A Pro Explains Exactly How to Get the Jelly Nail Art Trend at Home
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You might have seen the jelly nail trend take over your Pinterest feed. Perhaps, you caught a glimpse of Selena Gomez's moody iteration of it. Regardless of where you first stumbled upon it, the look that uses lacquers and gels to create a high-shine, translucent layer of color across your nails is here to stay.
If you're looking to master the art of creating the look yourself or simply don't have time to make an appointment with your manicurist, you've come to the right place. We've tapped celebrity nail artist Elle (who has created looks for Blake Lively, Jennifer Lopez, and Jessica Chastain) to tell us exactly how to get jelly nails at home.
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Get Jelly Nail Art Using Sheer Nail Polish Formulas
The jelly effect can be achieved by sweeping on two to three coats of a sheer nail polish. Numerous nail brands have come out with formulas that can get you the look, but Elle specifically called out one by LeChat (she is a spokesperson for the brand). She said the The LeChat Nails Dare to Wear in Pink Clarity ($7) is "a very watered down pink that paints on jelly-like."
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Get Jelly Nail Art Using a Mixing Technique
If you don't have sheer nail polish on-hand, Elle suggested creating your own. "Jelly nails can be made with clear nail polish and just a few drops of color of choice," she said. "Start out with a bottle of the clear polish and add drops of color until you get the 'transparency' of the color. Once the desired coloring is reached, paint your nails as you normally would."
If you wanted a mismatched version of the look that uses different hues on each nail, Elle said you will need a new bottle of clear nail polish (like the Sinful Colors Nail Polish in Clear Coat ($2)) for each new color you're creating.
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Get Jelly Nail Art Using Press-On Nails
The easiest way to achieve the look is by purchasing a set of ready-to-wear press-on nails like the Static Nails Jelly Effect Pop-On Manicure ($16).
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Jelly Nail Art Inspiration
Get inspired by the following eye-catching jelly nail looks.