Glass Nails, the Korean-Rooted Finish That Looks Like Wet Jelly

Vogue called the glass manicure a summer 2024 trend inspired by glass skin, and said it is believed to have started in Korea. Celebrity nail artist Harriet Westmoreland told them it came from manicurists chasing the shiniest, most reflective finish they could get. Manicurists also credit Kylie Jenner with naming it that summer, though that comes from their accounts, not from her. Nobody has a clean origin story, and the one blog that names a Korean creator is not one I would repeat as fact.

What I can say for sure is that glass nails are the sheer cousin of the glazed donut nails Zola Ganzorigt made for Hailey Bieber in 2022. Manicurist Queenie Nguyen describes them as glazed donut with a sheer base. Tinu Bello explains the difference: the chrome sits under a thick layer of clear gel instead of on top.

The collage below shows ten shapes in glass: clear, pink, peach, lilac, mint, blue, a bright red, milky white, a gold-flake one and a white-tipped one. The first grid is sheer polishes and builder gels you paint on. The second is jelly press-ons.

Here is a test I like: hold your hand under a lamp and look through the color. If you can still see your nail bed and the shine looks wet, it is glass. If you cannot see through it, it is just a pretty color.

Everything in this grid is sheer, which is the point. Olive & June's Boysenberry Glass is a sheer berry jelly the brand says was inspired by winter fruit jam, sold as both a lacquer and a gel. Garnet Glass is the deeper cousin, a scarlet jelly that the brand describes as gem-like. Both are made to look good on their own or layered.

The pinks are where I would live. Blush Jelly is a rosey pink builder gel for a barely-there wash of color, and Rose Glaze is an iridescent pink builder gel that adds a subtle shimmer. Soft Tint Gel is the sparkliest, a blush pink with silver microglitter that the brand's copy compares to bottled fairy dust. If you want a glass finish with a bit of body, the builder gels are the ones to look at.

Chillhouse takes a different route. Blueberry Dew and Rosewater are its Super Tints, functional shades that give sheer, buildable color with strengthening ingredients and a high-gloss finish. Blueberry Dew is a sheer blue and Rosewater a sheer coral-red, which makes them the easiest to build up slowly if you are nervous about color.

The practical tip comes from Vogue. At home, start with an iridescent polish, then finish with a sheer translucent shade.

What I would skip: three thick coats. Sheer colors get muddy fast, and you lose the see-through look that makes glass nails what they are.

If you want the look without a lamp, this grid is the shortcut. ohora's designs are named like desserts, and they read that way. Coconut Jelly is a milky, neutral white that the brand says is meant to brighten skin tone. Peach Jelly is a translucent peach pink, and Dewy Mint is a sheer mint with a syrup-like texture. The two red ones are sweeter. Jelly Berry is strawberry red that fades from the edges with scattered glitter, and Heart Jelly hides heart-shaped accents in a rich red syrup. ohora also says its updated sizing runs about 1.06mm larger on average, based on US customer data.

KISS Gel Fantasy is the more traditional glue-on route. The three sets here, Jelly Case, One Day Jelly and Quince Jelly, are ready-to-wear gel finish nails with a glass-like effect, in pink coffin, purple almond and purple coffin, all medium length. The brand says each kit has 28 nails, gel glue, a mini file and a stick, needs no dry time and can last up to 14 days.

Here is a pairing I like: one ohora set in a pale shade, like Coconut Jelly, with a bare hand and a gold ring. Milky nails and warm metal look good together, and it keeps the jelly quiet.

What I would skip: buying both Jelly Berry and Heart Jelly. They are both red jelly with accents, and one is plenty.

I think glass nails are the easiest trend to like, because nothing about them is loud. The color is thin, the shine does the work, and your own nail shows through. That also means they look best on nails that are clean and short.

My rule of thumb: pick one sheer color you would wear as lip gloss, put it on with two thin coats, and stop. If you want more, add a top coat, not more color. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Glue On Nails That Survive a Week of Typing and Drip Nails Went From Kylie's Lip Kit to Everyone's Tips.