Nuage is a Japanese nail artist brand that celebrates creativity, individuality, and the beauty of finding inspiration in unexpected places. Founded by Japanese nail artist Miki Ito, Nuage began as a dream born from a lifelong love of nails and a determination to create something deeply personal.
For as long as Ito could remember, she has been fascinated by nail art and beauty. While working as a full-time office employee, Ito attended nail school to learn the fundamentals of manicuring, which became the first step in her journey as a nail artist. What started as a passion soon grew into a career as a nail artist, creator, and educator who built meaningful connections through sharing her nail art online.
Ito dreamed of one day creating her own gel products. She wanted to offer products that reflected her own creativity, vision, and artistic perspective. While serving as an ambassador for several nail brands, Ito hoped to have the opportunity to collaborate on a gel collection. When that opportunity never came, she realized she didn’t need to wait for someone else to make it happen. Instead, she could create her own brand and bring her ideas to life herself. That decision became the beginning of Nuage.
Originally, Nuage was intended to launch with original glitter products while gel development remained a future goal. However, an unexpected event would shape the identity and heart of Nuage in a profound way.
On January 1, 2024, the Noto Peninsula Earthquake struck Japan, devastating communities across the region. One of the affected areas was the hometown of a dear nail artist friend of Ito’s. Deeply heartbroken by the news and wanting to help in some way, Ito launched Nuage’s very first project: a glitter release for charity in which 100% of profits would be donated to help with disaster relief efforts.
The response exceeded every expectation. The glitter sold out completely, allowing all profits to be donated to Ishikawa Prefecture to help communities affected by the earthquake. More importantly, the experience uncovered Nuage as not just a nail brand, but a platform for bringing people together through nails, creating meaningful connections, and contributing to something bigger than beauty itself. Today, that spirit remains at the heart of Nuage.
The name “Nuage” means “cloud” in French, but for Ito, clouds hold a special meaning. No two clouds are ever exactly the same. Each one takes on its own shape. Ito sees a beautiful parallel between clouds and nail art. Each person has their own sense of style, creativity, and individuality that shape the result of nail art. Ito believes nails shouldn’t be limited by fixed rules or expectations. Just as clouds drift freely across the sky, creativity should be unrestricted and uniquely one’s own. To Ito, nails are a form of self-expression. The name Nuage was chosen to embody individuality, creativity, and the freedom to express oneself through nails.
In an industry constantly shaped by trends, Nuage takes a different approach. From the beginning, Ito never wanted Nuage to be a brand that simply follows what is popular. While trends can be exciting, she believes there is something even more meaningful about creating products that are loved because they are uniquely Nuage. Its products are recognized for distinctive qualities such as reflective glitters that sparkle like jewels and dimensional magnet gels with beautiful light-catching effects.
When creating Nuage products, Ito embraces unexpected color combinations, unique finishes, and distinctive visual effects that feel authentic to the Nuage identity. Ito finds inspiration in nature, especially in the colors of the sky. Ito shares, “The soft shades of a sunrise, a sunset, or a cloudy sky often move me. I’m fascinated by those fleeting moments and the unique expressions of the sky that can only be seen at a particular time.” These moments sometimes bring about new unexpected ideas that inspire the creation of Nuage products and collections.
One of these collections is Pomly Mag gels, a product line that Ito believes best represents Nuage. Each color is carefully created with attention to detail from the combination of the base color and magnetic particles to the size of the particles and the way they catch and reflect light. Among the collection, pm007 has especially received positive response, becoming the color that introduced many users to Nuage for the first time. Although Pomly Mag has a slightly unique and distinctive lineup, Ito believes these qualities are what gives the collection its special charm. These gels have a presence unlike anything else and continues to be one of Nuage’s most loved and long-lasting popular series.
Like other Nuage products, the collection reflects a combination of artistry, careful refinement, inspiration, and intuition. Each color is thoughtfully adjusted until it captures a feeling or atmosphere that can only exist because it was created by Nuage. With Nuage products, Ito hopes people can express who they are, find little moments of joy and inspiration, and enjoy the freedom to embrace their own unique style through nail art.
Although Nuage is entirely run by Ito, it has never been a brand built by one person alone. Through social media and creative projects, Ito is continually supported by talented creators who share and understand the vision of Nuage. The voices, feedback, and encouragement of customers also play an important role in shaping the brand.
Created by a nail artist for nail artists, Nuage remains rooted in the same spirit that inspired its very first release: using creativity to create meaningful connections. Through thoughtful products, an artistic perspective, and a commitment to individuality, Nuage continues to remind us that creativity has no rules. Like the clouds that inspired its name, beauty can be found in uniqueness, and the most memorable creations are often the ones that stay true to themselves.
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