Meet The Nail Artists Redefining Modern Manicures

Once upon a time, nail art meant choosing between French tips and whichever hand-painted flower your local salon offered. These days, though, it looks a little different. Manicures are getting coated in chrome, covered in charms, pierced, magnetized, and sculpted into shapes that barely look like nails at all. A single set can rack up millions of views on TikTok, inspire a flood of re-creations, and become just as talked about as the celebrity wearing it.

But in a social media landscape that’s inundated with nail inspiration, standing out as an artist takes more than a steady hand. In many cases, the ones at the top of their game aren’t following trends at all — they’re carving out a signature style that’s immediately recognizable mid-scroll. The result is a generation of artists treating nails as their canvas for experimentation, reimagining what can fit on a few centimeters of space and pushing the medium far beyond plain polish.

The artists ahead are proving there’s no one way to make an impact on the industry nowadays — only a distinct point of view. Whether they specialize in short lengths or crystal-covered claws, work backstage at fashion week, or create looks in the Euphoria glam trailer, they represent the many directions that manicures have taken in recent years — and the growing influence of the artists behind them.

Ahead, meet the nail architects of Bustle’s 2026 Beauty Icon Awards.

The Subtle Statement-Maker: Stephanie Stone

Follow: @stephstonenails

Followers: 184,000

Between all the barely-there manicures and full-on maximalist designs, it can be hard to find nail inspo that lands somewhere in the middle — unless you’re following Stephanie Stone. The celebrity manicurist, who counts Charli xcx and Tessa Thompson among her regular clients, has built her signature on sets that have a point of view, but not at the expense of wearability. Whether she’s adding a tiny star accent, reinventing a French tip, or using a hint of shimmer to catch the light, Stone proves that sometimes one clever detail is all it takes.

The Short Nail Expert: Kesang Gurung

Follow: @kesangthenailartist

Followers: 26,900

If you’ve ever assumed your nails weren’t long enough for elaborate nail art, Kesang Gurung has some news for you: “Short nails can be cute, too,” as her Instagram bio puts it. The New York City-based nail artist has carved out a following by squeezing the kind of creativity typically reserved for extensions onto much smaller canvases, pairing everything from leopard print and 3D daisies with polka dots, lace, chrome, and pearls. No matter the combination, her omakase designs are always delightfully busy — and a few steps ahead of whatever’s about to take over Pinterest.

The Avant-Garde Artist: Juan Alvear

Follow: @byjuanalvear

Followers: 95,700

For Juan Alvear, nail inspiration can come from just about anywhere. Medieval swords, bird talons, spiky tree branches — they’ve all found their way into his work and, consequently, onto some of pop’s resident It girls. Think Zara Larsson’s gilded Grammys manicure, Chappell Roan’s chrome stilettos, and Lisa’s recent vertebrae-inspired set. Take a quick scroll through Alvear’s page, though, and you’ll see that’s only the beginning. Whether he’s creating a faux zipper that stretches between two fingers or sculpting curly tendrils that look like overgrown fingernails, he has a knack for finding beauty in the unexpected.

The Claw Queen: Coca Michelle

Follow: @cocamichelle

Followers: 150,000

Coca Michelle’s Instagram is an ode to all things extra. The Los Angeles-based nail artist specializes in ultra-long extensions that leave plenty of room for crystals, buttons, faux piercings, stones, and just about any other embellishment you can think of, turning every manicure into as much of a statement accessory as a designer bag. Her work, which touches on everything from Y2K-inspired neons to cyber-futuristic chrome, is a master class in maximalism — and it’s that commitment to going bigger, bolder, and sparklier that has made her a favorite among stars like Cardi B, Megan Thee Stallion, North West, and Tyla. For anyone who believes more really is more, consider this your new favorite follow.

The Precision Pro: Julie Kandalec

Follow: @julieknailsnyc

Followers: 40,600

Florals for spring might not be groundbreaking, but Julie Kandalec can certainly make them feel like they are. As a regular fixture of Emily Blunt’s glam team and the artist behind her nails in The Devil Wears Prada 2, she’s built a reputation for making even the most classic red-carpet manicures feel fresh. From chrome French tips and champagne cat-eyes to pearl petal details, her page is full of ideas you’ll actually want to wear — or at least zoom in on. After all, Kandelec’s work is made for close-ups.

The A-List Whisperer: Miho Okawara

Follow: @mihonails

Followers: 213,000

What do Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, and Miley Cyrus have in common? Apart from being some of the biggest superstars of our time, they all share the same nail artist: Miho Okawara. Whether she’s creating a turquoise-studded set for Cowboy Carter or a nude manicure for the Hannah Montana reunion, the LA-based artist knows when to make a statement — and when to let technique take center stage. Where some artists leave their signature on every set, Okawara’s talent lies in her ability to let her clients’ personalities shine through instead, making her one of Hollywood’s most trusted collaborators.

The Internet’s Manicurist: San Sung Kim

Follow: @sansungnails

Followers: 473,000

With nearly half a million followers, San Sung Kim has become one of Instagram’s unofficial nail authorities — and for good reason. Her feed covers the full spectrum of nail art, including everything from beaded fruit nails and stained-glass cat-eye designs to classic French tips and gravity-defying creations. But the best part? Kim doesn’t gatekeep. Product breakdowns and technique demos are all part of the package, making her page just as educational as it is inspiring. One scroll is all it takes to start planning your next set.

The Nail Auteur: Caroline Cotten

Follow: @1.800.nailme

Followers: 68,500

There’s a good chance you’ve already seen Caroline Cotten’s work — even if you didn’t realize it at the time. As the nail artist behind Euphoria Season 3, she helped create some of the most closely analyzed beauty looks on television, from Rosalía’s neon stripper nails to Sydney Sweeney’s dramatically chunky French tips. That same eye for detail runs through the rest of her page, too, where unexpected color combos, 3D accents, and striped patterns frequently come into play. No two manicures are alike, but they’re all unmistakably part of Cotten’s world.

The Fashion Insider: Ama Quashie

Follow: @amaquashie

Followers: 11,300

If you want a front-row seat to where nail trends are headed next, start with Ama Quashie. The London-based nail artist spends her time backstage at some of fashion’s biggest shows, working closely with designers to key the kinds of looks that end up setting the tone for seasons ahead — most recently, the newspaper-print nails at the Dior cruise show, pearlescent color gradients at the Chanel cruise show, and gunmetal stiletto sets at McQueen’s Autumn/Winter 2026 presentation. As fashion moves away from quiet luxury and back toward drama, Quashie’s work is right there with it.