Because really good nail art should last.
Nail art is one of the great joys we have in life, so it’s a shame when you or your manicurist go all out and the design wears off within a day or two. And while you already know that gel manicures are a lifesaver for those of us who are prone to chipping, what you may not know is that gel polish can also be used to create even the most intricate nail designs.
“I actually prefer to do all of my clients’ nail art with gel rather than regular lacquer,” Brittney Boyce, celebrity nail artist and founder of Nails of LA, tells BAZAAR.com. “Gel tends to have higher pigmentation, which allows for creating fine lines and details.” Plus, she adds, the curing process means you don’t have to wait for polish to dry between steps. “You can cure each layer as you go.” But she admits it all comes down to preference. “Detailed work with regular lacquer is doable, but it requires more time and patience. Betina Goldstein does very intricate work using just lacquer.”
And while gel polish is a great medium for complex looks, it’s also perfect for updating minimalist styles like a French manicure. “With regular polish, we do it with a dry brush dipped in acetone to clean up the lines and curves, so you can’t have a base color underneath the tip,” Boyce explains. “With gel, you can have different colors underneath but still use a dry brush to clean up the top layer.” Need some inspiration? Read on for 12 gel nail designs to add to your mood board and tools to help you DIY them (if you’re that confident in your skills).
1. Trickle-down effect
“I still find myself obsessing over a colored French tip or a French twist nail,” says Boyce. “This abstract French nail with gold drops is a little more daring.”
2. Bold brushstrokes
“It looks great either as a single solid color with some gold foil on top or as a mix of three or four shades to create a different canvas,” Boyce says of this look.
3. Thin crescents
“Short nails are ideal for thin French or clean half-moon designs,” the nail artist advises, adding that “they look minimal and cool without overwhelming the nail.”
4. Color blocks
The nail artist also loves the geometric look for shorter nails.
5. Detailed designs
Professionals can also do precise detail work like these pretty butterflies using gel.
6. Fun terrazzo
Love the trend in home decor? Add it to your nails with touches of a few shades of nail polish.
7. Animal print
Layered patterns like this fun leopard look are so much easier to do when you can cure the polish.
9. Colorful French Manicures
The fun French style isn’t going anywhere. Using different gel polishes for each nail adds interest without much effort.
10. Twists and Swirls
Gel extensions allow you to create an even bigger blank canvas for nail art. “Abstract art can be really fun on long nails,” says Boyce.
11. Added embellishment
Anything you add to your nail also benefits from the curing process. “If you add any elements or textures to your nail art, such as gold foil, crystals or rhinestones, you will need gel to seal them and keep them in place,” explains the nail professional.
12. Negative space designs
Being able to layer multiple colors gives negative space nail art an extra dimension.
