Many women here are no longer content with just a simple manicure and pedicure.
They want loud, colourful, sparkly, intricate - and hardy - designs on their nails.
Ms Sandra Cameron, 43, who has been living in Singapore for the past 10 years, is one such example. The French public relations consultant discovered the nail artists at boutique-nail bar-cafe Manicurious and goes there once every three weeks to have her nails painted.
So far, the fashion lover has had them covered in a Dries Van Noten-inspired paint splatter print, a colourful Ke Hana motif, as well as a black, grey and nude design inspired by a Dior runway suit.
"I always take along something for inspiration, such as a fabric print or a runway look," she says. "I think nail art is a fashion statement and an extension of my accessories. Manicures in plain colours are boring."
Each time, she spends about $100 to get her nails done.
Ms Olivia Chua, 30, an industry veteran of 11 years and owner of the Plush Nails salons, estimates that the number of nail parlours offering nail art here has increased three-fold since she first started out as an apprentice.
The local professional nail art scene has also become increasingly sophisticated with new technology and products, such as gel paint for finer strokes and gel overlay that can be sculpted to give nail art more dimension.
Realistic-looking handmade acrylic powder confections, finely painted storybook characters and colourful, tiny Aztec-inspired designs are now par for the course.
Ms Chua notes that while complicated nail art designs from Japan and South Korea have always been around, women here are slowly becoming more receptive to them.
Celebrities who sport elaborate nail art at red-carpet events, and tweet about or post on Instagram their favourite designs, help to popularise the trend.
And with the rise of social media platforms, nail art lovers around the world can swop ideas easily.
There is no limit to how elaborate one's nail art can be. If one is feeling adventurous, she can go all out with Lady Gaga-inspired elaborate three-inch talons.
If one works in a corporate environment, she could opt for something more subtle, such as a French manicure with a pink-and-white diamante 2-D rose on just her thumb.
Prices for nail art generally range from $3 to $30 per nail, excluding manicure and a gel overlay.
The prices vary across beauty chains to home-based businesses, as well as according to the level of workmanship.
As more women are exposed to nail art, nail technicians here are constantly challenged when their customers take along pictures of outrageously intricate designs they want recreated on their own nails.
Ms Phyllis Wong, 22, owner of home-based outfit D'Nail Palette, says her customers always come prepared with pictures of the looks they want.
"I prefer my customers to e-mail or send me the pictures on WhatsApp beforehand so I can plan ahead," she says.
Urban picked the brains of nail art fanatics, nail art instructors and beauty magazine editors to find out who the go-to nail artists in town are and narrowed the list to four who are at the top of their game.
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Ms Sophia Soh, 23
Beau Essentials, 02-01, Beauty World Centre, tel: 6468-0979
Go to her for: Affordable and precise flat gel nail art that lasts at least four weeks.
During her years at Temasek Polytechnic where she got a diploma in retail management, Ms Soh would spend between $50 and $290 getting elaborate nail designs once every three weeks.
"My mother used to nag me for spending all my money on my nails," she says.
But when Ms Soh decided to become a nail technician, her mother was supportive. "She was very happy with my decision because she knew that I would become her personal manicurist," she adds with a laugh.
After eight months learning the craft at Singapore-based international nail academy Ecsalonce, Ms Soh set up Play-Nails in 2011, which she ran from her home in Bukit Timah.
To publicise her business, she set up a blog and Facebook account, as well as distributed flyers. Her clients were mostly friends and people who lived nearby.
In July, with the help of her businessman father, she opened Beau Essentials at Beauty World Centre.
Ms Soh, who is single, has won accolades in international nail art competitions.
Ms Phyllis Wong, 22
D'Nail Palette, call or SMS 8133-1321 at least one week in advance for an appointment
Go to her for: Fine and elaborate 3-D nail art that lasts at least four weeks.
Before she started out in the industry two years ago, Ms Wong was an apprentice watchmaker.
With her naturally steady hands, she has been working from home as a nail artist at Bukit Gombak for the past year. Her father is a watchmaker, while her mother is a jewellery maker.
After graduating from the Institute of Technical Education (ITE) with a National ITE Certificate in digital media design, she decided to pursue her other passion - beauty.
She eventually found a job at a nail salon and loved how she could make "the ugliest toenails and fingernails look clean and beautiful".
To turn professional, she got a diploma in nail art and technology in 2011 at the Singapore branch of beauty college Top To Toe.
Ms Wong, who is single, is also certified by Singapore-based international nail art academy Ecsalonce, one of the top local schools.
She uses acrylic paint for a watercolour-on-paper effect and acrylic powder to deftly shape everything from colourful ponies to ice cream cones with the help of a tiny brush.
Ms Wong also topped the student category of the Acrylic Stiletto French competition at the 1st Global Nail Cup Malaysia 2013.
Rates start from $3.50 to $10 per nail for the artwork, excluding gel polish and manicure ($40 for both hands). Her business, D'Nail Palette, is a one-woman outfit, so call or SMS her at least one week in advance for an appointment.
Ms Wong does not do pedicures as her home salon is not equipped for it.
What are some of your favourite designs?
My favourite would be talon-shaped nails, called Stiletto Nails in industry speak. But some of my most outrageous designs would be anchors, sailboats, starfish and My Little Pony characters that are almost two to three times the size of the nail beds, done in 3-D acrylic applique.
Most of my clients who get such designs are executives. One of them is a pet groomer. I have no idea how some of them go about their daily chores with such elaborate nails.
What is the longest amount of time you have spent on a design?
I can sit at my work desk for up to 10 hours without eating to perfect a set of 3-D acrylic appliques.
What is a hot trend in nail art right now?
Neon stud appliques - tiny, metallic buttons - and fine, hand-painted lace on oval-shaped nails. I wish more women would be receptive to 3-D nail art so I can express my creativity.
Who does your nails?
I have had my hands manicured simply only twice. I do not like to have 3-D appliques on my hands, unless I'm practising on a new design, because I find it gets in the way when I'm painting my customer's nails.
Who do you practise on?
My mum, my friends and a hand model.
Nail-care tip: Let your nail technician understand your lifestyle so she can help you create a suitable nail design. For example, if I have a client whose hands are always in contact with water and detergent, I would recommend 2-D nail art, which is embedded in layers of gel polish so that the nail art is protected.
Gel polish lasts at least two weeks longer than regular nail polish.
My clients who love elaborate 3-D nail art wear gloves to protect their nails when they shower and wash their hair. When they return five weeks later, everything is still intact.
In July, she won the top prize in the student category of the Global Nail Cup's Acrylic French Sculpture competition in Malaysia.
Last year, she also came out tops in the student category of the Global Nail Design Award's Fantasy Art competition in Australia.
Prices start from $5 to $13 per nail for artwork, while a manicure costs $22 for both hands. Call at least two days in advance for an appointment.
What are some of your favourite designs?
I love a simple French manicure because I think it makes the fingers look beautiful and elegant. I would consider French manicures my speciality. I also like ombre gel nails.
What is the longest amount of time you have spent on a design?
For my Fantasy Art entry at last year's Global Nail Design Award in Melbourne, I spent four days creating a set of 4-D acrylic applique nails inspired by Alice In Wonderland.
What is a hot trend in nail art right now?
Colourful geometric shapes and gold metallic seashell-shaped appliques.
Who does your nails?
I do them myself.
Who do you practise on?
My friends and colleagues. I also give my mother a new set of nail designs once every two weeks. She is very picky and does not like dark colours and abstract lines.
Nail-care tip: Apply a top coat on the nail art once every two days to make them last longer. Also, wear gloves when doing housework to protect your nails.
Ms Kennie Phung, 25
Manicurious, 41 Beach Road, tel: 6333-9096
Go to her for: Intricate and free-hand artistic motifs, cute cartoons and patterns to match your outfits.
Based at the multi-label boutique-nail bar-cafe Manicurious, Ms Phung has been in the industry for five years. The Malaysian was trained at the beauty college, Top To Toe, in Johor Baru.
But it was not until she joined Manicurious in 2011 that she started to take her skills to the next level, with impressively fine strokes. "My boss Shawn is always challenging us. He'll show us a bag or top and ask us to match its design," she says.
Manicurious is run by entrepreneurs Mr Shawn Tan, 29; Mr Wong Yijin, 28; and Mr Justin Chow, 28.
All that training has put Ms Phung, who is single, in good stead.
Her customers often take along magazine cutouts of runway collections, fabric scraps and, even, their favourite dresses, to get her to create similar designs on their nails.
She has also created nail-art spreads for Harper's Bazaar Singapore and Style magazine.
To book Ms Phung for a weekday session, call at least three days in advance. For a weekend one, call at least a week earlier. Prices range from $3 to $28 per nail for the artwork, excluding gel overlay ($50 for both hands) and manicure ($28 for both hands) - the finer the details, the higher the price.
What are some of your favourite designs?
A few months ago, one of my clients took along three of her favourite Roald Dahl storybooks - Charlie And The Chocolate Factory, Matilda and The Giraffe And The Pelly And Me - as she wanted her favourite characters to be painted on her nails.
She left the salon with Matilda, Charlie holding the golden ticket, the giraffe and Pelly on her fingers.
Another time, she took along a Dr Seuss book.
So, I painted a Dr Seuss cartoon on her thumb and red and blue stripes on the rest of her fingers.
What is the longest amount of time you have spent on a design?
I spent three hours painting the Roald Dahl characters. After that, my eyes were a little tired.
What is a hot trend in nail art right now?
Tweed designs to coincide with the latest fall runway trend.
Who does your nails?
I can paint only with my right hand. So, I paint the fingers on my left hand and my colleague paints my other hand. I apply gel nail polish on my fingers once every two or three weeks. Sometimes, I go without nail polish because I'm too busy.
Who do you practise on?
My colleagues. We are always practising on one another's hands. Sometimes, my clients also let me try out a new design on them.
Nail-care tip: Apply a top coat on your nail polish once every two to three days. When you have gel polish on, avoid doing laundry or dishes with bare hands. Wear gloves instead.
I apply cuticle oil on my nails every night to keep them healthy.
Ms Olivia Chua, 30
Plush Nails, 04-18, 313@somerset, tel: 6735-6996; Block 213 Bedok North Street 1, 01-101, tel: 6241-6996
Go to her for: Bold Japanese- and Korean-style nail art, as well as French manicures.
Ms Chua has racked up an impressive resume in her 11 years in the nail business.
She has won at least six awards and international nail art competitions.
But she was proudest when she took home the top prize for the Gel French Sculpture tournament at the 4th Hong Kong Professional Nail Art Open Competition in 2011, as well as at
the 5th International Nail Art Competition's French Sculpture Gel Nail category in 2011 held in Malaysia. She has also done nail art spreads for Her World magazine, Style magazine and Singapore Women's Weekly.
Ms Chua runs two Plush Nails outlets - one at 313@somerset and the other in Bedok North Street 1.
She started out as an apprentice in 2002 and was drawn to nail art as she had always loved to draw when she was younger.
"What I'm doing now is all about painting and drawing too," she says.
In 2004, she did well enough to open her first nail salon at a shophouse in Tiong Bahru and named it Nails In Love. To keep herself updated, she enrolled in a course at Singapore-based international nail academy, Ecsalonce.
In 2009, Ms Chua renamed her business Plush Nails and relocated to 313@somerset. She opened her second outlet at Eastpoint Mall in 2011 and moved it to Bedok North earlier this year.
Ms Chua, who is married with no children, travels to South Korea once a year to attend nail art courses.
Prices at her salon start from $5 to $20 per nail for the artwork, excluding gel overlay and a manicure ($110 for both hands).
What are some of your favourite designs?
I like exaggerated and colourful Japanese nail art designs. But I also love simple French manicures. It may look simple, but it is difficult to perfect.
What is the longest amount of time you have spent on a design?
For a nail art course that I took in South Korea, I spent almost 12 hours on a set of elaborate floral 3-D nail art. I also spend about 12 hours a day practising my French sculpture gel acrylic skills before competitions.
What is a hot trend in nail art right now?
A thin black strip of polish lining the nail bed to accentuate the nail art, marbling and ombre techniques, as well as cartoon characters painted in sketch-like strokes.
Who does your nails?
I don't like to wear nail art because it gets in the way of my work. I paint my nails only when I need to practise.
Who do you practise on?
Besides myself, I practise on my mother, as well as friends and colleagues.
Nail-care tip: If you have on any 3-D nail art or extensions, they may get caught in your hair when you are washing it. So, instead of using your fingers, use a wide-toothed hair brush to comb through your hair when you shower.
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