Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

How to Match Your Nail Art and Face Mask Like a Pro Manicurist

How to Match Your Nail Art and Face Mask Like a Pro Manicurist

As cold weather moves us indoors, it's imperative to wear a mask. But staying safe doesn't mean you can't stand out. With the help of the legendary Miss Pop, we asked pro manicurists - who have a long history of wearing facial coverings at work - to come up with cool, complex, and even avant-garde nail-art designs that coordinate with their favorite face masks.

I can't remember the last time I wore a belt. And don't even ask me about high heels. However, there is one thing I am not lazy about wearing: a face mask.

We, manicurists, are used to wearing them. The day I started beauty school, I was told I was required to don a mask for every lesson. And by the second week, almost everyone in class had made or bought something cooler than the plain paper ones we were handed. A mask protects our ability to work, whether we're facing COVID-19 or it's just a typical day at the salon.

In fact, when the pandemic and subsequent mask shortage hit, salons like Paintbox and Sundays in New York City stepped up and donated their mask and glove stock to first responders.

For manicurists, a simple face covering can guard our lungs from things like the dust from filing and acrylic enhancement. In the pandemic, it protects us all from so much more. But, most importantly, masks give us one more opportunity to be fucking fabulous.

Masks are the must-have accessory right now and my fellow nail artists and I are not sleeping on the chance to add that extra something to our 'fit. To us, masks are just another canvas for self-expression. Health, but make it fashion.

My favorite mask in rotation right now is a retro floral one I snagged from Prabal Gurung. Especially since I can't wear big earrings when I'm masked up, I like to add the functional but chic metallic Pretty Connected Nikki Mini Face Mask Chain, too.



As for my nails, this floral mask was giving me '70s vibes, and I wanted to bring the rainbow of shades in the print to my hands. I used a blend of red, white, pink, and blue polishes by Zoya (shades Arizona, Snow White, Harbor, and Cora), Nailtopia (Trust The Process and Keep It 100), and Chanel (Energy and Daydream). I'm a more-is more kind of gal. (Hey, I do what I want with my nails - and so should you.)

Here are how some of my supremely stylish nail art colleagues from around the globe are showing off their matching masks and manicures.

Liam Peter, @liampeternails




The contrasting prints in this look by Melbourne-based nail artist Liam Peter offer a super-unique, eye-catching effect we love. To tie everything together, Liam Peter added leopard print detailing within the flowers on each digit and used a creamy, light pink base to let the design do all the talking.

To achieve this look at home, you'll want to get your hands on some coffin-shaped acrylics (like these), as well as some blush pink, black, and yellow-gold polishes. Additionally, a fine line brush will come in handy for the details - however, if you're a beginner, using a stencil or nail sticker in a similar style might be a better route.

Kristen Valdez-Dougherty, @sfnoma




How cool is this cosmic look by San Fransico-based nail artist Kristen Valdez-Dougherty? "I'm inspired by anything colorful and prismatic, so finding masks to match my style has been a fun challenge for me," she says. "Before the pandemic, I always made sure to wear a mask when filing my clients nails so I wouldn't inhale any dust, and now I've taken extra precautions by investing in a three-part system from Aerovex that captures and kills airborne viruses and protects the breathing zone between my clients and me during their service."

For this nail look, Valdez-Dougherty used Aprés Sculpted Long Coffin Tips, Airtex's AirGel Liquid, stencils from @glamnailz210, gold foil from Amazon, and the Hi Gloss Top Coat by Medusa Nails.

Jessica Scholten, @jessicascholten_




To match her shimmery sequin-emblazoned mask, Amsterdam-based artist Jessica Scholten went for a dreamy duochrome manicure that shifts colors in the light. To create a similar look at home, use ILNP's Cameo Ultra Chrome Nail Polish; the pink-and-green holographic hue is just like the one Scholten's wearing here.

Lavette Cephus, @beaute_asylum




Toledo, Ohio, and Atlanta-based nail artist Lavette Cephus crafted this all-denim look in collaboration with a local fashion designer named DJ Sanderfer. "The inspiration for this look was denim - a fashion trend I believe never goes out of style and will live on forever," she says. "As I am a fashion enthusiast, wearing masks with matching nails offers more opportunity to flaunt my talents and push my creativity."

Cephus is wearing the VNTG mask by DJ Sanderfer.

Nargis Khan, @nailsfromnars




Toronto-based nail artist Nargis Khan made her own mask using iron-on stars from Amazon because she says she wanted to make it more personalized. "I love the idea of matching my nails to my current fave mask," she tells Allure. "For my look, I chose to match the stars on my mask with a chrome gold polish and added some definition with a black outline. I decided to top it off with a glittery gold background for some extra glam."

For her star-studded manicure, Khan used gold sparkle by Akentz, CND's Vinylux Long Wear Nail Polish in Black Pool, and CND's Shellac Polish in Divine Diamond.

Sigourney Nuñez, @nailartbysig




"My mask was handmade by my mom's coworker. They're both essential workers," Los Angeles-based nail artist Sigourney Nuñez tells Allure. "For the nail art, I really wanted to bring this Mexican tela tipica to life. Tela tipica translates to 'common fabric.' Color, to me, is the catalyst for inspiration, so I knew I wanted to create skittle nails for this look. I took it up a notch by adding a subtle vertical gradient and then painted thin lines to add monochromatic details."

Nuñez used all OPI polishes for her rainbow manicure, including shades You're Such a Budapest, Mariachi Makes My Day, Dreams Need Clara-fication, Tile Art to Warm Your Heart, How Does Your Zen Garden Grow, Envy the Adventure, Don't Tell a Sol, Sun, Sea and Sand in my Pants, Viva OPI, Black Onyx, and Coral-ing Your Spirit Animal.

Maria Castro Ferreyra, @lovemakemyday




Argentina-based nail artist Maria Castro Ferreyra created this gorgeous crystal-centric look to complement the rhinestones in her mask. The different-sized appliques impart an awesome multi-dimensional effect that makes it far from your average sparkly manicure.

Amazon has a wide range of sparkly nail accessories you can use to deck out your digits like Ferreyra. So long as you've got some nail glue, such as this kind by Kiss, you'll be good to go.

Tacarra Sutton, @spifster




Lord knows we love a matchy-matchy moment here at Allure, and this brushstroke look by Chicago nail artist Tacarra Sutton knocks it out of the park. "I think back to my masks of the past that I've thrown away thinking I'd never need them again, not realizing today it would be such a fashion staple in a sense," says Sutton. "This mask… has my signature 'dope' [lettering] and acrylic painted dry strokes, a technique I use on nails that I had to bring to the mask."

Sutton painted her own mask. As for her nails, can buy your own press-on sets by Sutton via her Shopify page.

Yuko Wada, @yukomanicure




Yuko Wada wasn't always a nail artist. Before training to become a talented manicurist in Tokyo, Wada was a nurse for seven years. Now, you can find her painting bright, intricate works of art across fingernails in both the editorial and celebrity landscapes.

For this project, she created a cream-based manicure topped with delicate etchings of birds in white to pair with her ethereal-inspired face covering.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
×