Beauty mavens are predicting that the watery nail trend is overtaking milk nails this summer. We’re ready for the cool, fresh look that watery nails bring. Their sheer translucence reminds us of the quiet luxury feel and clean looks that still dominate runways and red carpets. Moreover, these soft and sleek shades pair with anything so that we can keep our focus on the moment.
What Are Watery Nails?
Watery nails are just like they sound. They look wet and glossy, with a touch of tint. You can create the look with jelly polish or any transparent shade that isn’t milky. The goal is to be as shiny and see-through as water. It’s a natural, lightweight look but customizable to flatter any skin tone or ensemble.
Rosewater Nails
Notice how you can see the lunulas and the natural nail tips under the glossy pink polish? The artist calls them “rose water nails” for obvious reasons. Once the nails are groomed to perfection, a clear base, sheer jelly polish, and a shiny top coat will keep manicure looking fresh for summer fun.
LDS J04 Popular Jelly Gel Collection
Watery Nails Versus Similar Trends
What sets the watery nail trend apart from similar manicure styles? Let’s examine the similarities and differences.
Watery Nails Vs. Syrup Nails
Syrup nails are a trend that appeared in Japan, expanded in Korea, and then took over the world. They are created with jelly polish or a custom blend that concentrates the (very slight) pigment on one part of the nail like the tips (or the center for cheek nails). The idea is to copy the liquid look of freshly poured syrup.
Vs. Korean Jelly Nails
Jelly nails can look like watery nails, that is, until they get too colorful, too thick, or have lots of embellishments. Both styles start with translucent, glossy polish. But Korean jelly nails layer on the gel polish for the illusion of depth similar to glass nails.
Vs. Soap or Lip Gloss Nails
It feels like splitting hairs to find the difference between soap, lip gloss, and watery nails so we won’t even try.
Vs. Glass Nails
Finally, glass nails look wet and shiny just like watery nails. However, they often use cat eye polish and build up layers for an extra deep, transparent appearance.
In summary, if someone asks for watery nails and you’re experienced at creating any of the above styles, you’re definitely up to the challenge.
Glazed Watery Nails
Let’s push the envelope just a little and see what happens when someone glazes watery nails with chrome powder. What do you think about the pearly finish?
We’ve had people ask if watery nails can be long. Of course, because the trend focuses on non-milky, sheer shades with a finish that still looks wet when it’s dry. It’s just as easy to produce that effect on soft gels as it is on natural nails.
Another question we hear is which chrome powder is best for glazed nails? The original glazed nails were done with OPI’s Tin Man, a silvery color. We carry chrome powder in a beautiful range of shades including Aurora chrome for a lighter look.
Embellished Watery Nudes
Sometimes it’s nice to have a slice of lemon in our water glass. The same goes for watery nails. If you feel like they need a little extra something, then add delicate enhancements. Clear emboss gel, perhaps seasoned with a little polish or powder, makes for attractive embellishments on the tips. It’s one of those manicures where people do a double take and ask to take a closer look.
Also notice that the sheer base blends beautifully into the wearer’s skin tone. If you struggle to find the perfect match, browse the Lavis Bare With Me Collection for the ideal nude jelly polish hue.
Jelly Gel Polish Colors - Lavis J03-26 - Bare With Me Collection
Flowers on Watery Nails
Dress up your watery nails with tiny flowers and micro French tips. A dotting pen and peach polish will finish the job in minutes.
But what about more vibrant colors – will they clash with the watery nail trend? For example, could you top off sheer nails with miniature mocha mousse leaves for fall? Or celebrate July with red, white, and blue swirls? Some will say no, and others will encourage you to follow your heart.
Glitter and Syrup Watery Nails
It looks like the artist mixed in chrome powder to provide the shimmer on these watery nails. This raises a very good question. Can you still call them watery nails if they sparkle? We’re not getting into the middle of this argument because glitter fans are a ride or die group. We say if it looks sheer, lightweight, and glossy, it’s all good!
Watery Nails with Builder Gel
Did you know that you can do watery nails with builder gel? The artist at Lavis revealed the entire lineup for this manicure. It includes two types of drill bits (small cylinder and NIB) plus sanding bands to prep the nails followed by Lavis Protein Bond & Primer. Then they applied base gel followed by Lavis Builder Gel Ver2 in the color Rosé. The final touch was the Diamond Top Gel for extra shine and protection.
LAVIS Builder Gel in the Bottle Version 2 Collection
Fish on Watery Nails
Watery nails are such a recent trend that searching for them also rounds up results for water nails. Honestly, it feels like a lot of these translucent, glossy designs would fit the theme. It used to be a pretty steep learning curve working with acrylic to achieve a textured masterpiece like this manicure. But now poly gel offers nail artists the chance to sculpt extensions and 3D nail art on a more relaxed schedule without downsides.
LAVIS Poly Extension Gel (ver 2) - 00 Clear - UV/LED 30ml
Conclusion
Is your trusty jelly polish ready to take on the watery nail trend the summer? Stock up on your new favorite colors and all the needed nail supplies in our store. We offer stunning discounts and free shipping so that you can stay focused on following your nail art dreams.