When the glitterati descends on the streets of London, nothing shines brighter than a set of freshly manicured nails. Flawless makeup and perfectly gelled, slicked-back hair have got nothing on the quietly extravagant look of a brilliant set of claws.
Intricate nail looks have taken off in recent years, with acrylic press-on sets and extensions designed by renowned artists becoming a coveted accessory among A-listers. When that first Monday in May rolls around and the Met Gala takes over the streets of New York City, you’ll struggle to lay eyes on a celebrity who doesn’t have a set of impeccable and somewhat shockingly long set of false nails attached to their digits.
Manicures are considered to be an act of self-care. Far from being limited to the feminine end of the gender spectrum, manicures can serve as a relaxing and confidence-boosting beauty treatment. After all, approximately 20 to 30 per cent of the global population bite their nails in response to stress and other anxiety-inducing stimuli.
As such, taking ourselves to a local manicurist for a sparkly new look that we wouldn’t dare destroy with our fretful habit is not only a preventative measure, but it delivers some much-needed relief to our poor, stress-battered cuticles.
Extreme acrylic sets aside, long claw-like nails aren’t the most practical option for quotidian life – nor are they a smart choice for nails which have borne the brunt of a lifelong biting habit. This, however, certainly does not mean that beautiful, practical nails aren’t an option. Taylor Swift offers us a prime example of this fact.
The superstar needs a practical set of nails for playing guitar and songwriting, but that won’t stop her from adorning each of her nails with a different sparkly colour. Having taught herself to apply gel nail polish back in 2018, you’ll rarely see Swift step out without a wonderfully girly, playful colour scheme forming a subtle rainbow across her hands. Indeed, for the entirety of the first leg of her Eras Tour, Swift painted each of her nails to represent each of her 10 albums. There’s an extra-sparkly gold hue for Fearless, some love heart glitter for Lover, more sparkles for Speak Now – and so on.
What’s the best way to apply glitter nail polish?
To prevent patchy application, some nail techs recommend dappling on glitter polish with a makeup sponge or classic beauty blender once the bottom coat has fully dried.
How do you make sure a glitter manicure lasts?
Invest in a high-quality base coat to ensure a smooth glittery application, and a high-quality top coat to lock in all that sparkly goodness.
We’ve rounded up a selection of the most eye-catching glitter nail polishes for all nail types to explore.
Shop our top picks below.
Crystals Made Me Do It Crystal-infused Nail Polish Duo
This beautiful duo of sparkly, pearlescent nail polishes makes for a brilliant gift for the crystal enthusiast in your life. ‘Healing Feelings’ is a rose-quartz-infused shimmer which might just attract some new love, while the brand’s signature 45 Second Top Coat has been infused with amethyst crystals for healing and long-lasting glimmer.
Buy now £15.00, Nails Inc
Manicurist Mermaid
Dizzyingly holographic, the only thing more mind-boggling than the out-of-this-world shimmer is the fact that this option from Manicurist is a nasties-free, cruelty-free polish. That means it’s not only non-toxic, but also kind to the planet – formulated with up to 84 per cent bio-sourced ingredients.
Buy now £14.00, Selfridges
Chanel Le Vernis
Count on Chanel’s Le Vernis range to make glittery nail polish immaculately chic. This deep, witchy black hue resembles a brilliant night sky somewhere outside of the city.
Buy now £29.00, Chanel
Palette Disco Ball Nail Paint
This kaleidoscopic option from Palette offers a galactic look with a cool rainbow’s worth of glittery hues which dance in the light. Plastic-free and 100 per cent biodegradable, you can feel good about the planet with killer nails.
Buy now £10.00, Amazon
Orly Polish Turn It Up
Free from DBP and formaldehyde toluene, Orly has gone all-out with this confetti-like mixture of a beautiful range of glitter colours. We recommend applying this shimmery polish to a black, shiny base.
Buy now £9.99, Amazon
My Mood So Sparking
Light-reflecting pigments spark joy with every tap of your keyboard when My Mood So Sparkling is painted on your nails. Wonderfully buildable, just one swipe of this quick-drying polish will nevertheless coat your nails with a subtle kaleidoscopic glimmer.
Buy now £5.00, Boots
Mylee Gel Nail Polish
A golden gel option reminiscent of Taylor Swift’s Fearless colour for her Eras Tour nails, this long-lasting and easy-to-apply hue will make anyone feel like a goddess.
Buy now £6.29, Amazon
Halo Euphoric Hema Free Gel Polish - Bluebell
One for the mermaids among us, the ‘bluebell’ gel polish from Halo is euphoric indeed. Designed to shine like sunlight on the ocean, this colour sits somewhere in between turquoise and royal blue.
Buy now £6.50, Nail Polish Direct
