The Nail Art Trend That Will Have 90s Kids Feeling Oh-So Nostalgic
This year, we've already seen a ton of different nail trends, from metallic ombré to bold outlines and accents, but for you '90s kids out there, you're in for a real treat. Remember those airbrushed shirts you begged your parents for during your Florida vacation in 1998? Now you can relive those days with airbrushed nails. And this time, you don't need your parents' permission. Some may say airbrushing is outdated and tacky, but we couldn't disagree more. It's iconic and nostalgic and brings that '90s magic back into our lives.
Honestly, it's about time we resurrected this aesthetic. It's everything '90s kids have been waiting for. There are several ways to achieve this fun and crazy nail art, but we've narrowed it down to six different variations for you to take a look at, should you decide to hop on the airbrush nail trend — and, come on, we know you will.
The OG airbrush
If you were lucky enough to convince your parents to get you that airbrush tee, this design is absolutely perfect for you. It combines all the goodness of the '90s — hearts, butterflies, and of course, the infamous airbrush stars. To really capture the iconic aesthetic, add a graffiti initial like you see in the photo here.
Translucent design
This is hands-down the epitome of the airbrushed nails trend. Of course, we have to have the iconic stars, but instead of choosing a solid color, ask your nail tech to leave the stars — or whatever design you choose — blank. This will create a gorgeous contrast between the base color that will make anyone do a double take.
French tips with a twist
The French manicure was definitely a staple of the early 2000s, but you can put a '90s twist on it by airbrushing your tips instead of the boring solid white. Again, no true airbrushed item is complete without stars, and feel free to add some nail gems for that extra wow factor.
Bunny fever
Remember, not every airbrush nail design has to involve hearts and stars; you can definitely choose a more mature design, like the Playboy bunnies featured in the photo above. Plus, the pink and black color combination definitely screams 2009 prom, which nearly every millennial emo kid can appreciate (seriously, who said those colors were a good choice?).
Embrace your inner goth
When you think of airbrushing, vibrant colors probably come to mind; however, you don't need them to achieve the look. If you're into darker colors (a more gothic aesthetic, if you will), opt for color combinations that suit this style. Come on, what's more goth than black and purple nails with airbrushed crosses?
Don't stick to one design
As Gen Z would say, never let them know your next move, which is exactly the key to this look. Instead of creating the same design on your whole hand, choose a unique design for each finger, and really go for it. Remember, there's no such thing as too much; the bolder the look, the better.