Velvet Nails Are The Perfect Last-Minute Festive Look

With many areas including London now going into tier 3, it may feel like there's little to keep you occupied this side of Christmas. However luckily, nail salons are still able to remain open, even in tier 3 areas. So why not go support a local business and get a Christmas mani? Velvet nails are the perfect festive look, and are a great choice should you want to bring an extra level of sparkle to your December.

Velvet nails are nothing new. In fact, way back in 2012, Ciate London released a 'velvet nail' kit, which allowed you to get the look from home. The trend's resurgence circa 2020 comes as no surprise; this year we need all the fun nail effects and festive joy we can get our hands on.

LA nail artist Amy Le is being hailed as the woman bringing velvet back in a big way. She posted a short clip of some amazing green velvet-effect fingers in early December, which unsurprisingly caused chaos in her comments section. Le has since posted a tutorial and how-to on via her Patreon, so check it out if you have an account. If not, there are other ways to achieve the look.

The easiest, of course, is to visit your nail salon, as the artists there are professionals who will be able to create an impressive look for you.

"The velvet nail trend is a popular holiday season choice due to its simplicity, festivity and an illusion of texture," says Ksenia McAnulty of Selfish in London. "To achieve a velvet look you would need to use special magnetic polish called 'Cat Eye,'" which is available in select salons. "The actual cat eye trend with magnetic polishes has been around since 2017, however this year Amy Lee has shown us a different way to use this polish and achieve a plush velvet effect rather than a cat eye," she adds.

You can actually buy versions of the cat eye polish on sites such as Amazon, but as it's a process, it is probably best left to the professionals.

However, that doesn't mean you can't achieve a similar effect from home. Townhouse founder Juanita Huber-Millet reveals the CND Shellac shade Safety Pin is a great option, as it offers a velvety finish. Note that you'll need a UV lamp for this one, though.

You can also use something called flocking powder, a nail powder which leaves a velvety glitter effect. However, this should be reserved for those who are especially confident in the nail department, as it's not an easy material to use.

However you choose to get the look, I recommend you search the hashtag #velvetnails first on Instagram, as there is plenty of inspo available!