About This Treatment
Nailist: Nami.
The guest visited us from the United States and is currently based in Tokyo.
Design Points
Magnetic gel contains fine metallic particles suspended in the color. Before curing, a magnet is held close to the nail, and the particles gather toward it — leaving a bright band of light where they collect and a deeper, denser tone around it.
The angle of the magnet decides everything. Held flat along the nail, the light reads as a straight ribbon; tilted toward the cuticle or the free edge, it curves and pools. Nami worked nail by nail rather than repeating one identical line ten times, so the band sits slightly differently across the hand and catches light at different moments as the fingers move.
Because the old soft gel was removed first, the new color went onto a freshly prepped surface — which matters here, since any unevenness underneath shows up in how cleanly the magnetic line reads.
About the Visit
Our guest had only been in Tokyo for about a month, so this was one of her first salon appointments since the move. She came to Harajuku from another part of the city.
We talked through what a magnetic finish actually does before starting — the way the shimmer moves is hard to picture from a photo, and much easier to understand once the magnet goes over the first nail. She was visibly pleased with how it turned out.
Care and Style Points
A few practical notes on magnetic gel, for anyone considering it:
- Wear time. With normal daily use, gel applications like this generally hold for around three to four weeks before regrowth at the base becomes noticeable.
- Don’t pick it off. Prying or peeling gel takes layers of the natural nail with it. Have it removed properly, or book a replacement appointment like this one, where the previous gel is filed and soaked off before the new set goes on.
- Oil the cuticles. A drop of cuticle oil at night keeps the skin around the nail from drying out, which is usually what makes a set start to look old before the gel itself fails.
- Gloves for wet work. Prolonged hot water and detergents shorten the life of any gel.
Magnetic gel suits people who want movement and depth in the finish without added height or attachments on the surface. It reads well on short and medium lengths, stays smooth to the touch, and shifts between subtle and striking depending on the light — useful if your workplace or travel plans call for something restrained most of the time.
Nailist’s Comment
*Nami:*
The interesting part of magnet work is that you’re not painting a design, you’re deciding where light lands. I adjust the magnet’s angle and distance while looking at the shape of each nail, and a millimeter of difference changes how wide or tight the band comes out. Seeing a guest tilt their hand back and forth right after the last nail is cured is my favorite moment of this menu.
It was also nice to hear about settling into a new city over the course of the appointment. If you’ve just arrived in Tokyo and want somewhere you can explain what you want in English, we’re easy to find in Harajuku.
Book Your Appointment at lull.
Reservations can be made anytime at online.— English is spoken, so feel free to come with a reference photo or just a color in mind.
Our latest finished sets are posted on Instagram (@nail_lull.tokyo) and TikTok (@nail_lull.tokyo).
