‘Glass Nails’ Are the Coolest New Summer Mani Trend

In June, Kylie Jenner posted a picture of her shiny new nails — and the Internet took notice. Her talons were painted a classic nude-pink color but with a high-shine, light-reflecting topper. She captioned the photo “glass nails,” and her tens of millions of followers had one major question: How can we get the same look at home?

In true Kardashian-Jenner fashion, she didn’t explain what she was wearing on her nails, tag the artist, or give any details about the look. Therefore, the internet did what it does best: sleuth. Among those on the case was Paintbucket nail salon owner Kristin Pulaski, who made it her mission to find the exact nail combo over on the brand’s TikTok. In her video, which garnered more than 136,000 views, she said Jenner’s new mani “didn’t just look like your basic chrome powder manicure to me. There’s something glassy and liquidy here, and I need to know exactly what products were used.” 

Thus began the hunt for the products used in the video to get these cool “glass nails.” And after much digging, Pulaski discovered exactly how to achieve the look both in the salon and at home.

What Are Glass Nails?

According to Pulaski, glass nails have a nude base with, you guessed it, chrome powder. But it’s not the typical chrome powder that reflects a plethora of rainbow colors — it's  a powder that emits a sort of uniform sheen to give it that glass effect. 

Before we go any further, it’s important to note that all nails are going to look different depending on the light they’re in. If you’ve ever visited a nail salon with a photo and said you wanted your nails to look like that exact photo, it’s likely the artist gave you a gentle reality check, explaining that the photo was taken under about a dozen ring lights. A manicure in natural light will shine differently  than when you’re clacking away at your 9-to-5, so definitely keep that in mind.

As part of Pulaski’s sleuthing, she was in contact with a model on Instagram who was visiting Jenner’s nail artist, and who promised to give a breakdown on the products used. When she came back to Pulaski with information, she reported that it was chrome powder from a brand called Indigo. However, once Pulaski secured the chrome herself, she noticed something was off. It was too colorful to look like the “glass” neutral Jenner was wearing. Ultimately, Pulaski discovered that the closest thing she could get to the same look was using a DND Chrome Effect White Silk #2, so it seems it probably was a chrome powder that achieved Jenner’s “glass nails” look after all.

What to Ask for at the Nail Salon

According to Pulaski’s TikTok, Jenner’s nail artist mixes colors, and the closest combo she could find to Jenner’s was a base layer of Gel Bottle Inc.’s French Bloom and a second coat of Essie’s Deep Pockets for the perfect pink nude. From there, ask for DND Chrome Effect White Silk #2, but just a small dusting of it. You don’t want to go in with too many layers, or it’ll look silver instead of glassy. 

How To Get Glass Nails at Home

Since chrome finishes are trending, many brands have come out with regular polish formulas that emulate the effects, but according to nail artists, the only true way to get the chrome effect you see on your favorite celebs is to visit the salon or do a salon-style gel manicure on yourself at home. 

If you don’t want to run to the salon just yet, Kiki World has a “pearl” nail polish you can apply to regular nails that has a pearlized chrome effect. Essie’s Nail Art Studio line also has a chrome topper that’s meant to be layered over polishes. There are also many press-on nail brands that have chrome effects, including Chillhouse’s Chill Tips. Since not everyone has access to (or the funds for) celebrity nail artists, we love how affordable these temporary options are. Opt for a set of press-ons or a polish bottle with a silver chrome finish to get the effect at home, and no one will ever know the difference.