Glistening, glazed, glowy—regardless of how you refer to this spring’s trending manicures, they’re all united by a lustrous, jewel-like finish. Forget blinding metallics and craft-store glitters; instead, nails are finished with gleaming chrome toppers and scattered sparkles that manage to keep a surprisingly low profile.
To make your nails glow, start with a base color in an opaque cream or sheer jelly finish. Look to modern pastels like peach, lavender, pink, or sky blue; creamy neutrals, or a darker, moodier shade, like storm gray. From there, the world is quite literally your oyster, with so many gleaming, shell-like top coats to choose from. A sheer wash of chrome is soft and subtle, while scattered glitter and glassy cat-eye offer more intense shine.
Champagne Shimmer
Who knew black and white could make such a whimsical pairing? With daisy illustrations and a champagne cat-eye base, this set is sophisticated yet sweet.
Milky Lavender Chrome
Double up on interesting finishes with a milky base color and a layer of chrome on top. The sheerness of the base adds so much dimension under shimmer.
Pearly Blues
This baby blue French tip is so dreamy. It keeps the color looking icy and modern, rather than baby-shower-ready.
Silver Sheen
These cat-eye nails are etched with jagged chrome borders, giving their short and rounded shape an edgy contrast. This set is practically begging for a matching silver statement ring.
Cat-Eye Auras
Look closely, and you’ll see that this isn’t your typical nude cat-eye. Nail artist Ramon Duran applied a blush-pink aura to clear nail extensions, then a silver cat-eye, and finally, topped the design with a layer of chrome.
Blush Jellies
Chrome on jelly nails looks so light and refreshing, perfect for the shift to warm weather. Here, silver chrome glimmers over a pale pink jelly color.
White on White
Tonal designs are so in right now. Thai manicure incorporates a sheer veil of white with opaque polka dots and a subtle glazed effect.