25 Velvet Nails For That Pretty, Plush Look
Bring a touch of opulence to your fingertips with these beautiful velvet nails, perfect for the party season.
If you’re looking for an easy way to edge up your look and make it more special, velvet nails, also known as magnetic nails, would be an ideal choice. While velvet nails can be subtle and simple, they still create a powerful effect on your appearance. From crazy color contrasts to glamorous glitter patterns, all eyes will be focused on your mani.
Velvet nails make use of special magnetic gel polish that you need to “cure” using a magnet. This magnetic polish contains iron fragments that are attracted to magnets, so once you place the magnet over the fresh layer of polish, the iron fragments will rise to the surface, creating a unique look.
In addition to velvet nails which err on the simpler side, you can also use the same magnetic nail polish to create a different design on your nails – cat eye nails. Instead of using a magnet across your entire nail, the magnet is concentrated on a single line across your nail, creating a pretty design reminiscent of a galaxy.
While these techniques are two separate designs, they are sometimes lumped into the same category of magnetic nails. For this reason, we’ve featured both velvet and cat eye nails in this article, so you have more variety to choose from.
The Best Velvet Nails To Try
1. Tickled Pink
These pretty pink nails with the sheen of a French tip are perfect if you’re deciding between two different manicures and can’t quite commit to one. This can also be recreated with any color.
2. Spacegirl
Silver is a trending color in fashion, and now in beauty too! This metallic manicure would be perfect for a concert or as a fun set of birthday nails.
3. Grape juice
Colors with red undertones are big in the fashion world right now. These grape-tinted nails with a starry sheen will make your heart (and closet) sing.
4. Copper top
Copper and bronze aren’t extremely popular nail art colors. They have orange undertones, which can be difficult to pair with your outfits. However, these coppery claws would make a perfect vacation manicure.
5. Goldilocks
Much like Goldilocks and the Three Bears, this manicure is just right. If you’re not used to incorporating nail art and like to keep your manicure light and fresh, this is the best option for you.
6. Malachite mani
Malachite is a natural deep green stone with strikes of blacks, whites, and yellows running through it, and it’s a popular stone in Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry – and what could be chicer than that?
7. Comic book claws
For an adventurous beauty lover, this set has bold lines painted over the top of the soft sparkles to create a 3D pop art effect. Though these might not be perfect for every day, they make a chic Halloween manicure.
8. Nail lover
If you just love nails, or it’s nearing Valentine’s Day, this manicure is perfect. The red color is toned down by exposing the base color on some nails, but keeping it tied in using the heart-shaped confetti.
9. Sheen and Clear
Using this nail art technique on light, nude colors creates a “barely-there” illusion in some lights. This is perfect for the party season where you want to look glam in the evening but have work or professional commitments during the day.
10. berries and cream
Berries and Cream isn’t just a trending TikTok audio. It also makes a fabulous color combination for a fall/winter manicure. The deep berry tones are emphasized but also lifted by the creamy off-white tones.
11. Dipped in gold
Gold is a color that exudes opulence and wealth. However, a full gold manicure can do the opposite. Instead, opt for touches of gold like this which doesn’t overpower your look.
12. aquamarine
Aquamarine is a stunning blue with green undertones and looks particularly great on blondes as it balances with the gold undertones of the hair color. Go for this color if you’re looking for your next vacation manicure.
13. You’re a firework
If you’d like to incorporate some color into your manicure, this is the perfect set. Applying a black base color helps the statement color pop, but also tones it down.
14. White Fox
In the same way, this black base color with a silver sheen over top looks black in some lights, grey in others, and silver in others. This works particularly well if you stick to silver jewelry.
15. Northern Lights
Get these nails on Etsy
The Northern Lights are a natural occurrence of beautiful tones of blues and greens, usually seen in the North of the globe. Take inspiration from this stunning sight for this manicure.
16. Talking to the moon
This sky-blue French tip works beautifully with this manicure. The sheen of sparkle in certain lights almost looks like the clouds appearing and disappearing, and the crystals could be stars in the summer evening sky.
17. Saturday night fever
This manicure is reminiscent of the Disco Era where the fashion (and music) was louder than life. This purple manicure would work perfectly for people with brunette and black hair.
18. in the jungle
Okay, this is a bit more glam than a jungle. This green base color with silver sheen is another great manicure for brunettes as the warm green undertones will compliment those in your hair.
19. big apple
Red-tinted nails will always be a classic. If you want to keep to your regular manicure color but add some spice, this metallic sheen is a great way to stay true to yourself whilst staying on trend.
20. All the colors
For the times you just can’t choose – this is the one for you. The reason this manicure still works is that the colors have a common factor – the same metallic top coat.
21. Is it real?
This cartoon-inspired manicure is one for all the comic book fans! It would also make a great set for the holidays as the manicure is made more festive with the use of a bright red base.
22. Leafy Greens
Using random shapes to create the illusion of a French manicure is a popular trend. Using a leaf green color like this just makes sense with this leaf-shaped manicure. Adding a hint of gold amps up the volume on a minimal manicure.
23. Iced and spiced
These manicures aren’t for the faint-hearted. It can be difficult to get used to a manicure that isn’t smooth, and isn’t suitable if you use your hands a lot. Instead, try this on a statement nail before committing to all.
24. Red-y or not
If red is a staple in your closet, red nails will transform your looks and always ensure you look polished. To ensure they look chic, keep the nail length relatively short and you’ll be onto a winner.
25. Glossed
This French manicure is a perfect example of using nail art but keeping the manicure looking chic. Adjust this according to your skin tone by choosing a base color similar to the natural color of your nails.