From the art world to the natural world, if you look hard enough, there’s manicure inspiration everywhere. And I do mean everywhere. The most in-demand nail technique right now takes its cues from the road – not concrete, white lines or potholes, but rather the reflective cat’s eyes that mark its boundaries. Google searches for the nail trend have gone up by 1,000 per cent in the last month alone, the term has had over 57 million views on TikTok, and celebrity fans (so far) include Anya Taylor-Joy and Rita Ora.
“Cat eye nails are a unique type of nail design that feature a shimmering narrow line on the nail, mimicking the appearance of an actual cat’s eye,” explains celebrity manicurist, Michelle Humphrey, who has been using the technique on her clients – including Ora – for years. “It’s such a unique effect. It’s multidimensional as the colours move around on the nail.” Reflective and intriguing, it’s the perfect manicure for anyone who enjoys an ever-changing look – cat eye nails appear to change every time you look at them, depending on how the light hits.
Whatever colour you opt for, achieving the look is all about using a nail polish or gel that contains magnetic particles, and then wielding a magnet over the top to form shapes. “After applying the polish, a magnet held close to the nail causes the particles in the paint to move,” explains Humphrey. “Traditionally, you create the shape of a feline eye through this technique, but the end result actually varies [according to] the shape of the magnet and where it’s held.” As per the roadside cat’s eyes, the result will always be reflective.
While it’s quite a difficult technique to recreate at home, your nail technician can create lots of brilliant effects – and Humphrey personally loves layering several different cat eye gels so “you have more than one detail on the nail”. By layering, using the magnet, curing and repeating, you can create the ultimate eye-catching manicure. “You can also layer sheer gels over the top to achieve multiple colourways,” she adds.
It’s not only cat eye nails that are having a moment, either – we’re all currently obsessed with anything glassy, sparkling or luminous on our fingertips. Whether it’s a high-shine glossy finish or chrome (see Anne Hathaway and Florence Pugh’s recent looks), we’re seriously captivated by shine – a nail trend that’s set to dominate through spring and into the summer months ahead.