About This Treatment
- Nailist: Nami
- Menu: Full Design Custom (removal / rebalance handled as a fill-in)
- Guest: visiting from the United States
lull. is an English-speaking nail salon in Harajuku, and this session was carried out entirely in English.
Design Points
Full Design Custom means the design is planned nail by nail. Instead of repeating one motif ten times, each finger is decided in consultation, so the ten nails work as a set while still varying.
The base was handled with a fill-in. Rather than removing everything down to the natural nail, the existing gel layer is kept, the surface and the old art are filed away, and the regrown area near the cuticle is filled and rebuilt. The apex is re-shaped from there, so the new design sits on a base that already matches the curve of the nail. Because the grown-out zone is rebuilt rather than painted over, the line at the cuticle stays flush and the finish reads even from the side.
Care and Style Points
A fill-in cycle generally runs around three to four weeks, depending on how fast your nails grow and how you use your hands. A few things that help the finish last:
- Cuticle oil once or twice a day. Dry skin at the base is where lifting usually starts.
- Gloves for dish washing and cleaning products.
- Don’t use nails as tools — opening cans and peeling stickers is what causes most chips.
- If a corner does lift, leave it alone and book a repair. Picking at gel takes layers of the natural nail with it.
Fill-in suits people who wear gel continuously and want to protect the natural nail from repeated full removal. It does require the existing base to be in sound condition; if there is widespread lifting or the base has gone cloudy, a full off is the better route. Full Design Custom itself is a good fit for anyone who arrives without a fixed image and wants to build the design on the spot.
Nailist’s Comment — Nami
With a fill-in, most of the work happens before any color goes on. The step between the old gel and the regrown area has to disappear completely, and the thickness has to come back down so the set doesn’t get heavier with each visit. I spent time on that transition before starting the art.
She looked genuinely pleased when she saw the finished hands, which is the part of this job I like.
Book Your Visit to lull.
Reservations can be made online.— English-speaking service is available, so feel free to come in without a fixed design in mind. Our latest work is posted on Instagram (@nail_lull.tokyo) and TikTok (@nail_lull.tokyo).
