The Diamond Aura Manicure Is The Newest Glitter Nail Trend. Here's How To Get The Look
One thing about the internet? It's always going to showcase the creativity of innovative and downright gorgeous nail art. A staple of Black and Asian cultures, acrylic nails were primarily done in working class salons, reports Refinery29. As they became more middle class, the nails became more popular amongst the mainstream.
Like always, acrylics are used to display the personality and style of the wearer. The past few months have seen a rise in nail trends that feature eye-catching designs and colors, as well as swanky shimmers and glitters. The latter part is probably due to the rise of the "old money" trend on TikTok while varying designs and colors stem from a place of wanting to represent one's own personal aesthetic.
Aura nails are colorful acrylics meant to denote the mood of the nail wearer. A bite-sized version of an aura reading, they're composed of about two colors that represent personality and emotion. One popular way to style these nails is to put one color in the center with another on the perimeter of the nail. In a marriage of aesthetics, diamond aura nails are an opulent take on this moody trend.
What are diamond aura nails?
Created by "Euphoria" nail artist Natalie Minerva, the trend replaces a matte color in the original aura nails with a shimmery polish. On her Instagram, she debuted the style using a jet black in the center with a chrome silver on the periphery. The result is a hypnotic design that pulls you in with its simultaneous depth and glow.
From Maddy's lime green set during her iconic fight with Cassie to Cassie's classic nude and rhinestone nails, Minerva has created a number of long-lasting looks that will long remain in the cultural zeitgeist. Her knack for constructing designs that endure quick trend cycles increase the longevity of recent nail trends that focus on glittery designs. Diamond aura nails are a marriage between Gen Z's desire for personal branding and their love of luxe-looking nails such as velvet nails.
With a set of plain press-on nails and some matte and glitter polishes, it's easy to recreate diamond aura nails at home.
How to do diamond aura nails at home
Before painting the nails, ensure that your natural nails are properly prepped. Push back the cuticles and get rid of any lingering oils on your nail beds in order to increase the longevity of your manicure. To complete the style, start with a clear base coat and then do two light coats of the color of your choice, letting them dry in between applications. If you prefer the glitter on the inside, dab a bit of glitter polish on the inner nail and use a nail brush to blend it outwards carefully, making sure you keep the border of the nail intact.
For a shimmery border, do paint two opaque layers on the nail like normal. Once it dries down completely, use a thin brush to paint the outside of the nail with the color you want. After it dries, apply a no wipe top coat over the border you just painted. Next, use a chrome powder and rub it over the border of the nail. After 30 seconds, brush off the excess powder and seal it with the same top coat.