"Velvet Nails" Are the Viral Science-Filled Manicure Trend Wrapped in Glam

Over time, we've become very creative with our nail art trends. From reworking the french manicure to K-beauty's "blush nails," there's something for everyone. As we're at the most wonderful time of the year, a new manicure look is rising rapidly to the top of our Instagram nail feeds. Meet: "Velvet nails."

Honestly, velvet nails weren't the trend I had in mind for 2022, but as it is so, the mani is one of the biggest movements for the year. It doesn't require extra time in the salon chair, just a steady hand. To clear up misconceptions, velvet nails don't require you to put velvet on your hands. The effect is achieved by "magnetic" nail polishes or what some call "cat-eye" polishes. It's all done by science — placing a magnet near these polishes before they dry draws tiny particles in the polish that react to the magnet creating a textured look. The trend can easily be done at home or from a salon if you're not feeling too confident to try it on your own.

Velvet nails will be crawling over our social feeds the next few weeks as beauty enthusiasts up their glam game. To help you prepare, we've included a DIY tutorial and a few looks we're sure you'll love ahead. If the ending result works out, tag hypebaebeauty on IG for a chance to be featured.