PHOTO: COURTESY @LIAMPETERNAILS VIA INSTAGRAM
Jelly nails are the best new way to start your fall off right! They take the colors of summer’s end and put them to good use. These nails are vibrant, yet sheer. They’re calming, yet exciting. We can’t get enough of jelly nails, and hope you feel inspired to try a set yourself.
For those of you who aren’t aware, jelly nails are simple: sheer nail designs that create a smooth sheen, similar to that of actually jelly. Some people like to suspend glitter and florals in them, and they’re definitely one of the more eye-catching nail trends that have popped up this year.
To start the conversation and get you and your friends on board with the jelly nails trend, here is some major inspo to get you going.
Blue Jelly Nails
Blue seems to be the “IT” color for this fall’s jelly nails trend, and we can’t complain. Here are our top 5 picks for the blue jelly nail look.
Dee’s calming blue nails just have a slight hint of the jelly design we are living for this fall, but they’re so cute it’s worth its mention. The milky periwinkle transition to a jelly tip on the index finger is a welcome the change. The golden butterflies a bit of further oomph to the blue jelly look.
Liam Peter is a spunky nail artist whose designs have been featured in magazines, and we love his creativity! These beautiful jelly nails are giving him major “grape soda vibes,” but they remind me more of a deep blue waterfall! The smooth transition from the bright purple-y blue shade to the lighter blue-gray is impeccably done, and the silver glitter is a fun addition to the jelly tip!
Nail technician Cindy is on her game with these “playgirl” jelly nails with a backdrop inspired by the sky. The clouds sit beautifully on the nail and seem to pop out at you! On top of that, I wish I had her talent for forming letters in script on the nail, let alone on paper! I couldn’t write my letters like that if I tried; so jelly (see what I did there?)
UK nail girl Amy Louise has a cute take on her own jelly nails! These blue-tipped beauties are intended to look similar to robin eggs, but Iam getting major corked bottle vibes from them. No matter what they are, I am obsessed with both the design and the glass-like quality of the blue tip.
Artists at New Moon Nails Bar in Phoenix, AZ have the right idea with their blue marble-design jelly nails. I love the golden accents lining the marble swirls on the clear nails, and the perfect transparency of the traditional blue jelly nails.
Short Jelly Nails
One of the great things about jelly nails is they really look stunning on any nail length! These hot jelly nail looks are perfect to try for the autumn months!
Giovanny Santiago’s suspended confetti jelly nails are the perfect length for any young professional in the office, but fun enough for a party after a long day at the office! Their length is perfectly pleasing and just enough to attract attention. These babies remind me of the best kind of party.
For Seattle-based Salon Lulu these short rainbow jelly nails are the best type of attention-grabbers. The soft glitter on the base of the nail looks great with the silver star accents; kind of like an eccentrically colored night sky.
Glitter Jelly Nails
These glitter jelly nails are absolutely inspiring. Too much glitter is never enough, especially when it’s floating inside of your nail! Check out these hot options for your new fave nail look!
Californian nail tech John Nguyen has me swooning over these beautiful princess-glitter jelly nails. The encapsulated glitter shines like the sun, and they are hot, hot, HOT!
Maja Stark is winning the game with these coffin-shaped jelly nails with silvery butterflies and chunky purple glitter. This girl is super talented, and let’s give a shout-out to the beautifully extended cuticles! The entire nail is set perfectly, and we love more about it than just the jelly nail trend.
Claw Jelly Nails
You can’t go wrong with a sexy claw nail, and what better way to add some steam to your look than adding a jelly set? I am in love with these babies!
Noodle Yess has some of the best claw nails I’ve seen in general, let alone in jelly style! These jelly claws are absolutely fierce. They look as though she glued and blended a nail set of icicles to her fingertips, and the quality is intense! Yes, girl!
On another note, I also adore Jeerie’s sweet red jelly nails, complete with hearts suspended within them. They make my heart happy, and if we’re being honest, the matte look makes them even more perfect. I’m not really one to wear claws, but I would wear these!
Fruity Jelly Nails
Fruity jelly is one of my favorite foods. Jelly nails are one of my favorite trends. These fruity jelly nails are my dream, and I am amazed that they come in so many designs!
Kate Hoang’s jelly nail look is a sweet version of the fruit-inspired look! The look is extremely well thought out, right down to the lightly tinted nudes at the base of the nails matching the color of the encapsulated fruits on each tip. Another spunky accent to these gorgeous nails is how the tip of the lemon nail is actually shaped to resemble a lemon, instead of just the basic coffin tip the other nails have. I have to give you props, Kate, I wish I was that detail-oriented!
Jessica Washick’s version of the jelly nail is sweet, yet tart and definitely citrus-inspired. The nails aren’t 100% jelly, though. They are only in the holes of the citrus and on the tips. It looks incredible.
Carly Angel brings my favorite fruit to life with these fantastic watermelon jelly nails! They take our summer fruit favorite and creates a look that allows watermelon a smooth transition to fall! Carly, you have my heart.
Daint Jelly Nails
These pretty jelly nails fall into a different category than any other on our spectrum. There are honestly too many of these sweet and pretty jelly nail designs to mention them all, but here are three perfect pieces of inspiration for your next jelly nail look.
They are flamboyant and vibrant, and I am going to get some of the florals next time I go to my local nail spa. You should too; twins!
These lovely coral nails by Nani Jones have the prettiest jelly nail additions with encapsulated golden red and pink flowers. I have had my eyes on Nani’s design for a while and am excited to feature her work! I love the sheer quality of these jelly nails coupled with the coral painted nails. They balance evenly and absolutely.
Darlene takes a pretty basic version of rainbow nails and turns it into something a million times better with their jelly nail counterpart. This version of jelly nails resembles glass, matching their name of “glass nails.” They very strikingly resemble pink, blue, yellow and green glass. We are living for this jelly nail design!
Liam Peter gets another mention because of the creativity of these jelly nails. He painted them to resemble the Millennial favorite vintage room decoration of the decades: lava lamps! The bubbling “liquid” inside the clear jelly “glass” really appears to float above the “base,” painted matte silver. What a cool look.
We love the jelly nails trend, but that doesn’t mean everyone has to! We think it’ll stick around maybe a few more months before mostly phasing its way into our fondest 2019 memories.
The sheer number (hah, get it) of ways to display this fun trend is insane, and we love seeing all of the fabulous, new versions of the encapsulated jelly nail look. From flowers and butterflies to glitter and rainbows, we can’t get enough of jelly nails.
It’s cute and fun, and definitely something we want to see again down the line; we’re going to enjoy this trend while it lasts!