For years, the Russian manicure was a salon secret, with only a select handful of nail technicians performing and promoting it. But once it went viral on TikTok, that quickly changed, to the point where ‘Russian manicure near me’ is now one of the most searched beauty queries on Google.
However, as with most TikTok trends, the Russian manicure is nothing new — the only difference is that more people are aware of it now. “I’ve been doing Russian manicures and educating clients on 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, hardly anyone had heard of it, but today people are looking for salons that specifically offer this service.” As for what prompted this shift? Zheltovski points to the technique ‘s “impressive results ,” though a key element to its rise is how controversial the method is.
“While I understand the appeal of certain trends , this one has me stumped,” says Dana Stern, M.D., a New York City dermatologist specializing in nail health and an adjunct clinical professor of dermatology at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. And she’s not alone. While there are more than 1 billion TikTok videos dedicated to the Russian manicure trend , there are 969 million that address whether or not the trend is safe. Most of this content comes courtesy of dermatologists and nail technicians who disagree with or recommend the technique, while just as many disagree with them in the comments. And so on.
What is Russian manicure?
The term Russian manicure actually refers to a grooming technique , not a visual style, which means it’s not like a French manicure. Russian manicure goes by other names, including combination manicure, e-file manicure, and dry manicure, Zheltovski explains. “Russian manicure is a combination of precise cuticle work, which can be done with nail clippers, scissors, or nippers — depending on the technician — and gel overlay.”
A Russian manicure is also completely dry , meaning this is all 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 the cuticle and skin surrounding the nail, and sometimes abrasive brushes are used for intense exfoliation as well.”
Translation? The Russian manicure technique removes as much skin as possible from the nail area, leaving more room for the polish. This results in a ‘cleaner’ finish and helps to extend the time between appointments as the skin and nail take longer to grow back than with regular manicures.
Russian Manicure vs. Normal Manicure
‘The main difference is meticulous cuticle work , which, based on experience, can take from 20 to 45 minutes,’ says Zheltovski, and that’s just the cuticle preparation. ‘Another difference is the structured gel technique, which is included in the Russian manicure service . It helps strengthen the natural nail plate and makes the nails appear smoother and more even.’
In total, expect to spend about two hours in the salon for a Russian manicure, and pay between $100 and $250. Zheltovski thinks it’s worth it: “The results speak for themselves: It lasts longer and looks cleaner, so you don’t have to repeat the gel manicure every 10 days. You save time by doing this only once a month.”
What are the benefits of Russian manicure?
The main benefit of the Russian manicure is its longevity , though Zheltovski points to other advantages: ‘The great thing about the technique is that we don’t soak the gel in acetone,’ she says, ‘we file it down with a nail drill , thus removing 95% of the gel while keeping 5% of the product on the nail plate if it doesn’t lift or chip. We then top it up with structure gel following the same previous cuticle-clearing steps. This helps the nails grow and prevents dehydration from the acetone, so the nails are less likely to break and peel.’
Zheltovski says she’s noticed an improvement in her own nails since she started doing Russian manicures exclusively. “My cuticle and nail plate look better when I have consistent appointments,” she says. “Once you try Russian manicure, there’s no going back to a regular gel manicure.”
Russian manicure risks: Is it safe?
While the technique has a number of cosmetic advantages, Dr. Stern notes that these do come with a risk: “The main advantage is that the polish is applied under the proximal nail fold, allowing the manicure to last longer than a typical manicure. That said, the reason they can apply the polish under the fold is that they’ve created a breach in the protective membrane, otherwise known as the cuticle,” she explains. “Complete removal of the cuticle, if done repeatedly, often leads to yeast infestation, which leads to a type of nail infection called chronic paronychia .”
According to Dr. Stern, the cuticle is essentially the nail’s natural protective seal, so removing it entirely can be dangerous. “The cuticle is what keeps yeast and even bacteria out of the nail unit,” she says, adding that she’s already seen some of the infections mentioned popping up on the internet. “A lot of the pictures I’ve seen on social media that are posted to show off nice nails actually show nails with evidence of chronic paronychia. Even though the polish looks flawless, to the trained eye I see signs of infection: swollen, pink, inflamed nail folds.”
Finally, there’s always the risk that tools could introduce infections beyond yeast: “Because this technique is more aggressive than a typical manicure, there’s more chance of infection, so any tools used should be immaculately sterilized,” says Dr. Stern.
Zheltovski believes the technique itself need not be to blame, as long as you go to an experienced technician: “If done correctly, with sterilized tools and by a professional who has taken classes, Russian manicure is a safe technique that has many benefits,” she says. “The only risk is if you go to a nail technician who is not trained in this technique or who does not sterilize the tools properly. It’s not about a technique, a file machine or a sharp pair of scissors. It’s about who is doing it.”
How to get a Russian manicure as safely as possible
If you want to try a Russian manicure yourself, make sure you find a highly qualified technician who is committed to sterilising their tools in three steps, says Zheltovski. “Look for work on Instagram, reviews on Google Map and of course referrals from friends or blogger reviews. You can also search by hashtag,” she says. “Always look at the nail technicians work after three or four weeks of use – this will tell you a lot. Look at the cuticle, see if there are any hangnails and also how long the gel lasted. Before and after photos are always the best way to check.”
Dr. Stern also suggests seeking out experienced technicians and reiterates the importance of familiarizing yourself with the drawbacks of the method: “Go to someone who has many years of experience performing this very specific technique, but understands the potential risks,” she says.
