The nail artist behind the viral designs you’ve been obsessing over
By Jess Watts | 07 April 2026 | Techs & Salons
If you’ve seen a scroll-stopping nail look featuring a mini 3D character that you can’t help but adore, chances are, Brydie Leishman is behind the design.
Let’s uncover the talented tech’s nail journey…
When she was 16 years old, Brydie – known to her followers as @brydiedoesnails, ventured into London to have her nails done at WAH Nails, a salon known for funky nail art. “Little did I know the obsession that it would create,” Brydie says. “I became set on doing my own nail art after that.”
Her passion grew, and she began honing her own style. “My first sets were interesting,” Brydie laughs, “but I’m glad I can look back on them and realise how far I’ve come.”
Fast forward to 2026, Brydie is a renowned nail artist with over 105K followers on Instagram alone. She is known for her delicate artwork and detailed 3D elements, which have garnered huge attention on social media.
“I initially noticed significant social media growth after I posted my first design featuring a 3D addition on the free edge of the nail,” Brydie reveals. “I wasn’t going to post it, but I’m so glad I did.”
Brydie’s 3D work started with a spring nail style featuring a bee. “I had seen a lot of 3D nail art on Instagram, and I really wanted to get involved,” she says. “I began by creating a daisy on my thumb. When I decided I wanted to add a bee, I thought ‘how cute would it be to pop it on the free edge, offset from the nail?‘ – so that’s exactly what I did! My 3D styling has evolved from that tiny experimentation.”
Though she has a portfolio of perfectly polished designs, Brydie reveals that her favourite is her Peter Rabbit art that she created for Easter 2025: “I love my 3D Peter so much that I added a heart balloon, so I could post him on social media for Valentine’s Day this year.”
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Though she loves creating her signature 3D designs, Brydie is also passionate about flat art. “My favourite nail art to create is detailed, nostalgic designs like Winnie the Pooh or Snoopy,” she shares.
Brydie’s success also stems from the clean, professional pictures she shares on her social media. A little-known fact about the nail artist – and one that provides a helping hand in capturing beautiful content – is that she achieved a photography degree. “I love being creative and have always been into art and photography. I have a real passion for it,” she reveals.
Brydie shares her top tips for nail art photography: “I always use natural lighting. I’m not a huge fan of a lamp when taking photos for my own content, and much prefer the look of a naturally lit photo. I have a spot in my house next to a window where I take all my photos. If you can find a spot like this, it ensures all of your content is aligned.”
From amassing a huge following to working with world-renowned brands, Brydie’s career has really taken off. “My biggest professional achievement is probably working with soft toy brand, Jellycat,” she shares. “I’ve been lucky enough to work with the brand four times now, and there’s been huge ‘pinch me’ moments when Jellycat has kept getting back in touch to collaborate.”
Brydie hopes that the next few years will bring more brand collaborations. “This is something that I want to focus on this year, and also maybe one day I’ll host some nail art events for people to learn my techniques,” she says.
For now, Brydie is sharing her talent via social media and extending her offerings via press-on nails. “I love nail art so much that I want to be able to share more with the world,” she tells Scratch. “I now create my own press-on nail looks, which you can see over on Instagram: @paintedbybrydie.”
