Tag: makeup

If there’s one trend that broke the beauty internet over the past couple of years, it’s glazed donut nails, but heading into 2024, aurora nails look likely to steal the crown. The trend takes the bits that made it’s glazed sis a hit (glowy, cute, eye-catching), but adds a modern update to keep things interesting.

One dreamy rendition we saw on the Instagram account of LA based, Korean American nail artist, Mary Koh, has us hooked. It sees icy pink and white holographic details submerged in a pretty, translucent gel.

What are Aurora nails?

The design sees shimmer and glow suspended in a clear gel that changes colour as you move your nails – like the northern lights (or aurora borealis), or water below a frozen surface.

The trend, which also goes by “uru uru nails” and “ice nails” has K-beauty to thank for its inception. “It’s a popular trend in Seoul, which is where I learnt it,” explains Mary. “In Korea it’s called ‘uru uru nails’. I wanted to bring it back as a simple yet fun design,” she adds.

Essentially it’s a glowier, 3D rendition of glazed donut nails that can add pretty interest and dimension to your outfit.

How to do Aurora nails?

Aurora nails start out looking very much like glazed donut nails, but gel and holographic foil are layered on top to create a 3D effect, then the whole lot is encased in a thick gel top coat. “I created my look by layering foils in a multi-step process,” Mary told GLAMOUR. But to really next-level it, nail care is paramount. “Most importantly, I make sure the cuticle line is clean so that the design can take front and centre,” she explains.

If you want a fresh start mani, you can’t really get much fresher than the Soap Nails we keep seeing everywhere. Where elsewhere the 2024 nail trends call for maximalism with high-impact techniques like 3D nails and hi-vis shades like tomato red, Soap Nails are the subtle alternative nestled quietly (but assuredly) at the other end of the spectrum. So minimalists, this one’s for you…

What are soap nails?

Taking clean and simple nail designs to another level, soap nails effectively mimic the effect of squeaky clean nails. It takes that fresh mani feeling (when your nails have been scrubbed, buffed, trimmed and filed), adds in some softening exfoliation and gives you the look of a mani that’s just emerged from soapy suds after a bubble bath.

It gives bare nails a wash of super glossy top coat that gives nails an almost wet-look clean finish. But you can tailor the trend by layering sheer pink tints or milky shades beneath. And you can finish with some subtle nail art if you like, in similarly low-key, clean shades like crisp white or frothy cream.

How can you create soap nails?

Since this is the manicure equivalent of no makeup makeup, your base is important. And, just as you can’t achieve no makeup makeup without upping the ante on your skincare, Soap Nails require you to give your nail beds some proper TLC. This means drenching your nails and cuticles in nail oil whenever you can and spending more time on prep than on polish when it comes to the manicure itself.

Your nail artist (or you, if you’re keeping your manicure in house) will need to focus on thoroughly cleaning nails of any previous polish, buffing them until they shine, neatly trimming away rough cuticles and filing them so they’re beautifully symmetrical. Once they’re in good shape, that’s when you can give them a glow-up with a sheer wash of ultra glossy polish and top coat. You can keep it completely clear or choose a formula with a pink tint or a milky hue. The colour is less important than an ultra fresh finish. To wrap things up, you’re gonna want to ensure your hands have had the same treatment, so exfoliation with a sugar scrub followed by a moisturising hand cream or mask will give you the softest skin to pair with immaculate soap nails.