What are Glass nails?
Korean inspiration
Translucent effect, shine, almost liquid reflections… Glass nails, also known as "cat eye nails", are to nail beauty what glass skin is to skincare: a pure, fresh, and ultra glow appearance, with a luminous reflection like glass. Inspired by Korean beauty, this new manicure trend quickly conquered TikTok thanks to famous nail artists like @heygreatnails or @heluviee. It fits into the clean girl aesthetic movement, between sophisticated minimalism and obsession with detail. After the soap nails trend, glass nails were also popularized by personalities like Kylie Jenner, Hailey Bieber, or Selena Gomez, who often sport a silky, ultra shiny, and meticulously cared-for manicure. Mirror shine, smooth texture, subtle reflections: glass becomes a metaphor for new generation beauty!
by @heygreatnails and @heluviee.
Chrome, cat eye or crystal: variations of glass nails
Glass nails come in different versions:
Chrome nail effect: ultra shiny, metallic, mirror-like. Achieved with a mirror effect powder applied over a layer of classic polish or semi-permanent polish.
Cat eye nails effect: to create this captivating effect, a magnet is placed near the still wet polish layer. The metallic particles in the polish then concentrate and create this illusion of depth. A nail art technique mostly done in salons or by professionals.
Pure glass effect: a simple layer of natural nail polish transparent or lightly tinted, applied over a smoothing base and covered with an ultra glossy top coat for a simple yet sophisticated manicure.
Stained glass nails effect: a creative nail art inspired by stained glass windows, with a play of translucent colors and bold combinations. Still niche, but rapidly growing on TikTok!
(@m.o.n.a.j, @heygreatnails)
How to create your glass nails manicure at home?
Good news: you don’t need to be Hailey Bieber’s nail artist to recreate this manicure trend. Follow the guide to achieve this effect at home.
The classic method with polish and mirror powder
Step 1: Start by applying a layer of Green Base Coat or the Vitamin-enriched Green Flash™ Base, depending on your routine.
Step 2: Then choose your base color: a polish in nude shades or in the range of pink colors or white. Our shades Hortencia, Milky White or Snow are ideal for both short and long nails.
Step 3: Once your polish layer is dry, apply a veil of Mirror Effect powder on the nail using an applicator.
Step 4: Use a dust brush to remove excess powder. Seal your new manicure with a finishing layer using Top Coat Sunshine or Top Coat Green Flash™ (depending on the base polish used) to enhance the shine of your beautiful nails and perfect your chrome manicure.
@m.o.n.a.j.
Active layering the Manucurist way
Thanks to our Active™ care polishes, you can strengthen your nails while following nail art trends. The secret? Practice Active Layering: layer Active™ polishes and combine their effects to get an original manicure, with just the right amount of shine and naturalness to be right on trend with minimalist manicures! Here are several options to get close to glass nails in a snap, without base coat or top coat:
- Go for Active Plump: this collagen highlighter care polish creates a delicately pearly glossy dome. With 2 coats of Active Plump, your beautiful nails look plumped, adorned with a soft pink color.
- For a more tinted effect, combine Active Glow Grape, a transparent lilac-tinted gloss effect polish, and Active Plump, a beauty treatment like a powdered sugar manicure, doubled with a regenerating cure that your short or long nails will appreciate.
- Apply Active Plump over a layer of Active Smooth, a CC Polish perfecting care polish offered in 4 shades to match your manicure to your skin tone. The perfect combo for an elegant manicure!
(@look8thenails)
Our tips for perfect glass nails
For your beautiful nails to truly shine like glass right to the fingertips, here are our expert tips:
Perfectly prepare your nails
The key to an original, glowy, and successful manicure is preparation.
Start by filing your nails with our natural nail file to shorten them and shape them as desired. Then, soften your cuticles with a few drops of Effective Emollient, before gently pushing them back with a cuticle pusher to get a clean nail plate and flawless nail contour. Finally, use a preparatory file, a great tool to open the nail scales, which helps improve polish tenue.
Feed to last
Finally, remember to nourish and hydrate your nails and cuticles with Green Oil, ideally applied every evening, to maintain the mirror effect. Alternatively or combined: the Perfecting Concentrate, a nourishing and strengthening care pen, perfect to reinforce your nails between applications!
Among all manicure trends, glass nails embody a new idea of beauty, enhancing your nails right to the fingertips. What makes them successful? Their adaptability. You can opt for a minimalist manicure with a range of nude colors or with our Active™ care polishes, or embrace a bolder manicure with a chrome or cat eye effect. A manicure trend to make your own, to adapt, to experiment with according to your desires, but always with that clean & glow touch we love 🤩!
