If you want to know what’s going to be popular in beauty next season—and beyond—you go to South Korea. Seoul, specifically, is known for its range of futuristic treatments and innovative cosmetics, many of which are offered at a lower cost than in the United States. That’s exactly why I visited in November.
At the top of my itinerary was the Seoul Nail Expo, a yearly gathering of nail professionals showcasing the latest in Korean nail technology. With South Korea’s unofficial beverage (an iced Americano) in hand, I walked through the Seoul Trade Exhibition and Convention Center, taking in what the country’s biggest nail brands had to showcase.
Looking at the wide range of upcoming products and nail sets pre-painted in some of the prettiest trends—syrup, cat-eye, and blush nails—I was inspired to speak to brand representatives and manicurists about the nail art they expect to make it stateside in 2026. I used Google Translate and my subpar ability to speak Korean to get the scoop on the five biggest soon-to-be nail trends. Read the full story below.
Soft Waves
Like gossamer silk or a babbling brook, this look features a whisper of texture—lines, waves, and swirls atop hard gel are made using a textured brush (more on that in a moment). The effect is often created over a metallic base or beneath chrome dust to accentuate the ridges.
This trend originated in Japan, says Yanguju-based nail artist Yoonsun Lee, but Korean nail artists have perfected their version of it. And Minseo Kang, a Seoul-based nail artist, notes that “textured gel is currently very popular. It works beautifully as an accent [and has] a refined, expressive finish.”
At the expo, an artist with the brand Diami demonstrated how to get this look using its No.18 Texture Flat Brush. The small, flat brush has bristles that are dense toward the base and thin toward the top, resembling a wide-tooth comb. The long, clustered strands create grooves along the nail, resulting in a look that is reminiscent of a slow-moving stream.
If you’re no artist—we hear you!—reach for the JIN.B IVYFixcara Gel. This no-wipe gel formula comes with a short, easy-to-finesse spoolie applicator that can make stripes, waves, and ripples.
Courtesy of @tsibsnailsd
Courtesy of @ooko_nail_studio
