For years, the “Russian manicure” remained a salon industry secret, with only a handful of select nail techs performing and promoting the method. But once it went viral on TikTok, that quickly changed—so much so that “Russian manicure near me” is now one of Google’s top searched beauty queries.
As is the case with most TikTok trends however, the Russian manicure isn’t actually anything new—the only difference now is that more people know about it. “I’ve been doing Russian manicures and educating clients about this technique since 2016,” Natalie Zheltovski, a Russian manicure expert and educator and owner of Austin’s Nail Art House Academy + Nail Salon, tells Glamour. “Back then, barely anyone had heard of it, but today people are searching for salons that specifically offer this service.” As for what sparked this shift? Zheltovski points to the technique’s “impressive results,” though an essential element to its surge in popularity is how controversial the method is.
“While I understand the appeal of certain trends, this one has me perplexed,” says Dana Stern, MD, a a New York City board-certified dermatologist who specializes in nail health and the assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. She’s not alone. While there are over one billion TikTok videos dedicated to the Russian manicure trend, there are 969 million that address whether or not the trend is safe. A majority of this content is courtesy of dermatologists and nail techs who disagree with and do not recommend the technique, while that many more disagree with them in the comments. And so on and so forth.
To help set the record straight, Glamour asked experts everything there is to know about the Russian manicure. That way, you can make a truly informed decision on whether or not to partake in this particular trend.
What is a Russian manicure?
Russian manicure actually refers to a grooming technique, as opposed to a visual style, meaning it’s not like a French manicure. Russian manicures are also known as several other names, which includes combination manicure, e-file manicure, and dry manicure, says Zheltovski. “A Russian manicure is combination of precise cuticle work, which can be done using nail bits, scissors, or nippers—depending on the technician—and gel overlay.”
A Russian manicure is also completely dry, meaning all of this is done without soaking your hands in water. “A Russian manicure emphasizes complete cuticle removal, careful and precise removal of previous gel and polish, and intricate attention to a pristine polish application,” says Dr. Stern. “Drill-like tools and sometimes scissors are used to remove cuticle and skin surrounding the nail, and abrasive brushes are also sometimes used for intense exfoliation.”
