DIY gel nails

Nail art supplies and techniques I have tested. Everything here requires a UV/LED lamp to cure the nail varnish.

  • V
    Published by V
  • Sep 7, 2026
  • 21 items
2 likes

Mirror-like nails with chrome powder

How to achieve the perfect mirror look. Once you have the technique, it's very easy. I tried quite a few techniques and products, but the best were both from Luxa Polish.

For full nail mirror effect, this is the cleanest I could achieve:

  1. Black layer - Cure 60s
  2. Top coat - Cure 60s, if the surface is tacky it's less mirror-like
  3. Wipe with isopropanol
  4. Spread the chrome powder with an eyeshadow applicator
  5. Brush off the excess
  6. Another layer of top coat to protect it - Cure, and that's it!

LUXA CHROME

Info High quality mirror chrome shine. Our chrome nail polish will still show your base color slightly so the finished options are limitless!! Ex: deep yellow base = gold chrome, coral = Rose gold chrome, etc.   *Product Update* We are now packaging this chrome in a deeper jar! This will make it

  • LUXAPOLISH
Top-down view of Luxa Chrome nail pigment jar and silver stiletto nail swatch showcasing mirror-like chrome finish on white background

The best chrome powder I found, it's really mirror-like! Jar is very small, but you don't need a lot so it lasts quite long. The brand also did the tutorial above, which is the best method I tested for a mirror look.

Thermochromic (shift colour with temperature)

With long nails, they allow you to do a gradient between the base of your nail (warmer, because the nail sits on your flesh) and the tip (cooler, because there's no flesh keeping it warm) with no effort at all, since the gradient is made by your body temperature.

COVEN

Info COVEN is part of the Bewitched Color Shift II Collection. LUXA Color Shift is a gel polish that changes color based on hot or cold temperatures. Black Cherry Fade Gel Nail Polish shifts from a dark mahogany when cold to a burgundy when hot. 15mL / 0.5 fl ozProfessional use only

  • LUXAPOLISH
Close-up of LUXA Coven bottle showcasing stiletto nails in deep burgundy color-shift finish on black background

I tested this one, it's really good. Looks exactly like the picture (except when you wash your hands and it gets fully red or fully dark depending on water temperature)

Glow in the dark

Luxa has a full range of phosphorescent nail polishes. I don't think the "glow in the dark" effect is very strong, but the base colours are also quite pretty. It looks great under dark light. Possible that the effect is reduced because my top coat absorbs too much UV for the phosphorescent effect to really pop.

ECSTASY

Info Don’t be fooled by this demure powder blue – when the lights go down all inhibitions are unleashed. ECSTASY is part of the Glow Up Collection. For the brightest glow-in-the-dark effect, place nails in a LED/UV light or any concentrated light for at least 30 seconds and your demure powder

  • LUXAPOLISH
Close-up of hand with stiletto nails wearing Ecstasy gel polish showcasing bright blue glow-in-the-dark finish against a black background

I'm not fully convinced by the 'glow in the dark' effect (except when there's dark light) but the base colour during the day is a very pretty blue.

Cat eye magnetic gel

Get shapes that change with light and the angle

Basic magnetic gel techniques

How to achieve certain shapes, and which tools are best

How to position the magnet(s) to get various shapes

Never managed to do it properly but I think it's because the cat eye gel I have is not pigmented enough to make the heart vibrant enough to pop.

TLDW: just use the most simple magnet tool you can find, they do 99% of the job lol

Advanced techniques

Supplies

Miro - Layered Magnetic Gel

A layered magnetic gel that shifts the mood depending on the base color. HEMA-free, TPO-free

  • Sweetie Nail Supply
Miro - Layered Magnetic Gel

This one seems nice, also I can get 5 different colours for 30$

Like what you read?

Like this collection, share it with the world or save it for later!

2 likes
V

Published by V

Assez early adopter pour avoir un pseudo d'une seule lettre. London-based.