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Special-effect polish
Magnetic cat-eye, velvet, chrome, holographic, thermal, glow and more: how every effect works and how to wear it.
Special-effect polish
Aura nails and built-in pearl: two ways to make a nail glow softly
Aura nails are a circular gradient inspired by aura photography, airbrushed in salons and sponged at home. Pearl polish glows from inside the formula.
Chrome powder or chrome polish: the mirror and the metallic
Chrome powder rubbed onto tacky gel gives a true mirror that wears 2 to 3 weeks. Chrome nail polish gives a metallic foil with no lamp and shorter wear.
Colour changing nail polish: the microcapsule chemistry behind thermal lacquer
Colour changing nail polish uses leuco dyes in microcapsules that switch at a set temperature. Why the tips change first, and how long the effect lasts.
Five classic cat-eye nail patterns and where to hold the magnet
Cat eye nail designs depend on where you hold the magnet: a single line, a diagonal, a French curve, a star with a double magnet, or all-over velvet.
Glass nails and jelly nails: sheer colour under a sheet of gloss
Glass nails are sheer jelly polish in thin coats under a high-gloss top coat, so the colour looks set under glass. How they differ from glazed donut.
Holographic, multichrome or duochrome: three shifting finishes, three different pigments
Holographic polish splits light into a rainbow by diffraction. Duochrome and multichrome shift colour by interference. How each works, with a table.
How glow in the dark nail polish works
Glow in the dark nail polish uses strontium aluminate, a phosphor that stores light and glows for hours. Charging it, how long it lasts and how to wear it.
How the cat-eye magnet works, in plain words
Magnetic nail polish works because iron-oxide flakes turn to follow a magnet's field lines while the coat is wet. Distance, time and shape set the pattern.
How to apply magnetic cat-eye nail polish at home
To apply cat eye nail polish, paint a thin first coat, then a second coat one nail at a time and hold the magnet 3 to 5 mm above it within 20 seconds.
How to do chrome nails at home, with a lamp or without one
How to do chrome nails at home: cure a no-wipe gel top coat 30 seconds, rub chrome powder onto the tacky layer, seal and cure. Or metallic lacquer, no lamp.
Magnetic nail polish troubleshooting: why the cat-eye fails and how to fix it
Cat eye nail polish not working comes down to four faults: magnet too far or too late, coat too thick, pigment settled, film not set. Each has a fix.
Matte nail polish: how the finish works, how it wears and how to keep it clean
Matte nail polish scatters light with silica so the surface looks flat. Matte formula vs matte top coat, why it shows wear and oil, and mixing in gloss.
Shimmer, glitter or micro-flake: what the particle does to the finish
Shimmer uses fine mica that dries smooth. Glitter uses cut plastic pieces that add texture and cling on removal. Micro-flakes lie flat between the two.
Special effect nail polish, explained finish by finish
Special effect nail polish covers magnetic cat-eye, velvet, chrome, holographic and thermal. How each works, with dry time, wear, removal and difficulty.
Textured nail polish: how sand and sugar finishes work, wear and come off
Textured nail polish dries to a gritty, sandpaper-like surface from fine glitter and matting agents. Sand vs sugar, wear, top coat or not, and removal.
Velvet nails: the magnetic finish held at a distance
Velvet nails are a magnetic polish effect: the magnet is held about 0.5 cm away and swept, so the flakes lift into a soft all-over glow with no hard line.
What is magnetic cat-eye nail polish?
Cat eye nail polish is a magnetic lacquer whose iron-oxide flakes form a band of light under a magnet. Gel or air-dry, and how it differs from chrome.
Why chrome nails fade, and how to seal the mirror so it stays
Chrome nails wear off because the powder is loose pigment on the surface. Seal it with a top coat, avoid hot water and refresh the seal every few days.