Japanese nail artist impresses with captivating designs

A New York-based Japanese nail artist and former nail salon owner is turning heads with her mesmerizing designs.

Yukako Nishino, who goes by Yukaco, has been creating nail art for the past 14 years. Having gone to nail school and later worked at a nail salon before opening her own shop, Nishino has since worked with several celebrities, ranging from models to actresses. The Japanese artist’s work has also been featured in publications like BuzzFeed and Paper Magazine.

“I like the delicate design of all-hand paint,” she told In The Know. “I also like to do nail art of various artists like painters.”

Nishino’s work ranges from Spongebob Squarepants designs to black-and-white portraits of famous actors.

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🧽 SpongeBob 🧽

A post shared by Nails by YUKACO (@ykc2712) on

The artist told In The Know that, depending on the design, executing the nail art can take between one and three hours.

“What’s really popular in Japan is the more complex mix of colors,” she explained. “It’s called nuance nails. There are so many cute nail parts and techniques in Japan, and I love them too.”

To date, Nishino has more than nearly 4,000 followers on Instagram. She also sells press-on nails through another account.

Check out some of her work below.

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