世論 What Japan Thinks

Here’s a subject I’ve never touched before, a survey regarding nail elegance from DIMSDRIVE Research. I found this interesting gallery of nail art if you want to see what it’s all about.

Demographics

Between the 16th and 30th of April 2009 10,667 members of the DIMSDRIVE monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 51.6% of the sample were male, 1.0% in their teens, 12.6% in their twenties, 32.4% in their thirties, 30.9% in their forties, 16.2% in their fifties, and 6.9% aged sixty or older.

One thing I often notice in Japan are the interesting nails that some of the young ladies have, especially when their fingertips are even more tarted up than the deco-den underneath! That reminds me, there’s actually one touch-screen mobile phone (can’t remember which one!) that advertises itself as being manicured nails-friendly – I’ve heard a rumour that the iPhone isn’t terribly usable with long nails.

In the rankings of favourite colours, I’m a bit surprised that black didn’t figure.

Note that this survey looked only at fingernails, not toenails.

Research results

First, the questions for men start at Q8.

Q1: Which of the following fingernail-related activites do you usually do, and who does them? (Sample size=5,162, women, multiple answer)

	Myself	At salon	Other
Cuticle management	28.8%	4.0%	0.3%
Polish nails	33.7%	3.3%	0.3%
Nail colouring	38.3%	3.3%	0.3%
Gel nail art	3.9%	3.9%	0.4%
Flat nail art	8.0%	3.8%	0.4%
Textured nail art (stick-on items, etc)	4.6%	3.4%	0.3%
Nail extensions	5.6%	1.7%	0.3%
Sculpturing	2.3%	2.5%	0.3%

The following three sub-questions were extracted from the above data. Nail colouring and nail art incorporates all the techniques except for the first two, cuticles and polishing.

Q1A: Do you do any nail colouring, nail art, or get someone to do it? (Sample size=5,162, women)

Yes (to Q5, Q6)	41.4%
No (to Q7)	58.6%

Q1B: Do you do any nail colouring, nail art, or get someone to do it? (Sample size=5,162, women, by age)

	Yes
Teens	54.2%
Twenties	50.9%
Thirties	41.8%
Forties	32.4%
Fifties	34.6%
Sixties plus	33.3%

Q1C: Do you visit a nail salon? (Sample size=5,162, women)

Yes (to Q2 to Q4)	7.0%
No	93.0%

Q2: About how often do you visit a nail salon? (Sample size=363)

Once a week or more	3.6%
Once a fortnight	9.6%
Once a month	22.9%
Once every two or three months	27.6%
Once every six months	19.8%
Less than that	16.5%

Q3: About how much do you spend on average per visit? (Sample size=363)

Up to 1,999 yen	5.2%
2,000 to 3,999 yen	23.3%
4,000 to 5,999 yen	15.7%
6,000 to 7,999 yen	18.5%
8,000 to 9,999 yen	17.1%
10,000 to 11,999 yen	7.2%
12,000 to 13,999 yen	4.4%
14,000 to 15,999 yen	2.2%
16,000 to 17,999 yen	0.6%
18,000 to 19,999 yen	1.1%
20,000 yen or more	1.1%
Don’t know	3.6%

Q4: What points are important when selecting a nail salon? (Sample size=363, multiple answer)

Easy to get to location	67.5%
Skilled techniques	59.0%
Good impressions of staff	54.0%
Cheap	52.6%
Good atmosphere	35.8%
Does what I want done	33.1%
Good design sense	26.4%
Easy to make an appointment	20.7%
Can make detailed order	16.3%
Wide range of patterns, coordinations	12.9%
Good service options outside of nails	5.8%
Famous shop, famous nail artist	0.8%
Other	3.6%
Nothing in particular	3.3%

Q5: What kinds of nail colour, art do you like to apply? (Sample size=2,138, multiple answer)

Rhinestone	36.8%
Graduation	31.3%
Glitter	26.9%
French nails	24.3%
Nail seal, sticker	16.8%
Marbling	10.7%
Spangles	9.8%
3D art (acrylic powder, liquid-based texturing)	9.6%
Dots	7.5%
Paint (acrylic-based picture)	7.4%
Airbrush nail art	4.4%
Nail piercing	3.1%
Nothing in particular	35.4%

Q6: When do you particularly feel in the mood for applying nail colour, art? (Sample size=2,138, multiple answer)

At weddings	46.6%
When gathering with friends	32.5%
For party	22.5%
At school reunion	18.0%
On date	16.8%
On travel	13.9%
Other annual event, anniversary	10.9%
Christmas	9.5%
Birthday	7.1%
Handshake event, book signing, concert	6.9%
Go-kon group dating party	6.2%
Valentine’s Day	3.9%
Other	1.7%
Normally in the mood for it	3.6%
No time in particular	27.0%

Q7: Why don’t you apply nail colour, art? (Sample size=3,024, multiple answer)

Too much bother	46.0%
Can’t do it because of work, child-rearing	34.5%
Expensive to do	34.2%
Too busy, no time to do it	27.5%
Feel pressure on my nails, find it difficult to breath, etc	24.5%
Don’t think it’s hygienic	22.1%
Not interested in nail colouring, art	21.1%
Nails are weak	17.9%
Not skilled at doing it	16.4%
It’s forbidden at work, etc	13.2%
Partner hates it	4.7%
Other reason	5.3%
No particular reason	8.4%

Q8: Do you actively check out the nails of women around you? (Sample size=5,505, men)

Always check them out	1.4%
Usually have a look	11.1%
Have a look if possible	10.0%
Not really aware of looking	47.6%
Not aware at all of looking, not interested	29.9%

There was only very slightly more awareness of nails amongst younger compared to older men.

Q9: Which of the following types of nails do you like on women? (Sample size=5,505, men)

	Like	Neutral	Dislike
Natural nails	62.1%	35.1%	2.8%
Manicured only	49.5%	45.1%	5.4%
Flat painted art	13.2%	47.6%	39.2%
Textured painted art	5.6%	34.5%	59.9%

Q10A: What colour of nail colour do you like? (Sample size=2,138, women who apply nail colour, art, multiple answer)

Rank		Percentage
1	Pink	77.2%
2	Beige	54.9%
3	Clear	34.3%
4	Silver	23.2%
5	Gold	22.6%
6	Orange	21.6%
7	Purple	16.5%
8	White	16.4%
9	Blue	14.8%
10	Red	13.8%

Q10B: What colour of nail colour do you like to see on women? (Sample size=5,505, men, multiple answer)

Rank		Percentage
1	Pink	35.8%
2	Clear	24.5%
3	Beige	11.6%
4	Orange	6.6%
5	White	5.8%
6	Red	5.2%
7	Silver	3.8%
8	Blue	3.7%
9	Purple	3.5%
10	Green	2.0%