What Is a Russian Manicure? We Asked a Professional

When Kendall Jenner’s manicurist Lisa Kon posted a picture of the model’s tortoiseshell nails on Instagram back in 2021, one thing stood out even more than her design of choice: the incredibly clean and neat look of her cuticle area. While a clean cuticle line is a prerequisite for any decent manicure, Jenner’s, in particular, stood out because it looked like she had almost no cuticle at all, and the effect made her nails look incredibly natural. The secret behind this look, it turns out, is a technique called a russian manicure, and the style has been gaining traction in the US since.

Not only has there been an increase in TikTok videos documenting people’s experiences with getting russian manicures, but searches for the nail trend have steadily increased over the last few years, and it has become the manicure of choice for people who want their nail extensions to look like they’re growing naturally. That said, people are questioning the manicure’s safety because of what it takes to get that “photoshop” nail look. For one, many dermatologists and manicurists will advise against cutting your cuticles completely (after all, they are there “to protect the new nail from bacterial and fungal infections as they grow out from the nail root,” dermatologist Corey L. Hartman, MD, previously told PS).

Still, to better understand the popularity of this growing nail trend, we asked celebrity manicurist Elle Gerstein to explain the ins and outs of a russian manicure, as well as what you can expect should you decide to get one. Read ahead for her best tips.

Experts Featured in This Article

Elle Gerstein is a celebrity manicurist.

Corey L. Hartman, MD, is a dermatologist and the founder of Skin Wellness Dermatology in Birmingham, Alabama.

What Is a Russian Manicure?

This manicure technique actually has very little to do with nail art and everything to do with the nail prep. “A russian manicure is a technique, not a design,” Gerstein says. “The technique involves very extreme and extensive cuticle care [and requires a manicurist] to have almost surgeon-like precision.”

The attention to detail and cuticle cleanup are what differentiate this manicure from others, along with the fact that there is “no hand filing whatsoever. [All cuticle cleanup] is done with an e-file.” While russian manicures use both normal and gel polishes, if using a gel, manicurists take extra time to make sure that they properly structure the gel polish on the nail so that it best strengthens the nail bed.

Russian Manicure vs Regular Manicure

The main difference between a Russian manicure vs a regular manicure is that a Russian manicure is done completely dry and without any water. Traditional manicures typically involve soaking the nails in water in order to soften the cuticles, which are later cut using cuticle scissors. As previously mentioned, Russian manicures remove the cuticle using an e-file. Russian manicures also take longer than a regular manicure.