When someone tells you, “I’ll never not have my nails done,” believe them. The time, investment, and deliberation over each set of nails might be hard to understand for those not manicure-obsessed, but devotees will be the first to tell you: It’s absolutely worth it, and it’s about more than just nails.
“If I’m getting a coma, I’m still getting my nails done once a week. And that’s in my will,” Khloé Kardashian once confessed on The Kardashians. Turns out, that wasn’t celebrity vanity talking: When it comes to nails, lots of people agree that it actually is that serious. We asked seven manicure diehards to tell us about their nail rituals, how they prioritize their manis, and what a fresh set means to them. (And just like Kardashian, we learned that nothing—including a global pandemic—will stop them from finding a way to wear the nails they love every single day.)
For some, manicures are a deeply personal practice. From biweekly salon gels to elaborate at-home setups, people rely on their manicures as both self-care nonnegotiables and identity markers. Great nails help channel confidence, professionalism, and creative expression. And despite rising costs, salon inconveniences, and less-than-gentle chemicals and