Berlin born-and-bred Polly Warns loves the strange and absurd. In her little Schöneberg studio, the tooth gem artist is fulfilling her customers’ wildest Y2K dreams – and no request is too out there.
Tell us, how did you get into something as niche as tooth gems?
I just wanted to do tooth gems on myself actually, and it accidentally turned into a business. I was googling what utensils I needed and realised that the dental glue is quite hard to come by and that you should probably know how to handle it, so I decided to do an online course. That was very expensive, so I thought ‘Might as well make it a hustle and do it on other people too!’
I did gems on my friends first, which I posted on Instagram, and pretty much immediately I started getting requests. At the beginning, I just did it from my apartment, then at a hairdresser’s in Charlottenburg, and about a year ago I found my little atelier where I do tooth gems and nail art now.
What do you find so intriguing about tooth gems?
I love things that are a bit strange. The idea to glue something onto my teeth seemed pretty absurd to me – absurd in a good sense!
I also love how people leave my studio with the biggest smile on their faces after an appointment. I always try to encourage customers to get gems on their wonky teeth as well because I think imperfections are beautiful and should be accepted and celebrated. Often, people are a bit unsure, but afterwards they’re super happy because it helps them find themselves more beautiful.
The last time I saw tooth gems on someone was when I was a teenager, and they weren’t necessarily cool… Why do you think they’re so popular now?
It’s definitely to do with the comeback of Y2K fashion. Trends are circular, but they also develop. Back then, people would get one gem on one tooth; today, you’d get at least 2-3 in one go.
…and very elaborate designs! How do you come up with those?
I find inspiration in all kinds of things, but it’s really important to see what suits a person, and not every stone fits every tooth. Most of the time, my customers have a rough idea which I then develop with them. When I do freestyle, it really depends on the person’s teeth.
What’s the most complicated design you’ve done so far?
Recently, I made a Comme des Garçons heart for a music video by Ion Miles and Sira. I spent such a long time on that because I had to draw the eyes on that tiny little heart.
Are there any limits?
Not really – theoretically, you could cover every single tooth in gems. What should people know before getting their teeth glammed up? The Swarovski crystals and 20-22k gold gems I use are safe to use in the mouth, and the special dental glue doesn’t cause any damage to your teeth. The gems last up to half a year – sometimes even longer – but you should be aware that they don’t adhere to false, crowned or capped teeth, and the durability comes down to aftercare and diet as well.
- Polly’s, Jenaer Str. 21, Schöneberg, €15-60/tooth gem, pollys-studio.de
