Bare nails trend in London salons sparks debate over class and culture

Salon owners describe the new look

Paloma Buddemeier, who owns Wumman Spa in London, says many clients now arrive wanting nails that look as if they have never been to a salon. The process still involves filing, buffing, trimming, soaking, and hydrating the cuticles before applying no polish at all. This shift follows viral images of glossy naked nails appearing on social media platforms and at recent fashion events.

Critics link the trend to class

Some observers argue that this preference for bare nails signals a specific class status rather than just a simple style choice. Beauty journalist Kristina Rodulfo tells the BBC that calling these nails elegant or tasteful often hides white supremacist standards of beauty. Critics warn that promoting blankness and sameness could stigmatise bold manicures rooted in black, Latino, and Asian communities.

Concerns about cultural erasure grow

The suggestion that bare nails represent high status might erase the creative roots of nail art found in diverse communities. Rodulfo states that euphemisms like tasteful perpetuate standards that ignore the identity important to black and brown groups. The debate continues as the trend takes over red carpets while ignoring its historical context.