From kiosks in department stores to the plush environs of five-star hotel beauty parlours, nail art services have become exceptionally popular among fashion conscious Thais of all ages and walks of life.
Pornchanok Jirakiertivadhana.
Nail art, a concoction between the worlds of art, fashion and beauty, in the last decade has become so popular that it is said women find it a required accessory to boost their confidence in how they look and feel about themselves.
Needless to say, it has become one of the fastest growing beauty segment because of its low investment and high return strategy, said Pornchanok Jirakiertivadhana, owner of N.I.C. Nail Salon, which has been servicing its clients for 23 years.
Pornchanok, an avid nail art enthusiast who took over the business from the original owner last year, believes that women take an instant liking for this type of art form because it makes a fashion statement on both natural and artificial nails. Some of the more diehard fans endeavour to become nail art fashion icons.
She credits the nail art craze to the growing fashion accessory industry, which she said has influenced the innovation and science of nail art, which can come in various forms, including nail painting airbrush to 3D rhinestone nail art.
New technologies also offer customers more realistic-looking acrylic nails and nail extensions, which are attached with glue adhesives and glue tabs. At the fantasy end of this burgeoning market, Pornchanok said, fingernails and toenails have become a natural canvas for the expression of creative imagination for nail artists today.
“The world of fashion continues to revolve in not just clothes, hairstyles and shoes, but today also in the nail art industry. It was inevitable that nail designs would one day become an accessory to compliment a person’s hair, clothes and shoes. Despite being creatures of habit, I do believe that as human beings we continue to lookout for new things to add spice into those mundane daily habits.
“In my opinion, nail art came into existence because people were not satisfied with just painting their nails a certain way, they wanted to play around with other options. I also believe another factor that brought about this fashion trend was chronic nail biting.
“Between one to two hours and your nails are transformed into pieces of art. For most women, nail art is like wearing ear rings and putting on lipstick, it is about looking your best, the moment you step out of the house,” she said.
Nail artists are busy starting trends and breaking the manicure mould, she continued. Some of the hottest manicure looks that are gaining momentum include plenty of chic metallic, ombré, graphics and stripes.
Pornchanok admits that nail artists are the backbone of her business, they are the creative team that are tasked to come up with innovative themes and ideas that will cater to the clients desire to carry a chic yet original hand painted art pattern to match the latest fashion trends.
N.I.C.’s team of nail artists have each had more than 10 years work experience. These women, most of whom have majored in Fine Arts, are creating nail designs so incredible that their client base continues to grow in leaps and bounds, often through word-of-mouth.
“There is no limit to the innate creativity of Thai nail artists,” she said. “Having closely observed their creative work, I can only draw to the conclusion that they draw energy from the natural geometry of the world, and colours too. Each of them aspires to offer clients a certain feel when doing nail art. Colours are a definite way to get a person from feeling melancholic to all mountain-dew hyped.
“Nail art salons do brisk business if they have talented nail artists. Without a shred of doubt I would say that people can turn this into a sustainable career with proper planning and multi-skilled staff.”
It is customary for clients to have nail artists come up with a style for them at the spur of the moment, with minimum information shared between both. The only thing they might have to work on could be the colour and pattern of the evening gown, she noted.
Skin complexion, including that of the knuckles, also plays a vital part in the choice of colours used in the designs. Attention to the most minute details, work experience and calm nerves are required to executive the job to perfection, noted Pornchanok, because there is very little space for errors. When it comes to styles, foreigners prefer a touch of Thainess in their choice of designs, while locals are open to whatever fits the occasion.
While coming up with fresh ideas is a must to keep customers excited, she said, it is always a joy to have new clients visit the salon who are not familiar with nail art. Preaching nail art is a calling that they take seriously.
Pornchanok is convinced that the nail art industry is here to stay, and is yet to reach saturation point. Her reason being: “We have a sizeable number of women who wouldn’t leave the house if their nails don’t compliment their attire and hairstyle. This industry has yet to reach saturation point because not only is the demand strong, styles and themes continue to evolve in nail fashion. Thais are gifted in this line of work, so with the right team of experts, the sky is the limit for such a business.
“Nail art will always have its followers because its stunningly elaborate, nails can be sculpted, stencilled, pierced and of course painted with intricate designs, catering to the women’s innermost desire to look attractive.”
