Japanese Gel Nail Art at M&M Studio in NYC

M&M Studio is located in Midtown and very close to a subway station. It wasn’t too hard to find, just follow the signs. The space was cozy but facilitated individual attention, which is especially important for working one-on-one with a nail artist to perfect a design.

The two nail artists we were booked with, Sayaka and Maiko, are both professionals at Japanese style nail art, meaning they can dream up really complex, intricate designs, even in 3D. I brought a photo of a style I wanted to emulate and Sayaka executed it flawlessly and even customized the look a little so that my nails would be unique. Check out my friend’s amazing nails in the above photo!

The salon has a wide selection of colors and an impressive quantity and variety of embellishments. They have your normal glitters and rhinestones, but they can do glass-style nails (the hottest new nail trend from Korea) and have very kawaii 3D shapes (bows, donuts, and hearts just to name a few) that can be glued to your nail design. This is just one tray of their possible designs.

My friend and I felt that our two nail artists didn’t skimp on the manicuring of the cuticles/nails but cut time by being very efficient, showcasing their experience. For example, my manicurist drew quickly but didn’t make any mistakes, turning a process that usually takes about 1.5-2 hours into a relatively quick 1 hour appointment.

It’s been about two weeks and my nails still look perfect. I noticed that Sayaka was really great about applying the gel polish underneath the tips of my nails too to prevent chips and really create a solid base.

To see examples of M&M Studio‘s nail design work check out Sayaka and Maiko’s Instagram here and here.

What are your thoughts on Japanese style nail art?