The jelly nail trend is exploding and doesn’t seem to be fading any time soon. Find out about this fun nail aesthetic and feast your eyes on some juicy looking jelly nail designs.
I don’t know what it is about jelly nails that makes me so drawn to them. It could be because I’m a sour gummy candy freak and they look like my favorite snacks. Or maybe they’re a nostalgic reminder of my favorite jelly sandals from the 90’s (Raise your hand if you remember!). I’m thinking it’s all of the above along with the fact that they are an absolutely beautiful nail aesthetic.
The jelly nail effect is created using a jelly nail polish or a sheer gel polish. Both formulas have a glossy translucent finish that reveals hints of the nail bed underneath, resulting in that trademark jelly-like appearance. They are super trendy right now and with the Summer in full swing, bright colored jellies are all the rage. You can also add pizzazz to a jelly nail with fruit and flower nail art or rhinestones.
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If you’re a DIY type of gal and prefer to do your nails at home, you could try these cute jelly watermelon nails. I saw them on Instagram and thought they would be super fun for Summer and easy to pull off.
- Start by properly trimming and cleaning your nails and cuticles. (I love this manicure set from Amazon.)
- Apply a base coat with the Seche Vite Base Coat and wait until dry.
- Hold a piece of paper or paper towel at a 45 degree angle over the corner edge of your nail and apply the base color Strawberries Are In Season Right Now by Olive and June. The paper will prevent that corner spot from being painted over.
- Now paint over the corner wedge using Lime Fizz by Olive and June.
- Then create black seed dots using NSFW Jelly by Cirque Colors.
- Finally apply a glossy top coat with the Seche Vite Top Coat.
Want more jelly nail ideas? Keep reading because we’ve scoured Instagram and found 30 luscious jelly manis to inspire you next trip to the nail salon!
Juicy Jelly Nail Designs
Jelly nails are similar to lip gloss nails in that they have the same sheer glossy finish. Here’s a super chic and natural pink jelly mani that could also pass as a lip gloss mani. It’s created using the cult favorite Dior Nail Glow nail enhancer.
These festive red jelly nails are perfect for Summer when bright trendy nails are in, or during the holidays when red represents good cheer! And don’t forget the day of love, Valentine’s Day!
These show-stopping long square nails are painted with an alluring blue jelly polish from Lights Lacquer called Balou.
This color called Down in Kokomo by the brand Lights Lacquer is described on their website as a deep seafoam green with large pink glitter and a translucent jelly like finish. I think we can all agree that it is absolutely stunning, especially on these long almond-shaped nails.
It’s a pink explosion with this monochromatic pink jelly French mani. Base color is Soulmate and tips are Girl From Ipanema, both from the brand Lights Lacquer.
A gorgeous purple jelly and tortoise shell nail design that would make the most perfect vacation mani ever!
If your goal this season is to stun onlookers with your mani, then you should definitely rock these long stiletto nails with neon yellow jelly tips.
Is it just me or are these milky jelly nails giving total boba tea vibes? Yummy! This color is called Vanilla Almond Milk by the brand Dimension Nails.
Amp up the glam factor of your ladies’ night ensemble with this black jelly and silver glitter French mani. Base color is NSFW Jelly and tips are Disco Ball, both by Cirque Colors.
Colorful foil flecks suspended in a milky gel base give this jelly mani the illusion of a birthday confetti shower. It’s super cute and creative!
These glittery pink jellies are a total throwback to the jelly sandals we all loved and owned a pair of in the 90’s! Color shown is a jelly polish from Lights Lacquer called Girl From Ipanema.
I don’t know whether I want to wear this mani or spread it over toast and eat it. Either way it is absolutely delightful!
This elegant marbled mani is created using the teal base color Verdigris and gold flake topper Sun-Kissed both by Cirque Colors.
Get this jelly fish-esque nail look with the base color Fill Me In and top coat Eat My Bubbles, both by Lights Lacquer.
Get this festive jelly mani by first applying the glittery polish XX by Cirque Colors at the cuff of the nail. Then apply a layer or two of Cirque Colors Aqua Jelly over the entire nail. You can leave it glossy or apply a matte top coat to achieve the finish seen here.
This vibrant green and gold jelly mani is perfect to show your holiday spirit on St. Patrick’s Day. Get the look by applying the base color Kelly Jelly and topping with Sun-Kissed both by Cirque Colors.
Monochromatic French manis are obviously super chic and these pastel pink jellies prove it. Get the look with base color Rose Jelly by Cirque Colors, tip color Serenity by Sienna and top coat Rose Colored Glasses by Orly.
Combine Lights Lacquer colors Lilac Wine and Balou to get this beautiful lavender shade with a luscious jelly finish.
This electrifying yellow jelly polish is called Citron Jelly from Cirque Colors. It’s one of those nail colors that was made for Summer!
The lustrous shine of chrome meets the glass-like finish of jelly nails in this edgy ombre blue stiletto mani.
IG nail artist Erica (@press_reset_nails) creates this gorgeous aura mani using the jelly colors Lavender Sky and XOXO Jelly from Cirque Colors.
You can get creative with your jelly mani by adorning it with glitter, rhinestones and nail art like this stunning Pisces mani.
These ornate pink jelly blush nails are inspired by Korean jelly nails. Similar to the American version, Korean jelly nails tend to come in lighter or more nude tones that closely resemble skin color.
You will definitely be the life of the party when you sport these fun and colorful stiletto tips.
A spell-binding jelly ‘Skittles’ mani created using the Lights Lacquer limited time Polly Pocket Quad Set.
A teal jelly polish (Verdigris by Cirque Colors) and a glittery fuchsia topper (Back To The Fuchsia by Krisable Designs) are combined to create this moody and alluring mani.
Are you starting to see why these jelly nails make me want to eat them? Here’s another juicy looking Skittles mani with impeccable French tips.
Fruity sorbet is what I think of when I see this pink and orange jelly ombre mani. You can shop the colors PB Jelly Time and Pink Sand Beach on Ellamila’s website.
This rainbow gradient jelly mani is totally giving swirl lollipop vibes. These colors are also from Ellamila.
These stunning blue jellies with hibiscus nail art are the perfect vacation nails. Base color used is Balou by Lights Lacquer.
You probably noticed that most of the nail designs used pretty much the same jelly polish brands – Cirque Colors, Lights Lacquer, Olive and June and Ellamila. That’s because jelly polishes are a very specific type of formula and not all brands make them. In addition, the jelly polishes that come from these brands are great quality, and that’s why a lot of IG nail artists use them. So if you’re thinking about creating your own jelly mani, I would definitely consider checking them out.
With that, I hope you enjoyed reading and got some good nail inspo for creating your own fun jelly nails. Let us know in the comments what you think and thank you so much for stopping by!
