My best friend consistently has the coolest nails. Every time she goes home to Toronto, she has a new set put on, and when she returns to New York, I spend 10 minutes ogling her nails. When she came back from her most recent trip, she was sporting a set of long, translucent tips that were see-through in the light and made her fingers look a mile long.
I’ve always been a bit of a manicure traditionalist (I stick to classic red nearly every time I do my nails), but once I saw my friend’s jelly manicure, I fell in love. I had to try this nail trend for myself. I had a bottle of Butter London’s Jelly Preserve Strengthening Treatment ($18) on hand, so I painted on a few coats. After I saw the results, I immediately beelined to Amazon to buy every shade because this trend will be on heavy rotation for a while.
Photo:
@ktberohn
Photo:
@ktberohn
What are jelly nails?
Jelly nails aren’t new—they’ve been popping up for years. Jelly polish looks like stained glass on your fingertips. It is slightly see-through and can come in any color. Since they’re glass-like, they make a great base for any and all nail designs, including jewels. You can have a set put on at the salon as my friend did, but they’re also incredibly easy to achieve at home. Below, I’ve rounded up some of my favorite jelly looks that I will be re-creating myself and the polishes to match—happy glazing!
#1: Grapefruit Jelly
Photo:
@imarninails
I set out to re-create this photo, and this is the polish I reached for. This jelly polish is bright and buildable and doubles as a strengthening treatment for your nails.
#2: Rhubarb Jelly
Photo:
This is the exact shade used in the picture.
For a more subtle take on pink, you can build this polish up.
#3: Green Apple Jelly
Photo:
@hollyfalconenails
This olive jelly will do the trick for the translucent green of your dreams.
Butter London’s Jelly Preserve also comes in a delectable shade of green.
#4: Raspberry Jelly
Photo:
@nails_of_la
This raspberry jelly polish is so pretty.
#5: Lavender Flower Jelly
Photo:
@harrietwestmoreland
Lavender jelly nails are subtle while still being unique.
#6: Orange Marmalade
Photo:
@hollyfalconenails
I’ll say it one more time: Butter London’s Jelly Preserve shades are it. This marmalade-inspired shade will leave you with translucent orange tips.
For a more reserved take on jellied orange.
#7: Watermelon Jelly
Photo:
@imarninails
We think Harry Styles would approve of this sweet jelly shade.
#8: Cherry Jelly
Photo:
@imarninails
A sheer cherry red looks so sophisticated.
This article was published at an earlier date and has been updated.
Next, The 10 Nail Polish Brands We Could Use Until the End of Time, No Complaints
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