About This Treatment
- Nailist: Nami
- Menu: Full Design Custom (including removal / rebalance of an acrylic and extension set with 3D parts)
- Guest: visiting from the United States
The appointment started with taking off an existing sculpted acrylic set, then moved straight into building a new custom design.
Design Points
The set that came in was a sculpted acrylic one with 3D parts on the surface, and it was built with real thickness. Removal was done in layers — reducing the bulk with the e-file first, keeping the drill away from the natural nail plate, then softening what remained rather than forcing anything off. Once the nails were bare, the surface was smoothed and the length and shape were reset as a base.
From there the new set was built as a Full Design Custom, so each nail was designed on the spot rather than copied from a fixed sample. Shape, balance and finish were checked against her hands as the work went on.
Visit Story
Her previous set had been done at a nail salon run by her family back in the States. That set was thick enough that the removal alone took about an hour — solid, well-built acrylic that wasn’t going anywhere in a hurry. Comparing how acrylic is applied in the US and how it’s worked here turned into a good part of the conversation during the session. She looked genuinely pleased when the new set was finished.
Care and Style Points
A few things worth knowing if you’re coming in with an acrylic or extension set:
- Allow extra time for removal. Sculpted acrylic, especially thicker applications or sets with 3D parts, can take an hour or more to take off safely. Booking with that time built in means the new design doesn’t get rushed.
- Regrowth is the timing cue. With acrylic or hard extensions, most people look at around 3 to 4 weeks, when the gap at the cuticle starts to show. Leaving it much longer makes lifting more likely.
- Oil is the low-effort habit. Cuticle oil once or twice a day keeps the skin around a long-wearing set from drying out, and it helps the nails underneath after removal too.
- Who it suits. A full removal plus a new custom design works well for travellers who want to arrive with an old set and leave with something completely different, and for anyone whose current set is too thick or too grown out to simply fill.
If you’re mid-trip and not sure whether your current nails can be filled or need a full reset, it’s fine to just come in and have it looked at.
Comment from the Nailist (Nami)
Acrylic built to that thickness is honestly satisfying to work on — you can feel how solid the structure is as you file it down. The main thing is patience. Taking it slow means the natural nails underneath come out in good shape, which is what makes the next design sit properly.
Working on a set that travelled here from another country is one of the more interesting parts of this job. You see a different hand, different habits, different way of building a nail. — Nami
Book Your Appointment at lull.
lull. is an English-friendly nail salon in Harajuku, and removal of acrylic or extension sets can be included in your booking. Reservations can be made online.Our latest finished sets are also posted on Instagram (@nail_lull.tokyo) and TikTok (@nail_lull.tokyo).
