Velvet Nails Are Trending for the Holidays, and They’re Gorgeous

Because of the pandemic, it’s been a while since Instagram collectively lost its mind over a nail trend, but that’s all changed with the emergence of velvet nails. 

Over the past week the glimmering, dimensional, and utterly mesmerizing manicure has dominated social media. It’s easy to see why everyone is obsessed. Like their namesake fabric, velvet nails are super dimensional, and have that signature velvety sheen. However, despite their textured look, they aren’t actually fuzzy—it’s just a trick of the light. 

We first noticed the trend on Amy Le, a nail artist in L.A. Her video of pale green velvet nails perfectly shows off the polish’s cool effect and quickly made its way around the internet. In fact, her video got so popular that Le shared a breakdown on her Patreon, where she talks through the exact polish and technique she used. (It’s a small fee to sign up, but the result is well worth it, and a great way to show support while COVID is taking a heavy toll on the nail industry.) 

While she’ll be keeping that info secret unless you subscribe, there are a few other options to get the same vibe at home. Some nail artists use flocking powder—a powder you dip you nails into to create either a velvet texture or metallic glitter—while others use magnetic  or “cat eye” polish. 

Nail artist Betina Goldstein posted her own version of the look using Korean brand Think of Nail polish, while Christine Doan shared a tutorial using Japanese brand Ice Gel’s magnetic polish. 

If you don’t want to wait on international shipping, you could get a similar effect with a holographic polish and an extremely shiny topcoat. But honestly, your best bet to get this look is to head to your salon, as they’ll likely have easier access to the pro materials needed for the technique. (Just remember to take COVID safety precautions.)

Even if you don’t plan on copying it, there’s no denying they’re insanely pretty to look at. Scroll on for some of our favorite takes on the trend, and prepare to obsess.

Bella Cacciatore is the beauty associate at Glamour. Follow her on Instagram @bellacacciatore_.