Our experience creating nail art for the Hong Kong Olympic women’s swim team

Located in the heart of Hong Kong, Tinted. is a nail and lash bar founded on the belief that ‘beauty is not just a routine, but a form of self-expression and an extension of personal style’.

So it’s no surprise that athletes from Hong Kong’s Olympic swim team visited the salon for their nail needs, prior to the Paris Games.

“We were honoured to be a part of some amazing athletes’ pre-race nail traditions, and contribute in a small way to their Olympic experiences,” share Carroll Lee and Carmen Lau, founders of Tinted. “Each swimmer has their own unique style and story, which we wanted to capture in their Olympics-themed manicures.

“The athletes shared elements that they wanted to include in their nail styles, and our creative team designed sketches before their appointments. With their feedback, it was a collaborative effort to finalise the nail looks during the services.”

Tinted. tended to the nails of Cindy Cheung, Camille Cheng, Siobhán Haughey, Natalie Kan and Karen Tam: members of the Hong Kong women’s swim team. During the Paris Games, Siobhán Haughey has scooped bronze medals in the women’s 100m and 200m freestyle finals.

Carroll and Carmen describe the Olympians as ‘effortless to work with’ and having them in the salon as ‘a lot of fun’, but reveal that it’s not the first time Tinted. has welcomed esteemed athletes. “We were first approached by Camille in 2021 for the Tokyo Olympic Games, as it is her pre-race tradition to get nail art before important competitions. Since then, Siobhán has been visiting us prior to her competitions,” they tell Scratch.

The nail designs

Nails for Cindy Cheung.

“We designed Cindy’s set using the colours of the French flag, which represent her boldness and determination,” say Carroll and Carmen. “Her thumbs feature the Hong Kong flag and Olympic rings, showcasing her pride as a Hong Kong athlete.

Nails for Camille Cheng.

“Camille wanted 3D water droplets on her nails to include a swimming element, similar to her Tokyo 2020 nail style but with a subtler effect,” the pair continues. “The colours of the French flag were incorporated into French tips and an outline nail design. To represent Paris 2024, we hand-painted a chrome Eiffel Tower on her little finger. We also included stars to make Camille shine brighter than she already does, the Olympic rings and Hong Kong flag with a sparkly base.

Nails for Siobhán Haughey.

“For Siobhán, we opted for a clean, nude base to let her nail art shine,” comment Carroll and Carmen. “Delicate blue swirls add an aquatic element and a touch of gold symbolises her pursuit of victory. On her right ring finger, the Hong Kong flag represents her national pride, while the Olympic rings on her left signify her sportsmanship.

Nails for Natalie Kan.

“Natalie opted for a sleek chrome base, giving her nails an elegant and classy look,” note the salon founders. “We incorporated the Hong Kong flag and Olympic rings as intertwined halves on her nails, coming together to form a beautiful butterfly effect when her hands are close.

Nails for Karen Tam.

“For Karen, we blended her love of Hong Kong and the Olympic spirit by featuring the national flag and Olympics rings on her thumbs and index fingers,” add Carroll and Carmen. “To add extra flair, we incorporated a 3D water effect on top of cat eye gel polish, which shimmers and shines. Karen also requested that we paint horseshoes on her nails, facing towards her to keep good luck in.”

Carroll and Carmen conclude: “To have been able to gift these athletes a small piece of art that they could take with them to the Games brought us so much joy, and we hope just as much joy for them.”

Follow Tinted. on Facebook and Instagram, where you can find behind-the-scenes videos of the Olympians visiting the salon.