1. THE LOOK: Grotesque nails inspired by every part unconventional and repulsive – from dirt and fungus to vertebrae and rotting flies. If it’s gross, it’s here!
   
2. WHO’S DOING IT? First popularised by Russia-based nail artists, the trend has spread and is now starting to realize traction with people around the globe.
3. HOW CAN I GET IT? Spend 20 hours foraging in untamed woodlands, transform right into a 100-year-old faun, or reach out to among the nail artists!

Last 12 months Julia Fox declared ‘ugly is in’ and hailed dirty girls as the brand new it-girls. If the grotesque twist we’re witnessing in nail art trends is anything to go by, it seems her beauty predictions are coming true. Taking a darker turn, the maximalist manicures that when filled our explore pages with their dazzling, shiny or bejewelled sets are being overshadowed by nail art that resembles decaying teeth, fungus and rotting flies.

In an area where the grotesque meets the glamorous, these expert nail artists can create a thriving dirty microcosm on a singular nail bed. Resembling the telling symptoms of fungal nail infection, or the brittle nails of the iron deficient, grotesque nails are purposefully disgusting designs. Their curated grossness emerges as the final word antithesis of the “clean girl” aesthetic, a stark rejection of banal beauty trends corresponding to nostalgic 90s-inspired designs or blueberry milk nails.

Pioneering the trend are Russian nail artists like Varvara (@corrosion.nails) and Diana (@raw.nailsss), who’re carving out a distinct segment by finding inspiration within the unconventional. Whether it’s peeling paint on stairwells or cracked concrete sidewalks, each find beauty within the ignored and sometimes dismissed textures of the world around them. “I’m inspired by textures corresponding to tree bark, stone relief and water stains,” says Varvara, whose approach is grounded in nature. Here there are not any archetypal roses or daisies, nonetheless. As an alternative, she experiments with rawer textures paying homage to fossils and reptile scales. Diana also credits her inspiration to the natural world, along with her work resembling mould spores, fungus and broken bones. 

The spectrum of grotesque nail designs is wide. Some go for ostentatious, prolonged nails. One design mimics a sequence smoker’s discoloured patina, the nails a disturbingly vivid, piss-coloured hue. Their surface is a gritty and grainy texture with bulbous projections that rise from the surface paying homage to tumorous growths. In another, the nails are sculpted into sharp predatory talons. Their marred surfaces are marked with microscopic serrations. Yellowing teeth and bone-like textures are popular, complete with vitamin-deficient ridges and porous holes. One design, by nail artist @marggie_nails, creates a distressing illusion of bleeding and bruising beneath the nail bed. 

The newfound popularity of those nails may be attributed to a shifting perspective on beauty. “The boundaries of beauty perception are expanding; today, persons are increasingly drawn to unconventional aesthetics,” reflects Diana. Varvara echoes this sentiment, emphasising that the demand for daring, outlandish designs comes from a collective weariness of traditional nail art. “Persons are growing bored with the so-called perfect nail art, and the best method to stand out is to do the alternative,” she explains.

In recent times, the industry has increasingly witnessed a departure from the normal, conventional trends with looks corresponding to duck nails and maximalist experimental designs championed by creatives like Tomoya Nakagawa and Lora De Sousa. The reclamation of ugly by the industry is not any recent trope – in spite of everything, Goblin Mode was Oxford word of the year back in 2022. The interplay between beauty and ugliness has historically been a source of creative exploration, underscoring the changing standards of industry ideals. 

This 12 months, the sweetness sphere has been shifting towards something a bit dirtier. The ascent of the ghoulish girl felt like a precursor to this grotesque evolution, defined by the embrace of messy eyeliner, purple eyebags, and aesthetics akin to it-girl Gabbriette. This nonchalant approach can also be evidently parallel in fashion, with Miu Miu runways showcasing bedhead hair and Balenciaga models sporting bleached brows and bruises. We see this further emerge into the mainstream with the arrival of frumpy aesthetics, a trend that has the Depop girls scrambling for kilts and raiding their nan’s reading glasses.

Not everyone seems to be a fan of the gross nail aesthetic, but Diana and Varvara find humour in the net hate. “I understand that this isn’t something that can be liked by everyone, but I’m glad that I managed to construct a community of people who find themselves ready for beauty that doesn’t meet the common beauty standards,” Varava says. Diana, meanwhile, doesn’t see anything incorrect with or rebellious about her designs. “I never desired to be against traditional norms or be ironic. All I see is beauty.”

Join Dazed Club and be a part of our world! You get exclusive access to events, parties, festivals and our editors, in addition to a free subscription to Dazed for a 12 months. Join for £5/month today.