My Experience with Umia: The World’s First AI Nail Art Machine

When people hear AI and nails in the same sentence, most react with the same fear I had at first - “Here we go, now they’re trying to replace nail artists.” 👀

But after trying Umia, the world’s first AI-powered nail art machine, I can say: the truth is completely different.

How I Discovered Umia

I was first introduced to Modi, the co-founder of Umia, while participating as a judge at the Scratch Awards this year. A few months later, she kindly invited me to try the machine myself, and honestly — I was sceptical.

I saw many videos on Instagram in the past where similar machines were "printing" or rather stamping designs on nails, and the results were far below the quality I would expect from a manicure.

My first thoughts were:

“It can’t be that good. It probably paints over the cuticles and makes a mess. No way it can really print perfectly sized designs.”

But once I've heard the whole concept behind Umia, I knew I had to see it for myself.

The Concept Behind Umia

UMIA

/ ju:mia/ (sounds like You-Mee-Ah)

Umi: Japanese word for "sea", signifying abundance

Utopia: An ideal place where everything is perfect and everyone is happy

Umia isn’t here to replace nail artists.It’s designed to work with professionals and make our work faster, cleaner, and more accessible.

The machine doesn’t prep the nails — you still need a nail tech to do the cuticles, base, and structure. What Umia does is print custom nail art designs in just a few minutes, perfectly adjusted to the shape of each nail.

Even more exciting, Umia is taking this technology beyond salons. This October, they’re running a Scavenger Hunt across London, setting up the machine in five different locations. I visited the one inside The Happiness Smoothie Bar, and I absolutely loved the idea:

Imagine being able to get a mini manicure anywhere — not just in salons, but in cafés, restaurants, exhibitions, or even gyms. A quick, affordable design on the go.

How It Works

The process is simple: You place your finger inside, stay still, and the machine scans your nail to match the design precisely to its shape and size.

It prints and cures the gel at the same time, meaning that each time your nail comes out, it’s completely dry, glossy, and ready — no separate lamp needed!

If your nails are prepped correctly by a nail tech (cuticles done, surface buffed, ideally with a gel overlay for strenght), the Umia design can last up to four weeks, just like a high-quality salon manicure.

🧠 A Little Tech Talk: Why Umia Doesn’t Print White (Yet)

While chatting with Modi, Umia’s co-founder, I learned something fascinating about how the machine “sees” colour — and it all comes down to light and pigment theory.

In simple terms, Umia’s printing system works on the subtractive colour model, which means it mixes pigments (not light). Here’s where it gets interesting:

• Black is created by mixing all pigments together — when every colour is layered, less light is reflected, so the result appears black.

• White, on the other hand, isn’t a pigment at all — it’s what you see when no colour is printed, meaning the surface reflects all light instead of absorbing it.

So, in Umia’s current system, white equals “nothing” — a blank area with no pigment applied. As a result, the machine can’t print pure white designs yet, and any areas that should be white remain transparent.

This creates a small but noticeable effect in nail designs:

• Bright or pastel designs may appear less vivid, because there’s no white base underneath to make the colours pop.

• A white pattern over a dark nail colour appears see-through, since the machine isn’t laying any opaque pigment on top.

My professional solution?

If you’re a nail tech using Umia, start by painting the nails with a white gel base first, then buff the surface to a matte finish (or use a matte top coat). The machine can’t print on shiny or glossy surfaces - the gel needs to have a bit of texture for the print to grip - but once you do that, the result is incredible.

Printing over white makes every design appear brighter, cleaner, and more detailed, just like applying nail art over a white canvas.

The Results: What Surprised Me

I went for a bold design to really put the machine to the test — and here’s what I noticed:

• The application was incredibly precise, much closer to the cuticle than I expected.

• There was no dust, no mess, and the top coat came out with a perfect shine.

• The whole process was comfortable — no heat, no discomfort, and you can even watch the printing in real time through a tiny internal camera.

Of course, it’s not flawless. If you move your finger slightly, the gel can print over the skin. And if your nails have a strong apex or are more curved than flat, the print might not reach the very edges — I had one side of my nails slightly uncovered.

But as a nail tech, that’s easily fixable by prepping the nails specifically for the machine.

Overall, I was genuinely impressed by how clean and accurate the application was.

Benefits For Nail Artists

Umia isn’t just about automation - it’s about amplifying creativity. Soon, nail artists will be able to upload their own designs to Umia’s platform. Every time a client anywhere in the world chooses your artwork, you’ll earn a commission.

That means your creativity is finally recognised and rewarded - not copied.

So instead of fearing AI, maybe it’s time to start thinking about how we can make it work for us. Umia proves that technology doesn’t replace talent — it enhances it.

Final Thoughts

As someone who’s been in the nail industry for over a decade, I found the experience fascinating. It’s not about machines taking over - it’s about tools evolving to match our creativity.

Would I use it again? Absolutely - especially in collaboration with nail professionals who understand the importance of prep and structure. I actually can't wait to upload my own designs and get them printed and especially the fact that someone far away from me can also have nails desiged by me! How exciting is this?!

So, what do you think - would you try an AI nail design? Or are you loyal to hand-painted art forever?

Let me know your thoughts 💭

Watch my full behind-the-scenes reel on Instagram: @w0mango(And stay tuned for my upcoming collaboration with Umia — it’s going to be incredible!)