About This Treatment
This set was created by our nailist Mami for a guest visiting from the United States.
The menu was our Full Design Custom, and the previous nails were handled with a fill-in method. A fill-in refills the grown-out area without removing the entire base, keeping the healthy layer intact while refreshing the look.
lull. is an English-friendly nail salon in Harajuku, so guests visiting Japan can talk through their ideas comfortably.
Design Points
The color story leaned into a soft matcha green — a calm, earthy shade that reads well in both sunlight and indoor light.
The highlight of the set was a hand-painted 3D portrait of the guest’s own dog. Sculpting a recognizable pet in three dimensions means building up the form gradually, shaping the muzzle and ears, and painting fine details so the character comes through on a small nail surface. Paired with the matcha base, the result felt personal rather than loud.
The Visit
The guest mentioned she loves matcha, which shaped the green palette from the start.
She had also wanted to try a 3D piece of her dog for a while, and this visit was the chance to make it happen. Turning a pet into nail art is a request that takes some back-and-forth, and she looked genuinely happy with how the little portrait turned out.
Care and Style Notes
Fill-in maintenance is a good option if you want to keep a set going over several visits. Because the base isn’t fully removed each time, there’s less repeated stress on the natural nail, and appointments can go a little faster once a base is established.
3D sculpted art sits raised above the nail, so a few habits help it last: avoid knocking the raised area against hard surfaces, wear gloves for cleaning or dishwashing, and apply cuticle oil daily to keep the surrounding skin flexible. A custom hand-painted design like this suits anyone who wants something specific to them — a favorite color, a pet, a personal theme — rather than an off-the-shelf look.
A Note from the Nailist (Mami)
Building a 3D likeness of a real dog is one of the more rewarding things to work on. You’re not just following a pattern — you’re trying to catch the small features that make that particular dog look like itself. Setting it against the matcha tone kept the whole nail balanced, so the portrait stayed the focus without the color competing with it. A fun set to build.
Book Your Visit at lull.
You can book online anytime at online. We’re an English-friendly salon in Harajuku and happy to work through custom ideas with you. See our latest finished sets on Instagram (@nail_lull.tokyo) and TikTok (@nail_lull.tokyo).
A matcha green custom set with a hand-painted 3D portrait of the guest’s own dog, created at lull., an English-friendly nail salon in Harajuku. Custom pet nail art for visitors to Japan.
