In the early ‘80s, Jellies were the shoe of the moment. In the ‘90s, the rainbow-colored sandals got here back into fashion. And just last yr there was yet one more resurgence. There’s a pattern of nostalgia here — the identical one which’s happened on our nails. Right now, jelly nails — with the identical translucent concept because the coveted sandals — are the manicure of spring… once more.
Though soft and sheer pastels aren’t groundbreaking for this season, the way in which we’re wearing the colour palette is. “The Y2K vibe has a futuristic twist [with the 3D designs],” says nail artist and educator for V Beauty Pure Noodle Yess. TikTokers are definitely on board: The #jellynails tag has 427.4 million views and over 16 thousand videos (just in case you wish some references).
If you’re not the largest fan of nail art,New York City-based nail artist Julie Kandalec says that is the right approach to “wear a nail ‘look’ without it being a literal design.” For instance, several coats of sage green polish with a glossy finish resemble an apple Jolly Rancher. “It’s pretty and female,” says Kandalec.
In their most elementary form, jelly nails are easy to DIY, which might be one reason the trend keeps coming back. After prepping your nails with a nail grooming set (this one from Tweezerman is a favourite) Kandalec says to use one to 4 layers of jelly nail polish. The fewer coats you apply, the more transparent your manicure will appear. Plenty of polish brands have jelly formulas of their lineups: We love Cirque Colors, Lights Lacquer Cherry Jelly, and the brand new JinSoon Glazed Glass Collection. It’s one approach to brighten up the everyday clean girl mani of the past.
While you may actually stick with this easy iteration of the look, amongst those aforementioned 16 thousand videos on TikTok you’ll also find numerous modern 3D jelly nails enhanced with designs like swirls and bows — globs and water-like droplets are also popular iterations. The 3D jelly nail trend began in Korea and Japan and has steadily been gaining popularity stateside due to mesmerizing manicures created by nail artists like Miki Higuchi, Nic Tran, and Fleury Rose.
To create these patterns New York City-based nail artist Elle Gerstein suggests using builder gel like V Beauty Pure Diamond Gel. “It’s got a thicker viscosity so you will have to cure it [with an LED lamp],” says Gerstein. Dip a skinny nail art brush in builder gel and paint on your required pattern before curing. Add more layers (curing after each) to make your design thicker.
Regardless of whether you go for a single-polish manicure or something more intricate, Kandalec predicts lilac, peach, cherry red, and ocean blue shall be the trendiest jelly shades as we head into the hotter months, though the whole rainbow is actually on the table. If you may’t wait to get your hands on a special jelly polish, you may create the look with any regular nail lacquer: Mix a couple of drops of your favorite nail polish color with clear nail polish to realize the right sheer shade, says Kandalec. (This only works for normal polish; should you prefer a gel manicure, Kandalec recommends the Kiarasky Gel Polish The Jelly Tint Collection.)
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