The 90s continue to dictate the summer’s fashion and beauty trends – which is why everyone wants transparent nails that look like jelly shoes or Jolly Ranchers

In the world according to Instagram, fingernails are the new canvases, and nail technicians (as well as teenagers in bedrooms) are the new generation of artists. The hashtag #nailart has had close to 50m posts, and, in the fickle world of beauty trends, fingernail crazes are easily the most fleeting fads of bodily adornment. We have had furry nails, terrifyingly pointy “stiletto nails” and nails resembling teeth, duck’s feet and 3D bubbles.

But “jelly nails” – transparent hues reminiscent of 90s jelly shoes, or Jolly Ranchers – had lain semi-dormant as a trend until seven days ago, when Kylie Jenner posted a snap of fluoro-pink translucent acrylic nails. Now, there are 4,000 #jellynails posts, and this seems likely to be the nail trend of the summer. “To create jelly nails, a technician paints the nail area opaque, then adds translucent acrylic extensions to make them look like see-through sweeties,” explains Emma Zentner of Boom Nails, a London-based nail company with 13,000 followers on Instagram.

Jelly nails are being touted as a 90s-inspired trend, like jelly shoes. My memories of 90s nails are stubby hand-painted fluorescent orange if you loved Courtney Love and naff French manicures if you wanted to be Posh Spice, but these are more reminiscent of the talon nails that were big among 90s rappers. “The 90s are being referenced in the fashion and beauty world, that’s true,” says Zentner. “And the appeal of nail art is that it’s an accessible, affordable and relatively creative way to get on board with a trend.” Acrylic nails like these typically cost £25-£45.

Instagram and nail art are something of a power couple in the beauty world. “When customers come into a salon, they’ll show an Instagram picture of the nails they want,” says Zentner. Unlike fashion or jewellery trends, which are still dictated by large fashion houses, the thrill of nail art is that a global beauty trend can be kickstarted by anyone with a nail pen and an Instagram account. “Nail art is about novelty and innovation,” says Zentner, “and this never goes out of fashion.”