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You’ve heard of peekaboo hair, with a bright color underneath a darker shade, but have you heard of peekaboo nails? The nail trend is gaining speed, with Aprés Nail, the pioneer in soft gel nail extension technology, helping lead the way. When I stopped by the brand’s pop-up in Los Angeles over the weekend, Aprés Nail was sharing its new Aprés Nail Gel Couleur, an assortment of 100 gel shades. I got peekaboo nails for the occasion and let me tell you, you’re going to be obsessed.
Don’t just trust me, though. Look at Maisie Wilen’s Spring/Summer 2023 NYFW show. Models walked the runway with a pop of color underneath the nail, all done by Aprés Nail. There were black nails with white underneath, pink nails with black underneath, white and baby blue, and so much more. It’s like surprise nail art. The unexpected pop of color will have people taking a second look.
Après Nail.
I knew I had to try the trend so I chose a pretty bubblegum pink with yellow underneath — with a surprise smiley face on my pointer fingers. Folks love Aprés Nail for its gel-x manicure so I decided to try that too, in a medium length that’s much longer than I’m used to. If you’re not familiar with gel-x, simply, it’s a process that binds a gel tip to your natural nail with an LED light. There’s much less glue, chemicals, filing and harsh ingredients so your natural nail is less damaged. Gel-x manis also last weeks longer than a regular gel manicure.
I recorded the entire process because I couldn’t believe how fast it was. The new Gel Couleur polish is so opaque, it easily covers the shade underneath. Plus, the innovative in-bottle “Brush-X” has the feel of a Japanese nail art brush so DIYers can get a precise application. Even amateurs can do these at home but if you’d rather head to a salon, just ask if they have Aprés Nail products. (Most do!)
Of course, you can use any products at home to pull off the peekaboo nail trend. I’ve had these nails on for about a week and I’m getting so many compliments, I don’t want to take them off. Next time, though, I might just go a bit shorter. To remove gel-x, you just soak the nails in acetone nail polish remover like regular gel. The entire application tends to be pricier, but since they last longer with less damage, it does seem worth it. I think I’m hooked.
