There are seemingly endless ways to customize one's nails. One unusual way now making the rounds on the Internet is the bubble nail.
Also referred to as "hump nails," this curved nail art features a round of acrylic placed at the center of the nail and shaped into a bubble-like dome. Though many have touted it as a new trend, a post from Nails Magazine indicates that this style of nail art has been around since at least 2009.
The magazine cites nail technician Hoa Bui of Ann's Nail Salon in Philadelphia for more information on how it's done:
"Bubble nails require building and sculpting of the acrylic until you get the look your client wants to achieve. You have to know exactly where the hump is supposed to be, then slowly build the nails. You start with a ball of acrylic in the middle of the nail, which is the highest part of the hump. The nail has to be thin at the cuticle, then it gradually gets thicker as it gets to the middle of the nail plate. Then from the middle of the nail plate it has to gradually get thinner at the tip of the nail, like a nice smooth hill. The curve has to be perfect."
When done correctly, the finished product is a smooth, rounded nail:
A photo posted by Belle Balderas (@itzbelle_2105) on Dec 21, 2014 at 11:05pm PST
A photo posted by 6364 Martin Luther King 77021 (@nailsbyann) on Jan 3, 2015 at 7:26am PST
A photo posted by Call 9549146119 for nails (@jewelznails) on Jan 2, 2015 at 7:46pm PST
A photo posted by 6364 Martin Luther King 77021 (@nailsbyann) on Dec 27, 2014 at 12:48pm PST
Should you have an urge to test this nail art out on a willing friend, the clip below offers a closer look at how this tricky technique is done. Happy sculpting.