Cannabis enthusiasts getting pictures of pot leaves painted on their nails is nothing new. But that’s not why #weednails is trending.
Photos bearing the hashtag keep popping up on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest and other social media channels.
And the manicures they’re showing off don’t just promote weed. They incorporate real bits of the plant.
The trend has actually come and gone in waves over the past few years. Forbes wrote about a Twitter user named Kat coining the term “weedicure” when she incorporated marijuana into her nail job more than three years ago. She told the magazine: “It’s the same process as getting an acrylic set with glitter tips, except with pot.”
But until November, the legality of someone in California walking around with cannabis on them was questionable. That’s now settled thanks to Proposition 64, which made it legal for anyone 21 and older to carry up to an ounce of weed with them. So unless you can find a way to incorporate more than an ounce of marijuana into your manicure, you should officially be safe — so long as you stay in California or neighboring legal weed states.
Most “weedicures” feature small bits of flower gingerly placed on top of clear or light-colored polish, then topped off with another clear coat to seal the deal.
Other folks have gone to town, layering bits of bud on thick to make designs.
Louisiana Pham, who owns Orchid Nail Lounge in Santa Clara, told Buzzfeed she’s been creating high nail art for no extra charge for a few years. Pham said it started when a client wanted a design to wear to a marijuana show she was attending, but worried a picture of a pot leaf would be too “cartoonish.” That’s when Pham suggested her client bring along some real cannabis.
Cosmopolitan has picked up on the trend. So has Allure and Marie Claire.
Have you tried the trend? Send your photos and stories to feedback@thecannifornian.com and we’ll share them with readers.
In the meantime, happy weedicuring!
