own convenience.”

While the look may be impractical, you can bet we’re still going to try it.

You can book nail piercings and other manicures with Iram Shelton at The Bulgari Spa London, by appointment only.