All about Syrup nails: The latest K-beauty nail trend

K-beauty has inspired yet another manicure trend and this time syrup nails has taken over TikTok and other social media platforms. #syrupnails has garnered about 8.2 million views on TikTok, making people a fan of this aesthetic-looking manicure.

As sweet as they sound, syrup nails replicate the effect of liquid syrup on nails. It looks like a fancy version of high-shine, glossy jelly nails. One can either use gel or regular nail polish with a glossy topcoat to get this wet sheen effect over the nails. In addition, syrup nails are incredibly light and fashionable, which is one of the reasons they are a popular option for daily wear.

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How to achieve syrup nails at home

The syrup manicure trend revolves around a perfect finish more than the shades, offering a lot of scope for personalization. One can use a variety of colors such as white, purple, coral, and pink to achieve a syrup finish.

One can get a cleaner looking, close to a syrup-like effect with lighter and pastel shades instead of dark, gothic colors. The syrup manicure can be created in a one-tone, two-tone, or ombre effect by mixing any shade with the base coat to achieve a translucent syrup-hue appearance.

Manicurists advise a one-to-two ratio to produce the ideal syrup-like effect. The secret to mastering this manicure is to choose the sheerest shade for the base and a more pigmented or saturated shade for the tips.

The lighter shades for the base can be pastels, neutrals, and nudes since shades like reds, blues, and blacks won’t offer a syrup, jelly-like nail effect. Some shades for the same are Sunday’s No.49 ($18), OPI Nail Lacquer in the shade Purple Palazzo Pants ($10), and Essie Nail Polish in the shade Perennial Chick ($4).

Here are the steps to follow:

• Start by prepping the nails with a base coat to create an even and smooth nail canvas. One can use the Ten Over Ten The Foundation ($18) as it works as a base coat and strengthener.
• Once the base coat dries, paint a rough tip on the end of the nails like a classic French tip, and don’t worry about the tip being even.
• When this coat is dry, continue the process by adding two to three layers of color slightly below the last layer each time. The goal is to create a smooth gradient of color that is opaque at the tip and sheer at the base.
• After this application is complete, finish with a high-gloss top coat. The Sally Hansen Color Therapy Beautifier High Gloss Top Coat ($10) is ideal to give the nails a syrup-like effect and shine. Additionally, it also renders longevity to the manicure.

Some of the syrup-nail trends to try at home include:

The Sheer Pink Syrup Manicure: This is the ideal syrup manicure complementing most outfits and is easy to recreate with just a single shade and glossy top coat.

Dewy Rose Syrup Manicure: To get this classic yet distinctive set of nails, a dusty-rose nail polish colour will go a long way.

Blush Syrup Manicure: This is the most effective technique to improve the blush manicure because it combines the trends for blush and syrup nails.

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Easy to create at home and experiment with, Syrup nails are a creative take on glossy, jelly-like manicures and have gotten nail enthusiasts creating their own variations on social media.