I knew bare nails had officially become a trend when people started asking for a manicure that didn't really look like, well, a manicure at all. Suddenly, the best inspo on Instagram wasn't chrome or intricate nail art—it was healthy-looking nails that seemed completely untouched. Except, as it turns out, they usually aren't.
"The reality is, a clean manicure is still a manicure," says nail artist Jessica White. Those glossy, perfectly groomed nails taking over your feed, explains White, are often the result of regular salon appointments, nail prep, and professional products—not simply good genetics. And if there's one thing this trend proves, it's that "natural-looking" and "no effort" aren't necessarily the same thing.
