Fruit Skin Manicures Are Set to Take Over Nail Salons This Summer

There’s something about rising temperatures and the approach of summer that makes us crave some juicy fruit. Think a cup of mango on the streets of NYC, some crisp green grapes after commuting home from work, or a few watermelon fries while lying on the beach. Even better, think a tart Honeycrisp apple painted right on your fingernails. Huh? Let us explain.

This summer’s must-have nail trend is the “fruit skin” manicure, and our mouths are salivating just thinking about all the different kinds of sweet possibilities.

What Is a Fruit Skin Manicure?

Similar to the tiny lemons and blueberries we’ve seen on so many summer nails in the past, the fruit skin manicure gives picnic vibes—only it’s a bit more zoomed in and abstract. For this type of design, the name really says it all: it’s a manicure that resembles, as accurately as possible, the skin of a fruit.

It’s a design that requires “replicating the patterns and textures of real fruits on nails, in a hyper-realistic art style, using exact color matches and 3D elements to replicate the physical look and feel of the fruit,” explains Juliette Matus, a professional nail artist and content creator. Instead of the oversaturated look of a regular fruit design, fruit skin nails are more art-forward with lots of intricate details.

Some of those intricacies include the fruit’s texture, and “all of the little dots, and the detailed skin,” shares Jenna Armitage, a structured manicurist and Korean nail artist. When you buy an apple or a peach at the store, they are never just one solid color. Rather, they have strokes, grooves, and dots, all of which should be executed in the manicure.

For Armitage, the fruit skin manicure pairs perfectly with summer’s hot temperatures. Based in Florida, she has clients coming in frequently looking for “those juicy, fruity, summery nails.”

Where Did the Fruit Skin Manicure Originate?

Just like all trends, the fruit skin manicure has its origin. Now, while we’re not exactly sure who the first fruit skin manicurist was, most nail artists point to Korea or Japan. “I’ve seen more fruit skin nails from Korea than anywhere else,” says Armitage. She thinks this is because Korean nail artists favor a more nuanced nail look, meaning they prefer to create abstract nail looks based on vibes over anything else. A nuanced nail look tends to lean more abstract, just like the fruit skin manicures.

Cassie Huber, a licensed nail technician, thinks the evolution and increased popularity of the trend has a lot to do with nail artists becoming more experimental and artistic with their designs. “It’s not just basic French manicures anymore,” Huber explains. “A lot of artists are getting into nails, not just nail technicians.” And, nail technicians and artists alike are playing around with more complex maximalist designs, or “all the fun stuff,” as Huber refers to it.

How to Execute a Juicy Fruit Skin Manicure

The key to mastering any art form, nails included, is to have the right tools at your disposal. Huber perfected her mango skin manicure using shades of green, yellow, and orange pigment powders, while Armitage chose her 0.5 mm Diami liner brush to create the skin of a peach. Creating fruit skin nails, “takes a lot of colors,” explains Armitage. “A lot of mixing and blending, but it’s really fun.”

Bottom line, don’t let the intricacies and artistry of fruit skin nails scare you away from trying them yourself. The abstract nature of this manicure actually makes it somewhat beginner friendly, and certain fruit skins are easier to master than you might think.

“A pineapple or a dragon fruit is much more tedious than a strawberry because of the extensive detail in the patterns, layers, and the variation in texture of the skin,” warns Matus. So, you may want to start with the skin of a mango instead. “Simply blending or airbrushing green, yellow, and orange shades can replicate the mango skin almost exactly.”  Matus’ best advice for a beginner is to break down the skin you’re trying to replicate into patterns and shapes, choosing a specific color for everything. “The most intricate looks are sometimes a lot easier to create than you might think at first glance.”