Who needs a smartphone when you could have smart nails?
NFC manicures are the latest nail trend, which brings the manicure into the tech world.
NFC, which stands for “near-field communication,” is an ultra-tiny tech chip that plays off the signals on your phone and can trigger a variety of responses.
An NFC manicure puts the chip — which is a completely flat sticker, no different than any other nail decal sticker — at the base of the manicure, and, if removed delicately, can be reusable.
“They’re paper thin and about the size of an Advil,” nail artist Lori-Ellen Howe told Byrdie. “They’re weightless, painless, and don’t heat up or anything.”
The chip allows your nail to act similar to a QR code — but Howe claims it’s “even simpler than that.”
“There are two types of NFC nail chips that I’ve been using. One is like a microchip that you can encrypt with data: a website, a Spotify song. I have one that links my Instagram so if someone compliments my nails I can tap on their phone and it will open,” Howe told Byrdie.
The second type, Howe shared, is a blinking light that starts shining whenever your phone is unlocked.
Part of the rise in popularity could be due to the social aspect. Simply tapping your nail on someone’s phone can bring up an Instagram or TikTok page.
Howe believes this is just the beginning of NFC manicure technology.
“The chips are going to get smaller and there’s going to be more and more,” she said, adding that the one-link maximum will probably expand, and people might even be able to put on light shows from their nails.
And you don’t even have to be an engineer to put it all together.
The NFC decals are available online, and Howe recommends putting the base coat on first, then the sticker, then top it off with color.
“If you’re using a light-up sticker, leave a little area where the light can shine through. It’s a little yellow in color so I like to cover it with opaque polish,” she advised.