The Best Nail Artists in Toronto

A couple of years ago, the beauty world deemed nail art to be dead, citing declines in nail polish sales, particularly those of the “special effects” variety (think crackled top coats and textured formulas). Flash-forward to 2017, however, and it’s clear that nail art is anything but dead, or at least back with a vengeance.

Thanks to Instagram and its many nail trends, there seems to be a bigger interest than ever in intricate manicure designs, whether they be marble, negative space or 3D nails, to name a few iterations.

Luck for nail art aficionados in the 6ix, there’s no shortage of talented nail technicians in the city. So if you’re looking to get an Instagram-worthy mani, check out some of our fave nail artists in Toronto below:

Ka Yee Or (Ritual)

Ka Yee Or at Ritual Toronto is capable of some pretty impressive nail art, all of which she does free-handedly. But her real speciality lies in her gemstone and marble nail art — look closely at her page to see how intricate all the details are.

Clara Kang (Her Majesty’s Pleasure)

You’ll find plenty of asymmetrical (read: non-basic) designs on Clara Kang’s Instagram page, including lots of creative new interpretations of negative space nail art. But what really stands out is Kang’s 3-D nail art, like the pink cable knit nails pictured above.

Dylan Pritchard (Holdengrace)

He isn’t called “The Nail Whisperer” for nothing! Dylan repertoire ranges from bold geometric shapes to soft and pretty designs (all done with a free hand, of course).

Grace (Her Majesty’s Pleasure)

For totally Instagrammable nail art, head to Grace at Her Majesty’s Pleasure. Her pretty, yet bold designs will guarantee several double-taps.

Tips Nail Bar

If you can dream it, anyone at Tips can create it. Owner Leeanne Colley (who’s tended to the tips of Katy Perry) has staffed her east end nail bar with truly gifted manicurists that all possess infinite patience, the steadiest of hands, and boundless creativity.

David Nguyen (Hard Rock Nails)

If you’re looking for bold, statement-making designs, head to David Nguyen at Hard Rock Nails. But be warned: his nail art is not for the faint of heart.

Johnny the Nail Budhha (Hard Rock Nails)

You can also count on Johnny the Nail Buddha for out-of-the box, wild designs.

Neketa (Naked Beauty Bar)

Into Instagram nail trends? Neketa can do it for you — from glass nails to chrome and, of course, negative space manis.

Lena (LAC Beauty)

Lena’s nail art is full of sparkles and glitter — perfect for someone who wants an ultra-feminine mani.

Nina (Wow Wow Nails)

Minimalist at heart? Head to Nina at Wow Wow Nails. Though simplistic, her nail designs are anything but boring.

Justin Cappelletti (Pinky’s Nails)

Fun, fabulous nails are what you’ll get from Justin Cappelletti at Pinky’s nails. Thanks to his bright and bold designs, he’s become the go-to in Toronto for custom nail sets, particularly in the drag community.