In the United States, there’s a minor Russian invasion afoot—or perhaps it’s more accurate to say “at hand.” The “Russian manicure,” as the beauty trend is known, hasn’t made its inevitable crossover from niche to mainstream quite yet. But is it due to the drilling involved or the illicit-sounding nature of just about anything branded “Russian” these days? In this case, it may be both.
The process requires a dental-grade electronic file (e-file) or drill to shave off the extra bit of cuticle between the skin and the nail bed and bump up the cuticle so that polish can be applied underneath it. The result is purported to be a cleaner, longer-lasting manicure, with nails that—for a short while, at least—seem to miraculously grow out already shellacked.
