What is the Korean Gel nail trend? 5 best products to achieve the look

K-dramas, K-pop, and Korean gel nails are taking over the internet, one trend at a time. Korean gel nails, from the semi-sheer jelly manicure to aurora nails, use soft color gradients which make the nails look unique, almost like ‘fine art’.

As per Korean beauty standards, every gel nail polish manicure must be perfect including the color, the time period it lasts for, and the leveling. Since Korean gel nails push for perfection, every global nail brand is trying its best to cater to perfect product requirements.

Famous Korean band BLACKPINK’s Lisa sported Korean gel nails in the Pink Venom music video.

There is a difference between Korean gel nails and regular gel nails as the nail polish used in the former trend is on the thicker side and requires one to two coats for full coverage.

If one wishes to create a gradient gel nail manicure, then apply the base coat first and then a thin layer of nail paint below the cuticle. One must continue applying thin layers till the top or bottom end of the nail is the darkest. For optimal effects, apply a clear top coat. And voila! Pretty-looking Korean gel nails are ready.

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5 best products to achieve Korean Gel nails

1) DGEL Galaxy Collection - 6 Magnetic Color Set

This magnetic color set features six duotone chrome finish, color-shifting beautiful shades, inspired by the cosmos. Fans of Korean gel nails can experiment with these magnetic pigments as these gel shades can be layered to create unique looks or can be worn by themselves.

The DGEL galaxy collection consists of six magnetic gels, one magnet, and one matching swatch chart. This six-shade color set retails for $85 on the Zillabeau website.

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2) Jello Jello One Kill Peel Off Set

Experimenting with nail trends such as the Korean gel nails can cause damage. This peel-off set protects the nails from damage with the One Kill Remover Set and Peel-Off Base Gel by Jello Jello. With this peel-off set, which takes off gel nail sets fast and is less time-consuming than the standard gel removal procedure, you can avoid acetone damage. This five-minute, less damaging nail base set retails at $30 on the Zillabeau website.

All one has to do is prep the nail beds by applying a coat of Peel-Off Base and letting it dry under a gel lamp. On proper application, this base can last up to three weeks. One can then proceed to follow the normal gel application process with colors and a top coat.

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3) Hoholee Petit Embossing Gel

The Hoholee Petit Embossing Clear Gel allows one to create dimensional manicures and sculpt 3D designs. It is a non-yellowing gel with a non-wipe, gummy-like consistency that helps create characters, letters, bows, chains, and hearts on the nails. The embossing gel retails for $16 on Zillebeau’s website.

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4) Kenzico Gel Polish Malrang Summer Syrup Series Collection

The Malrang summer syrup series collection from Kenzico consists of six beautiful gel shades. Kenzico offers a high-quality range of Korean gel polishes and their nail products are made with 100% cosmetic materials.

This gel polish formula is easy to soak off and offers a high-gloss shine with durability. What makes these gel polishes unique is that they are acid-free, scratch-resistant, and resistant to shrinking or fading. This gel polish set is priced at $86.40 while individual shades of the gel polish retail at $16 on Beyondpolish.com.

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5) Nailbayo- Doi Nudi Syrup Gel Set

The Doi Nudi Syrup Gel, a creation of renowned Korean nail artist Nailbayo, is a buildable syrup color gel that serves as the ideal foundation for any Korean manicure.

This six-color syrup gel set includes white, pink, beige, violet, rose, and oat hues and is ideal for creating gradient nail art and achieving natural gel nails. It is available for $102 on Sweetie Nail Supply’s official website.

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In addition to advanced formulations, Korean nail brands are curating an aesthetic of their own. These nail polishes come in whimsically colorful, adorable packaging. Korean gel nail companies are paying equal attention to making their packaging and their users’ hands beautiful.