Beauty Nails The 25 Best Velvet Nail Ideas for a Luxurious Set By Kara Jillian Brown Kara Jillian Brown Kara Jillian Brown is the Beauty Editor of InStyle. She began her career at Well+Good, where she spent five years evolving from Editorial Intern, to News Writer, to Beauty Writer. She earned a bachelor’s degree in English rhetoric from Binghamton University and a master’s degree in health and science journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. She is also a certified fitness instructor and teaches barre in Brooklyn. InStyle's editorial guidelines Published on December 19, 2023 @ 03:44PM Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: @DISSEYNAILS Velvet nails are an ethereal feast for the eyes, supplying a mesmerizing effect thanks to its textured shimmer — hence the name! "Velvet nails are also known as cat-eye nails because the cool subtle linear effects created by the magnet resemble looking into a cat's eye," explains Olive & June vice president Olivia Van Iderstine. How to Treat Damaged Nails, According to Experts To create the velvet nails look, you need two things: magnetic polish and a magnet. "The cat-eye effect is created by using a special magnetic polish or gel polish that contains magnetic particles," says nail artist Tara Hayes. "The position and angle of the magnet placed over the wet polish determine the pattern outcome." Meet the expert Olivia Van Iderstine is the VP of content & creative for Olive & June and the brand's resident trend expert. Tara Hayes is a nail artist in New York City who studied under celebrity manicurist Julie Kandalec. Rachel Joseph is a nail artist who works with Nailing Hollywood. What happens if you attempt velvet nails sans magnet? "Without the magnet, it would look like a standard metallic shimmer polish," says Van Iderstine. So, all this being said, grabbing a magnet set like the Nail Art Magnetic Pen Set ($7) is a non-negotiable for that full-on effect. If you're thinking about trying velvet nails, browse the 25 looks polishes and press-ons below. 01 of 25 Cirque Colors Lyra @missbellatracey Although this gorgeous brown-tinged champagne shade looks very soft to the touch, know that velvet polish goes on smoothly. "It's not actually fuzzy like velvet," says Van Iderstine. "The effect has no texture at all, just depth of swirling lines and curves." Buy Now $15 02 of 25 Velvet Magnet Gel She's a Force Tara Haye Haye created this gel nail look by layering a silver magnetic polish over Gelish's Black Shadow ($11). "Cat eye’s versatile technique can be used over any color, but it truly shines when applied over dark colors like black," says Hayes. "The contrast between the dark base and polish creates a beautiful eye-catching look." Buy Now $11 03 of 25 Beetles Gel D473 Rachel Joseph "Beetles Gel is easily accessible on Amazon and also has an amazing variety of colors for the holiday season," says nail artist Rachel Joseph. "Perfect for those who like doing their nails at home without breaking the bank! Would make a great gift also." This shade is D473, a rich brown-burgundy shade with lots of gold shimmer. Buy Now $20 04 of 25 Olive & June Velvet Swirls Fig Ranch Olive & June "Our favorite way to achieve the velvet look is using press-ons — no magnet needed," says Van Iderstine. "All the hard work is done for you!" This short, round set features bright pink velvet nails with a fun, negative-space design. Buy Now $10 05 of 25 ILNP Deep Space @missbellatracey Get an intergalactic look with Deep Space, a polish with a deep black base and teal-to-purple color-shifting magnetic pigments. Buy Now $13 06 of 25 Ice Gel 1377 Rachel Joseph "Ice Gel has amazing magnet gels," says Joseph. "They usually only require one coat, too, making it very easy and fast to use!" Color number 1377 is a stunning icy shade of pink. Buy Now $15 07 of 25 Cirque Colors Perseus @missbellatracey Reach for Perseus, a ruby red nail polish with pink magnetic pigments for a bold multi-tonal look. Buy Now $15 08 of 25 Olive & June Press-Ons Velvet Plaza Olive & June With press-ons, you can "get the velvet look in minutes with no magnet and absolutely no dry time," says Van Iderstine. This extra-short set is in a rich shade of plum. Buy Now $10 09 of 25 ILNP Sugar Plum @missbellatracey Sugar Plum truly lives up to its name, as it's a beautiful shade that will absolutely be dancing in my head through the holidays and beyond. It has a mauve base with magenta shimmer and silver metallic flakes. Buy Now $13 When using non-gel polish, "the trick is to do one nail at a time, so you wave the magnetic over the polish while it is still wet," says Van Iderstine. "If the polish is dry, the magnet won't work and you won't achieve the velvet effect." 10 of 25 Cirque Colors Halo @disseynails Halo is an absolutely stunning limited-edition taupe-brown nail polish complete with silver magnetic pigment. The colors work beautifully together, creating a simple yet ethereal look. Buy Now $15 11 of 25 Gel Care Silver Velvet @disseynails To create this Christmas-inspired nail look, the artist used a silver velvet gel polish atop Gel Care Emerald ($20). It shows that with just one magnetic top coat, you can transform any color with a magical finish. Buy Now $22 50 Holiday Nail Ideas to Keep the Season's Spirit Right at Your Fingertips 12 of 25 Red Carpet Manicure Polar Opposites Red Carpet Manicure Polar Opposites is an amber gel polish with gold magnetic shimmer for a warm and glamorous finish. Buy Now $11 13 of 25 ILNP Frankie ILNP This green shade is perfect for getting that true cat-eye look. Just hold the magnet above the polish so it's aligned with the center of the nail, going lengthwise. "As a result, a distinctive line or lines on the nail resembles the shape and look of a cat eye," says Haye. Buy Now $13 14 of 25 Cirque Colors BAE (Big Aura Energy) @disseynails If you fell in love with the Ice Gel polish above but aren't a gel polish girlie, BAE is the perfect alternative. It's a limited-edition light pink nail polish with silver magnetic pigments. Buy Now $15 15 of 25 Gel Care Gold Velvet @disseynails This gorgeous gel manicure features Gel Care's Gold Velvet layered over the brand'sPomegranate ($20) for a gem-like finish. Buy Now $22 16 of 25 Olive & June Platinum Velvet Olive & June Go super icy with this medium-length oval set of platinum press-ons. They'll last up to 14 days and come with a non-toxic, non-damaging glue. Buy Now $10 17 of 25 Gel Care Midnight Velvet Gel Care Get a nail look as mysterious as the night sky with Midnight Velvet from Gel Care. To achieve this deep and moody gel nail design, layer Midnight Velvet over Patent Leather Black ($20). Buy Now $22 18 of 25 ILNP Shooting Star @missbellatracey Inspired by meteors, Shooting Star is a blue-purple jelly base with icy blue magnetic pigments. The polish is part of ILNP's Cosmos Collection ($70), complete with six magnet, shimmer, and chrome nail polishes. Buy Now $13 19 of 25 KISS Chameleon KISS Use press-ons to get that intergalactic finish with this medium-length and coffin-shaped set. It features a dark base with teal magnetic pigments. Buy Now $11 20 of 25 Gel Care Green Velvet Gel Care This glittery sage green gel polish was inspired by "the grandeur of the early European nobility," explains the brand. To get this look, apply one to two coats of Green Velvet over Patent Leather Black ($20). Buy Now $22 The 6 Best At-Home Gel Manicure Kits for Long-Lasting Polish, Tested & Reviewed 21 of 25 ILNP Sandbar ILNP This sandy beige shade is elevated with silver magnetic pigments to create a shimmery nude. It was inspired by the the glimmer of sunlit waves crashing over the shallow shore. Buy Now $13 22 of 25 Red Carpet Manicure Positively Attracted Red Carpet Manicure This bright-purple gel polish has silver magnetic pigments to create a super eye-catching look. Buy Now $11 23 of 25 ILNP Be Mine ILNP Go romantic with Be Mine, a raspberry red polish coupled with pink sparkles and pink-to-gold magnetic pigments. The finish looks exactly like the red-heart foil balloons that dominate Valentine's day. Buy Now $13 24 of 25 Red Carpet Manicure Mint Magnetism Red Carpet Manicure Get a minty-fresh look with this gel polish from Red Carpet Manicure. It's a minty-green shade with gold and silver magnetic pigments. Buy Now $11 25 of 25 KBShimmer Thrust Issues KBShimmer Get funky with Thrust Issues from KBShimmer. It's a rich, multichrome shade that's made with a mix of yellow, gold, and orange pigments. Buy Now $11