15 Nails Trends That Shouldn't Exist
Nail designs have become a very popular fashion trend in recent years, and now it's totally normal to see women with colorful acrylic nails walking down the street. This isn't too surprising. After all, lots of women love to paint their nails and go to nail salons. A great manicure can make you feel better about yourself (especially if your natural nails don't seem to grow), but in the last few months it seems that manicures have gone from fashionable to freaky. It seems that 2017 is the year of strange nail trends that leave people scratching their heads and wondering “why?!” While most nails trends are pretty and wearable, sadly there are also a lot of impossible and silly nail trends taking over Instagram and Pinterest. From long furry nails to nails that are decorated with tiny, living plants, here are 15 nail trends that definitely shouldn't exist!
15 The Snow Globe Manicure
Ambitious nail artists from around the globe are creating snow globe nails by gluing thick layers of acrylic nail together to create a tiny waterproof tank that can be glued to the nail. The tank is then filled with water, glitter, confetti and sometimes even tiny toys. The snow globe manicure is a good idea in theory because who wouldn't want shimmering nails that sparkle and shine whenever they move through the air? Sadly, the reality is pretty disappointing. While the nails are quite mesmerizing in their own way, the thickness of the nail is definitely off-putting; if anything, it looks like a toenail! They are also very unusable. It's hard to imagine anyone wearing snow globe nails during a day in the office. We also can't imagine what would happen if the nail breaks. Would water and glitter leak out, or would the whole tank just fall off?
14 The Bubble Manicure
Have you ever looked at your boring, flat nails and wished that they were the shape of bubbles? If so, you don't have to wish anymore. Simply head down to your local nail salon and ask for a bubble manicure. A bubble manicure is a seriously strange nail trend that uses a bubble of acrylic to make the nail look like a 3D bubble. While the trend isn't that impractical (you would still be able to type, eat, drink, and go to the toilet without any problem) it is unfortunately super ugly. The shape of the bubble makes the fingers look short and stumpy, and the design makes the nails look even shorter than they are. The nail polish also looks thick and gloopy, so it probably takes a very long time to dry! On the plus side, the long drying time may come in useful; people can use it to think about why they chose to get such a weird nail design in the first place.
13 The Fur Manicure
You're probably looking at this nail trend and thinking “No way! This must be some kind of joke!" Sadly the bizarre trend is no joke! Instagram and Pinterest are filled with pictures of furry nails, ranging from short hair nails to long hair nails that vaguely resemble 10 tiny yetis. It seems that people all across the globe are loving the trend, but we have no idea why. First of all, the trend is frankly weird looking. There is nothing attractive or appealing about furry nails. Secondly, the trend is surely unhygienic, as the fur will quickly pick up bacteria and dirt in a way that nails don't. Thirdly, what do people do when they need to wash their hands? Do they painstakingly squeeze out each individual furry nail or do they give them a quick blow dry? We'd like to hope that they aren't walking around with soggy nails.
12 The 3D Manicure
The 3D manicure has been popular for a few years now, and it used to be a cute nail trend that just featured one or two 3D additions. Sadly in recent months the trend has gone to some serious extremes. Now it is impossible to actually see the nail with most 3D manicures, as every single nail is completely covered with sparkling rhinestones, pink bows, colorful flowers, and lots of other plastic figures and toys. The overall effect is confusing, busy, and garish, making it hard to understand the theme or design. This isn't to say that there is an issue with more muted 3D nails. One 3D addition can make a nail design more unique and interesting, but if the nails are entirely covered with plastic additions they normally look messy and crowded. It's way too over the top… and it kind of looks like there are children's toys all over your fingers.
11 The Ridiculously Long Manicure
Every year it seems like nails get longer and longer. Short nails were trendy decades ago, mid-length nails were popular a few years ago, and very long nails were popular in 2015 and 2016. Now 2017 is here, and some manicures are ridiculously long. These nails resemble an animal's claws, rather than a human nail, and sometimes they even curve forward as they are too long to stay straight. This nail trend is seriously weird to look at, but that isn't the main issue. The main issue is how impractical they are; how does someone use the bathroom? How do they wash their hair? How to they prepare and cook a meal? Sure, you can learn new ways to do all of those things - but is it worth it? It is really worth transforming your daily routine so that you can have nails that are nearly as long as your fingers?
10 The Beaded Manicure
You may be looking at the picture and thinking “Hey, this is kind of cute in a weird way." That is true! The beaded manicure nail trend isn't as bad as most other nail trends on this list, but it is still really strange. Beaded, bumpy nails aren't very appealing visually, even if they do contain a multitude of colors. However the real crime is how darn impractical the nails are; as soon as you hit on your nail on something, lots of tiny beads are going to fall out and roll away. Your house will be filled with tiny colorful balls, and you will constantly be picking them up and throwing them away. It's also very likely that your hair and outfit will have at least one tiny ball nestled in them. As the balls slowly start to fall off your nails will start to look patchy, which we imagine looks slightly like a nail disease.
9 The Nail Hole Manicure
The nail hole manicure trend is one of the biggest fashion crimes of 2017. The trend can vary from one tiny hole in one nail, to lots of holes in every single nail. When there is just one nail with one hole with a cute gem hanging from it, we can almost understand what the nail artist was going for: a cute, simple, girly look. But it doesn't look cute. In fact, it normally looks pretty gross, like the nail is chipped or flaking away. It is also quite unhygienic as dirt and bacteria can easily get caught in the nail hole. If that isn't off-putting to you, consider the fact that the nail will be weaker (due to the fact that a nail artist punched a HOLE in it) so it is more likely to snap or break. This look should be reserved for people who really, really love cheese with holes… and even then it should probably be avoided.
8 The Animal Bone Manicure
Real mouse and vole bones that @saltcircle @daylynnlambi brought me!!! Don't worry, they were humanely sourced from owl pellets and have been naturally repurposed ❤🐭🦉💅 also I feel like we probably inadvertently cast some spells creating these nails 🔮 @fingerbangportland
A post shared by Asa Bree (@asabree) on Jan 23, 2017 at 8:34pm PST
The animal bone manicure isn't a super popular nail trend; so far it has only been seen online a few times after a manicurist from the Finger Bang nail salon in Portland, Oregon created a nail design that used real vole and mouse skeletons. The final look is morbid and creepy. And if the bones aren't cleaned properly, it is also unhygienic. Gothic nails are stylish and cool, but this nail design trend goes a step too far. The nails are strange and lumpy looking, and unless the glue is super strong it is very likely that the animal bones will fall off. Normally an acrylic nail falling off is no biggie, but if there are animal bones too you better hope they don't break over your food! Also (and this should go without saying) but there is something pretty gross about garnishing your nails with the bones of animals. You'd have to be pretty badass to pull this look off.
7 The Duck Manicure
First there was the duck pout, and now there is the duck manicure. The duck manicure is one of the most popular trends on this list, but that doesn't mean that it looks good. The duck nail has a unique shape that is definitely out of the ordinary; the top of the nail is much thicker than the bottom part, much like a duck's foot. A duck's foot isn't particularly attractive, so it doesn't really make sense that this nail trend became so popular - but it did. Lots of women are now choosing to intentionally file acrylic nails so that they are wider at the top, and it all seems very impractical. This is because the nails have ultra-sharp edges that are much wider than a normal nail, so it is easier to catch them on your clothes or hair (and it means you are more likely to scratch yourself when you are touching your face).
6 The Stiletto Manicure
The stiletto manicure is a very popular nail trend that is slightly dangerous. The trend involves filing the nails into razor sharp, pointed tips that could be used as tiny daggers. Stiletto nails became very popular after celebrities such as Rihanna were photographed at big events wearing the design, and they can definitely look cute. However, this doesn't mean that they are ideal for day to day life. Normal tasks are totally impossible with stiletto nails. Making a sandwich becomes a mammoth task, and applying makeup could easily end with multiple face scratches. Also, women can already be pretty terrifying, and the addition of nails that are basically weapons make them even scarier. For instance, if you annoyed a woman with a stiletto manicure she could very easily poke your eyes out! Ouch! On the plus side, stiletto nails probably make the wearer feel like a fierce some animal.
5 The Pom Pom Manicure
A decade ago, most people thought about cheerleaders if someone mentioned pom poms, but nowadays it is also possible that they will think about nails. This is because of the pom pom manicure, one of the strangest nail trends of the last few years. Pom pom nails are very simple and a nail artist will paint your nails with your chosen color, and then they will stick one or more pom poms on each nail. The look is okay if there is only one pom pom at the bottom of the nail, but if there are any more the nails look like they have been dipped in cotton candy. Tasty? Maybe. Attractive? Definitely not. This nail trend is also another unhygienic nail trend. Hair, fluff or fabric shouldn't really be glued to your nails as they will quickly get dirty, and this is impossible to avoid if you use your hands for normal day to day tasks!
4 The Succulent Manicure
Time to grab life real tight and GET IT 👊🏼 #arozona#succulentnails#succulentmanicure#succulentmani#succynails#getitgurl#grablifebytheballs#greenery#coloroftheyear2017#colouroftheyear2017
A post shared by Arozona (@arozona) on Dec 4, 2016 at 2:28am PST
Most people think that plants are beautiful. This is why people fill their homes with expensive flowers and plants, and it is why people pay extra money to live in a home or flat with a garden. While it can be pricey to live somewhere with a garden, there is a nail-based solution. If you love plants but you can't afford to live with a garden, you can try the succulent manicure. This manicure involves gluing lots of tiny plants to your fingernails using plant glue. This trend is unquestionably weird looking, and it won't last for long. If you wash up, wash your hair or cut food, it is very likely that the leaves will drop off. The succulent manicure is very difficult to do, so if you want to try it you will probably need to arrange an appointment with a professional nail artist. (And even then you might want to mention what you want beforehand!)
3 The Textured Manicure
Have you ever looked at your nails and thought “I wish my nails weren't so flat and smooth. I wish they were bumpy, and covered in ridges.” If so, congratulations! Textured nails are a popular nail trend that you can partake in, either at a salon or at home. The trend involves using texture nail polishes to create a textured nail that will easily catch on clothes, hair, pet's fur, and furniture. The varnish can also take much longer to dry than nail polish, and it is much harder to take off than normal nail polish! Textured nails were a good idea; who doesn't like the idea of bedazzled finger nails? Sadly the reality is a let-down; the nails are impractical, strange looking, and very, very weird to touch. They may not be the worst offenders on this list, but a normal nail polish still seems like a much better option.
2 The Money Manicure
If you're looking for a way to let people know that you're rich without actually saying you're rich, you should buy a flashy sports car or a huge house. What you shouldn't do is get the money manicure, as it looks seriously cheap (which makes sense, as the manicure can cost less than $5). The money manicure involves cutting up real money to create a nail design using money prints. Most people opt to use $1 bills, but there are pictures of manicures online that use $100 bills. We're not really sure why anyone would spend that much when the effect is basically the same as the $1 look, but if that's how you want to spend your money no one will stop you. The main issue is that money doesn't actually look good. It isn't an attractive colour and the design isn't that appealing, so it just doesn't make sense as a replacement for nail polish.
1 The Scorpion Manicure
The scorpion manicure was first thought up by Lupita Garcia and her friend Rocio Vidales, a nail salon owner. Lupita loved scorpions, and so together the pair decided to glue tiny, dead baby scorpions to her nails using a thick, clear nail polish gel. The look is now fairly popular in Mexico and other parts of the world, but the reality of the look is dead baby animals on the ends of your fingers, which is pretty gross. It also doesn't look that good - scorpion nail decals would probably look much better! However the main reason why you shouldn't try this nail trend is because it is dangerous. Anyone who wears real scorpions on their nails is risking exposure to the scorpion's venom, which can be harmful to humans. So even if you like this strange nail trend, it is best to avoid it. Maybe try the succulent nails instead!