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Sogumm went on to share shedyes her nailsbecause she plays the piano and can’t get nail art.
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But I had to know more, so I asked Korean nail artists and beauty experts about it.
Everyone responds with the likes of “It’s been so long since I’ve dyed my nails.”
(Dress codes have since become less strict.
@ryupping/Instagram
)Zion Ko Lamm’sgrandma would tint hers, so she could still have bright nails despite school rules.
Alum, by the way, is a key part of this technique.
According to cosmetic chemist Ginger King, alum helps clarify water and acts as an astringent in cosmetics.
@z_2__brother/Instagram
For nail dye, it helps stabilize the mixture.
Sogumm prefers this new-school route.
Plus,the hashtagfor even has over 20,000 posts.
@kangms726_vallatto/Instagram
People even paint their nails sheer colors to mimic the stained nail effect.
(Wait, when you think about it, balsam nail dye was kind of the originaljelly nails.)
Dyeing your nail with balsam blossoms dates back much farther than these experts' childhood, though.
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A true written record of didn’t appear until 1849 during the Joseon Dynasty period, though.
It was listed as a seasonal activity and custom.
Next, you crush them up and combine them with alum.
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“How innocent we were,” Kim jokes.
Some even believed the lasting tint signaled you’d marry your first love the next year.
“The girls in my village always compared who’s balsam tint lasted the longest,” Choi recalls.
Unfortunately, the DIY nail dyeing kits Park mentioned are hard to come by on America’s internet.
You may be able to find some at your local Daiso or Asian market, though.
Although the lacquers won’t last as long, you’ll still get to feel the balsam dye fantasy.
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