Elina JUNG

This young creative is bending the rules when it comes to nail artistry

- MIA CASTRO

Nail art started as a simple hobby for Elina Jung, or better known by her Instagram username, @elinails. During her elementary years, she became fascinated with the nail polish that her cousins and older sisters would bring home from Korea. “I received a big box of regular polishes when I was young, and I remember really taking care of it,” she recalls. “It became my treasure box.”

Despite not being allowed to have colored nails in school, she would paint and design her nails in any way she wanted during the weekend—even if it meant only having them on for two days.

In secondary school, she was officially branded as the girl with the coolest digits, and soon enough, everyone in her class wanted to have their nails done by her. “I would paint the nails of my friends, and they would post it online, and more people would inquire,” she shares. Little did Jung know that she was already building up her clientele, which allowed her to blossom into the indemand nail artist that she is today.

Now, the 23-year-old is responsible for some of the most trend-influencing manicures featured on several magazine covers and editorials and worn by celebrities and influencers, like Nadine Lustre, Camille Co, and Rei Germar. Unlike most manicurists, the self-taught artist does not use stencils or draw by hand. She instead chooses to incorporate sculptural jewels, flowers, and just about anything that can fit into a nail bed.