There is something so joyfully appealing about jelly-like textures in beauty and fashion. It's hard to resist jelly sandals, #Jellyskincare, even jelly bracelets, especially in the summer when you can expect bright sunlight to make anything with a juicy sheen look even shinier and shiny
Simple jelly nails and translucent, colorful polishes have been around for a few seasons now, but now they're getting a makeover for summer 2024 to be even more creative, playful and delicious-looking. The easy way to think about it is to combine two (or more) popular nail art trends to create a new design that's more fun to look at and wear than either of their influences.
Read on for five new reinventions of the jelly manicure you'll want to head straight to the salon.
1. Jelly marbles
Reproduce the glassy finish of jelly nails and transform your look into a marble manicure. Simply apply a top coat of high-shine clear gel over a glossy, multi-dimensional base to make your nails doubly shiny and reflective in the sunlight.
2. Half gelatin, half chrome
Chrome has been one of the biggest trends in manicures in recent seasons, so it only makes sense to use the metallic finish to mix in clear gel nails. We love how these designs represent the contrast between the two textures by juxtaposing them side by side on each nail.
3. Drops of gelatin gum
Jelly nails already have a delicious chunky look effect, so why not twist it up by adding some extra 3D details? Stains, bubbles and water drops create an interesting and whimsical look, even without any additional bright colors.
4. Suspended glitter
Another way to accentuate the dimensional nature of jelly nails is to add accents that appear to float in translucent polish. For a more edgy design, take inspiration from the dark glitter gray jelly nails that Mei Kawajiri created for Iris Law's 2024 Met Gala look. Or a simple thick glitter butterfly in an iridescent pool looks light and airy.
5. Translucent tips
Combine the traditional French mani with the trendy jelly finish to create translucent ends with a modern look. This design works especially well on longer nail shapes and gel extensions, which can really let the light through.
