The holiday season is here, and it’s time for jewel tones, luxe fabrics, and all things glitter. Nothing says festive season like velvet and shimmer, so I took all the best parts of holiday dressing and found the perfect manicure to match! Emerald green velvet nails (via gel and magnetic polish) are sparkly enough to shine all season long.
Bonus: This plush-looking mani is simple to do at home with the right tools. Scroll on to see how to get the velvety vibe.
Step 1: Magnetic polishes are available in gel and non-gel formulas, but for this tutorial I used gel. Prior to either gel or regular polish application, be sure to prep the nails properly for a longer-lasting mani. This includes cleaning up the cuticle area and cleansing the nail plate of any oil and debris.
Step 2: Apply one thin layer of base coat and cure.
Step 3: Apply 1-2 coats of black gel polish (for full opacity) and cure. This step is optional, but it provides more depth of color to the magnetic glitter polish you top it with. To achieve a deeper emerald shade, the black polish will change the glitter topper from a lighter green to an emerald shade.
Step 4: Apply your first coat of magnetic glitter polish (don’t cure yet).
Step 5: Using your magnet, take the larger square side and start in the top right corner of your nail. Hover it towards the edge of your nail until you see the sparkles shifting.
Step 6: Move the magnet to the remaining 3 corners of your nail, until you get the overall velvet effect. I like to start in the top right corner, move to the bottom left, then the top left, and the bottom right. You can use the magnet however you’d like depending on the pattern you want; you can even hover it in the middle of the nail at a diagonal for a cat eye effect. The options are endless, so have fun!
Step 7: Once you reach your desired effect, cure the nail. Repeat these same steps with a second coat, and then cure.
Step 8: Top with a gel top coat for a glossy finish, and cure. Finish with cuticle oil!
Did you try the velvet nails trend? Show us your velvet polish look on Instagram or TikTok @lulus using #lovelulus–and shop festive styles to wear with your nails in our Holiday Shop!
Melanie Graves is a self-taught nail art enthusiast who creates colorful, easy DIY designs for fellow home manicurists.
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