Beauty

Japanese manicure is the nail trend of 2026

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Forget BIAB and gel nails, Kate Middleton appeared at Wimbledon with a striking natural manicure. The Japanese manicure is gaining more media attention and is now also spotted in the royal box. I love getting my nails done every few weeks so they look well-groomed and I don’t have to worry about them. But all those trips to the salon and the regrowth are not exactly things I look forward to. It’s also not entirely healthy for your natural nails. Therefore, the Japanese manicure might just offer the perfect solution.

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What is the Japanese manicure?

The Japanese manicure is an ancient technique where the nails are cared for and polished without nail polish or gel. It’s all about the natural nails, but shinier and healthier. Think of it as the ultimate ‘your nails, but better’ manicure. The traditional technique involves shaping the nails, caring for the cuticles, and polishing the nail surface, not with an electric file, but with a special soft buffer made of suede or other soft material. Then, a nourishing paste with beeswax and minerals is polished onto the nail. As a final step, a shine powder is applied on top. The most well-known brand that sells these products is P.Shine, which offers a two-step system that includes the files, buffers, paste, and powder.

Stopping with gel polish

Last year, a video went viral of American influencer Valeria Lipovetsky, in which she said she was completely done with the constant maintenance that comes with getting your nails done. Monica Geuze also announced earlier this year that she stopped with BIAB due to possible health risks, such as an acrylic allergy.

@monicageuze

Best choice ever

♬ original sound – Monica Geuze

No hassle

Although BIAB and gel polish are still incredibly popular, you see more and more beauty trends that are more natural and less time-consuming. There are even more benefits to the Japanese manicure; without color, you have no noticeable regrowth and it suits every occasion. You can easily do it yourself at home, saving yourself quite a bit of money. If you still want to have it done somewhere, there are more and more salons in the Netherlands offering it as a service, like Polish Nail Bar in Amsterdam.

I am definitely already influenced. The idea of well-groomed nails without feeling my fingers burning under a UV lamp or an electric file sounds ideal. Whether I will permanently trade in my nail appointments for this remains to be seen, but I will definitely give it a try.