I’m not going to lie: I’m a nostalgic kind of person. I somehow remember specific eye looks or nail arts I’ve worn over the years, and my series Lacquered Memories are another witness of my nostalgic personality. For exactly that reason, I’d like to kick off a new series: Trends from the Past. In this series, I’m reviewing nail art trends that were hawt many years ago (and some did even come back!), and that I still do like a lot. It can be specific charms, a finish, a type of nail art, or even certain polishes that were so much sought after that the amount of pigment a brand had, were not meeting the demand anymore. Yes, that happened sometimes! Today I’m starting with a trend you either love or hate: kaviar nails.
This was a trend I personally LIVED for. I remember being a adolescent and visiting drug stores and perfume stores in those days. Pupa’s nail kits were everywhere! And they were so expensive as well! This smaller set, consisting of a base colour and a bottle of “bubbles”, were €12,95 in those days (2012-2013). The Ciaté one, released in 2013, was a bit more expensive at £25. I do have to say there’s a huge difference between the two: most kaviar beads are made of glass (and coated metallic), but the Ciaté ones are made of metal. Subsequently, this bottle is HEAVY. A normal bottle of Ciaté polish is about 53 grams, and this one is 103.
I remember most brands coming out with their version of these beads. There was essence, but also 2B, and I believe Trend it Up also had them. Of course, webshops jumped into the market as well, selling sets of twelve bottles for a couple of euros. Mor recently, you’re able to buy these in the wheel shown in the first photo, as placeable beads for nails. Even though fully covered nails seems to be long past, using beads as accents is still hot!
As I bought this set on Vinted, and it didn’t have the silver base colour, I opted for a totally different base colour. This is Sally Hansen’s 370 Sugar Fix, a soft periwinkle. Shown are two coats, although it could’ve used another one.
The application is tough. This is just one finger, where I applied the beads (or pearls, as Ciaté calls them) on top of the second coat of polish, when it was still wet. And you can immediately see why not everyone liked this trend: it looks sparse and cannot be manipulated enough. The gaps in between do not offer the possibility to add more beads, and the tips are also harder to cover. It is still very fun to look at, though, and does remind me of those days. Especially the days after, when beads would leave a trail Hansel would’ve been proud of!