Velvet nails take your standard party-ready mani to the next level, giving the luxe, silky, velour-like feel of velvet material but with a smooth, non-fuzzy finish.
Almost a mix of glitter and metallic polish effects, a velvet manicure is all about creating the illusion of texture with how it bounces off the light, which is why it’s best shown IRL or via video (see below).
We first noticed velvet nails on Los Angeles-based nail artist Amy Le, whose ‘green velvet’ look has proved so popular that she’s sharing a full how-to guide (including product details) on her Patreon platform, where she drops monthly nail tutorials.
This season has seen many a creative nail trend taking Instagram and nail salons by storm. First came Christmas tree nail art, then cosy cable knit nails, then most recently, tinsel cuticles became the most merry mani to get us in the festive spirit.
Now we’re seeing velvet nails going viral on social, and to say we’re a little bit obsessed is a gross understatement. We think they may be our favourite grown-up party season nail trend.
Not a Patreon subscriber and/ or don’t fancy heading to your local nail salon to get the velvet nails look? Some fans in the comments under Le’s post recommend using cat eye gel or magnetic gel polish, while others swear by using nail powder (or ‘flocking powder’) as well as your desired base colour – we love festive green and shimmery gold hues for this look, but darker wintery shades such as chrome grey and deep purple work well with velvet nails, too.
Simply apply your base colour then buff the powder over each nail until you achieve the desired effect. If you’ve been taking your mani game in-house this year, you might want to use your LED lamp to seal the polish.
