For decades, Black women have taken pride in the divinity of their nails. Glossy lacquer was a stage and album-cover staple for Donna Summer and Diana Ross; Flo-Jo set Olympic records in a beadazzled red, white, and blue manicure; and as hip-hop and R&B rose to prominence, so did the popularity of bold French tips and long, curved acrylics, worn by everyone from SWV to Lil’ Kim.
Communities like Instagram’s @BlkGirlNailfies are rightfully putting Black women front and center of the nail-art conversation. They’re an online oasis for women who, like me, find beauty and inspiration in designs that are often imitated by the masses. They’re also where I’ve discovered some of my favorite Black nail artists and their manicure-obsessed clients and muses.
With Gina, she’s in the right hands. The nail artist enjoys telling stories with her work that are uplifting, fun, and glamorous. Transparent, hot-pink jelly nails accented with Swarovski crystals check off all the boxes. “Nail culture has been the driving force for out-of-the-box creativity, and Black women don’t do simple,” she says. “We elevate and we create with vibrancy.” Mikael Cummings. Video: Courtney Sofiah Yates Aja’s clients usually go home, but, as she puts it, “Mikael never left.
MissAsiaMilia So what? I thought this was a melting pot where we share cultures, not make things culturally exclusive. Y'all want to go back to pre-civil rights?