Cat eye manicure with design: 7 ideas at home

Surely many people are familiar with such a fashion trend as a “cat’s eye” manicure with a design. The unusual iridescent appearance can evoke admiring glances from others. This manicure will look good on any nails, regardless of their length. This technique gained its popularity several years ago, but has not lost its relevance to this day. Cat eye manicure with design is a universal trend.

To perform a cat-eye manicure with a design, you need to purchase gel polish with a special formula. For this purpose, you can buy Kodi cat eye gel polish. Magnetic waves, acting on the coating, create a mind-blowing effect. This manicure looks stunning even without additional decorations. But, according to designers, additional elements may be appropriate in some cases. For example, adding a small amount of acrylic powder to the corner of the nail will add a solemn look to the manicure.

Fashion trends 2022 - gel polish manicure

This season is characterized by dark colors in the nail service. Masters say that the green color of a cat's eye manicure with a malachite effect will be in trend throughout the season. Also, fashionable colors for cat eye manicure have always been red shades, black, olive, brown, gold, blue, dark blue, chestnut, burgundy and hot pink.

The most interesting type of cat eye manicure with design are those done in a matte palette. And many others. About 5-7 years ago, when magnetic varnishes first appeared, the history of the “cat’s eye” design began. At first, such varnishes were sold as an element of inexpensive decor. On the surface of which patterns could be made using a special magnet. But this manicure, unfortunately, did not last long on the nails.

But the manufacturers of gel polishes made a discovery - for the first time such well-known brands as Jodi, Blueski, Lianail. They began to produce varnishes containing small metal particles that created beautiful 3D patterns under the influence of a special magnet. This technique added an unusual shine to the manicure, very similar to the glow effect in a narrow strip that chrysoberyl stone or cat's eye has. It is from here that the “cat eye” manicure with design got its name.

Fashionable manicure colors with photos

The “cat eye” effect can be obtained by using gel polishes of the appropriate type; this coating is completely ready for use. Beautiful shimmers are obtained after the first layer, and special magnetic gel polishes can create amazing effects on nails.

The color of the manicure also matters. Light shades provide an unobtrusive impression, while dark, rich colors look rich and stylish. It is better to choose a manicure color taking into account fashion trends. You can choose from most glossy finishes; you can also create a matte effect using a special topcoat.

Dark shades - black and brown

If we take into account the frequency of use of dark shades on the nails of domestic and foreign celebrities, then their presence in the trend becomes obvious. And the presence of a “cat-like” shimmer in the manicure will only emphasize the fashionista’s intentions to look according to all the requirements of the trend.

Dark tones, namely black and brown colors, are relevant for everyday life, evening outings or celebrations. You will get a spectacular manicure if you complement it with decoration with rhinestones and an interesting pattern.

Black shades are universal in use; they are relevant for various events of any theme. A palette of shades of brown can easily be used in a military style manicure, but it is also perfect for a classic manicure. It is possible to refine a dark shade using rhinestones or liquid stones that imitate precious gold varnish.

Blue and purple colors

An excellent blue manicure is suitable for any season and event. Shimmers will add a noble look and special charm to blue. This is especially true for dark shades. A blue manicure of any shade, but with a “cat’s eye” effect, will perfectly harmonize with any outfit and will decorate even short nails. A matte monochromatic coating without design also looks impressive.

A rich violet color with a pinkish or bluish tone will make the manicure ideal and almost universal:

looks beautiful on nails of any length;
can be used for any life situations;
effectively decorated with any elements: rhinestones, rubbing, casting, etc.

Light purple tones will elevate the nail plate of women of different ages, while looking unobtrusive and elegant. They are especially suitable for young beauties.

Shades of red, pink and burgundy

Bold, but at the same time trendy colors for nail design will appeal to every woman. All you have to do is choose your optimal shade:

Red tones are good for all ages, especially if you choose a lipstick of a similar shade. The shape and length of the nails can be different so that the red color looks harmonious. You can choose various decorations to match this manicure color. Liquid stones, mica or foil look especially impressive

The pink color of the manicure will not stand out too much, which makes it perfect for everyday wear. It will also become a lifesaver if plans change quickly and you need to suddenly attend some official event. Suitable jewelry includes rhinestones, liquid stones, and semi-beads.

An elegant and fashionable burgundy “cat” nail polish looks luxurious and stylish. A good choice is a matte monochromatic manicure. It is possible to implement different ideas for the design of burgundy nails: from painting to complex applications

If you selectively use matte and gloss, you can get an interesting manicure for ladies of any age.

What is a cat eye manicure with design?

There is such a precious stone in nature as chrysoberyl cymophane. It is valued for its unusual play of shades. By turning the stone in different directions, you can notice how its color changes, it becomes lighter and darker.

The most highly valued stones are those that have a continuous and even luminous stripe. Visually, this effect is similar to the pattern of a cat's eye. The mesmerizing glow of cymophane prompted nail designers to create varnishes that could reproduce this effect on nails.

To create a cat eye manicure with a design, you will need:

Magnetic varnish from the cat's eye series. Many companies involved in the production of manicure products produce this series.
Flat magnet. You can take a special one, but a regular one will do. To create patterns you will need magnetic stencils and a manicure pen.
Basic basis.
Top coating.
If a cat-eye manicure with a design is done with gel polish, then an LED lamp is required.

A special varnish for creating a cat's eye manicure contains small metal particles. The magnet acts on the surface of the varnish, which helps to arrange these fine particles in a certain order. The resulting patterns create a luminous highlight, very similar to the glow of tsimofan.

Advantages of this design

Manicure “cat eye” design is loved by many representatives of the fair sex due to a number of advantages. Here are some of them:

A manicure with a “cat eye” design looks great on both short and long nails. This allows ladies who cannot afford long nails due to professional activities to decorate their short nails with this spectacular coating without any problems.
This manicure is appropriate to wear both in everyday life and for celebrations.
Even a beginner can handle a manicure.
It is possible to implement many design ideas, because with the help of a magnet you can create different combinations of highlights.
This design does not require much time to complete.
A huge palette of colors allows you to create a unique cat-eye manicure design.

Cat nail art at home

How to do such a manicure, what is the secret of the “cat’s eye”? You can perform a manicure with a “cat’s eye” design at home.

To do this, you need to prepare special devices and materials:

gel polish containing metal particles. The most famous brands: “Kodi”, “Bluesky CAT EYE”, “Lianail”, “TNL Magnet”;
liquid for cleansing nails and degreasing them;
manicure set;
base;
special magnet;
ultraviolet or LED lamp;
lint-free wipes.

Before performing a manicure, you need to prepare your nails so that the resulting design looks impressive. You can create a “cat’s eye” using both regular magnetic polish and gel polish with metal particles. First you need to remove the old coating. Then push back the cuticle using a wooden orange stick. Such wood has a suitable structure and density, and also has an antiseptic effect, which is very important for performing manicures. The edges of the nails need to be trimmed with a nail file.

Instructions for performing a cat's eye manicure

Applying a base base - it nourishes the nail plate with useful components and smoothes its surface. The base also protects against chipping and cracking of the gel polish. It is necessary to treat not only the nail itself with the base, but also the end.
Dry your nails in an LED lamp for 15 seconds or in an ultraviolet lamp for about 1-2 minutes.
Painting a nail with magnetic gel polish. You can create a plain background in dark shades or use a primary color. You can process the first layer using a magnet. But you don’t have to do this, it all depends on the expected result. Through numerous trials, different effects can be achieved.
Drying in an LED lamp for about 20 seconds or in an ultraviolet lamp for no more than 3 minutes.
Applying the main color, magnetizing the nail. The distance from the magnet to the nail should be from 2 to 10 mm. Magnetization duration is from 5 to 10 seconds.
Drying in a lamp for the same amount of time as the previous layer was auditioned.
Securing the design with a top coat.
Drying in a UV lamp for about 3 minutes, in an LED lamp - from 30 to 40 seconds.
Removing the sticky layer applied to the end of the nail using a clinser.

Manicure "cat's eye" - performed with magnetic varnish

It takes less time to work with a regular polish with metallic pollen than a manicure with gel polish. However, the downside is that this design will not last long. It is best to hone your cat eye technique using regular varnishes. Since it can be removed quickly and easily in case of failure.

Instructions for creating a cat-eye manicure with regular polish

Applying the base layer. Wait until the base dries.
Painting a nail with magnetic varnish. You can apply not one, but two layers, if the varnish is liquid. Let dry.
Bring the magnetic attachment or a special magnet to the nail and hold for about 20 seconds.
Fix the manicure with a special product to preserve the design longer.

Recommendations for beginners

In order to achieve the desired effect, you must thoroughly mix the bottle with magnetic varnish before use. There is no need to shake the bottle, just roll it lightly in your hands.
Before you start creating a manicure, you need to thoroughly polish the nail using a polishing buff. This is done in order to smooth the surface of the nail plate and eliminate irregularities.
If before applying the main tone of the cat-eye manicure, you can make a black base. In this case, the glow of the particles will look much more impressive.
If the varnish has a liquid texture and spreads when applied, then in order to maintain the clarity of the highlight, you need to dry the nails one at a time and immediately after magnetization.
If the gel polish is thick, then you can dry your nails in a lamp all together.
When moving the highlight to the side, you need to bring the magnet to the varnish again, positioning it in the opposite direction. Then tiny particles of metal will be “pulled” to the middle of the nail.
To get a bright highlight, you need to remove the stickiness of the base before applying the top coat. To remove stickiness, you can use both a cleanser and a homemade alcohol solution.
Do not store gel polish with metal particles and a magnet together. The product under constant exposure to a magnet may delaminate and lose its usefulness.

Cat Eye Design Ideas

Using knowledge from physics about the ability of metal shavings to fit into all sorts of patterns under the influence of a magnet. Designers were able to develop many options for creating a unique glow. It’s now very easy to achieve a beautiful manicure with a “cat’s eye” design, because the choice of patterns is so wide!

Different directions of magnets

By applying a magnet to the nail plate in different directions, you can achieve an interesting result. A “cat’s eye” located diagonally looks very beautiful and unusual. By attaching a magnet to the end of your nail you can create an extraordinary French manicure. Using the end of a magnet makes it easy to make a glowing hole. In the classic version of the “cat’s eye” design, the iridescent highlight is located in the longitudinal direction. Oblique shine is achieved by applying a magnet diagonally.

Application of multiple magnets

There are special magnetic attachments that can achieve interesting results. But if there are no such attachments, then an attractive cat-eye manicure design can be achieved using two or more magnets, creating different patterns. The laws of physics side with beauty. When opposite poles of two magnets are connected, an X-shaped pattern is created on the nail. When these magnets are connected with unipolar poles, a curl-like pattern is created. To create multiple highlights on the nail, 4 mutually attracting magnets are used at once.

Manicure design 2022 “cat eye” with rhinestone addition

A self-contained design like the “cat’s eye” looks great even without additional decorations. But it is also acceptable to supplement it with casting, drawings and a festive version - rhinestones. When creating a 2022 trend, you need to use rhinestones in moderation.

Manicure design 2022 “cat eye” with drawings

An unusual “cat’s eye” can be complemented with liquid stones, patterns and, of course, drawings. For example, for such a celebration as the New Year celebration, designs of snowflakes, as well as sparkles and rhinestones, are suitable. For a cat eye manicure 2022, you should choose deep shades - green, blue, red, burgundy, black. A gray cat-eye manicure will also look great.

The traditional type of design 2022 is a highlight located vertically or diagonally in the center of the nail plate. A manicure with a “cat’s eye” design in gold, blue, emerald and cherry colors will look impressive. It is allowed to complement the manicure not only with a stripe, but also with a geometric or floral pattern. You can focus on one finger. Using a clear topcoat liquid, you can create dew drops on the nail. A stamping kit will help to significantly increase the possibility of creating an independent cat's eye design.

Cat eye manicure design 2022 with a matte effect

The matte effect when creating a cat eye design is an incredibly beautiful phenomenon. Matte gel polish has a unique velvety appearance. You can achieve a matte effect using a matte topcoat or adding a glossy finish. When creating such a velvet effect, you need to take into account that the “cat’s look” will lose a little of its expressiveness. For this reason, you can create a matte effect not on all nails, but only on one.

2022 cat eye design with imitation reptile skin

Volumetric imitation snake skin is an extraordinary decoration for a cat-eye manicure design. Currently, this design, which has a voluminous appearance, has gained great popularity. It’s not difficult to do using Cat’s Eye gel polish.

Cat eye manicure for short nails

The “cat eye” pattern is so unique that it will look organic not only on long nails, but also on short ones. To create a unique look, you can choose bright colors - pink, ocher or turquoise, and complement your manicure with gold or silver sparkles. The cat pattern will visually lengthen your short nails and, besides, they will soon grow back under a durable gel polish coating.

Decorating cat manicure with foil in space style

The space style, made with pieces of multi-colored foil, is the leader of the current season. Underneath the cat's eye finish, colorful glitter elements create the impression of a deep night sky strewn with a myriad of twinkling stars. Light falling from different angles reflects off the foil, causing it to sparkle with small diamonds. This design certainly attracts attention and allows you to stand out, while remaining as modest and laconic as possible. There are no restrictions in the choice of materials:

black, dark blue, and purple tones look harmonious as the “night sky”;
for a more creative option, use shades of emerald, ruby, burgundy, and lilac.

The coating is made evenly monochromatic, using an iridescent gradient of shades of one or several suitable colors. In this case, the direction can be not only longitudinal, but also transverse and diagonal. The transition of colors across the fingers looks interesting. The use of space manicure is not limited. It is suitable for all ages, for any life situation, from an important interview to a date with your loved one.

Useful tips

The following recommendations will help make the coating durable and perfect:

To enhance the effect, you can apply black varnish under the base.
The cat's eye effect will be less pronounced if you apply a thick layer of varnish.
To create a block, you can use a shaped magnet. In this case, instead of the classic shimmering stripes, there will be original patterns on the nails.
Lightly complement the design with rhinestones or patterns. But remember that the emphasis should be on the “cat's eye”.
Before using the varnish to create a cat's eye, you need to vigorously shake the bottle so that all components are evenly mixed. And in order for the varnish to become more liquid and more comfortable to apply, you can warm up the bottle in your palms.
The most pronounced effect can be achieved by placing a magnet closer to the nail plate. The main thing is not to touch the nail itself with the magnet.
Before work, you need to practice for a long time on artificial nails or on some flat and smooth surface in order to understand how to properly handle the product.
Light varnish is recommended to be applied in 2 layers.
Or you can apply a light varnish on a dark background. In this case, the flickering will be more pronounced.
The magnet must have a powerful attracting effect; otherwise, the glare may be almost invisible due to particles that have not fully moved to the center.
In order to make the strip wide and barely noticeable, do not bring the magnet very close to your nails, but rather move it away at a distance of about 5 mm. You should not hold the magnet too far from the nail, because in this case it will not be able to influence small metal particles.
You can hold the magnet vertically, horizontally or obliquely. Give free rein to your imagination.
Try to avoid aggressive influences on the coating, then the cat-eye manicure with the design will last longer. It is better to do housework with rubber gloves.

Creating a cat eye manicure with a design at home is not very difficult. You can get nail design ideas on the Internet. After all, there is now a huge amount of information for self-study. On the vast expanses of the Internet you can find photo ideas for manicures with a “cat’s eye” design, as well as photos of manicures with designs for long and short nails.

Perhaps our recommendations will help you get acquainted with the art of manicure, and you will become a real professional in your field. By following all stages of the procedure, you are guaranteed an excellent result - a fashionable cat-eye manicure with a design that will remain in excellent condition for at least three weeks. The main thing is to choose high-quality materials and devices for this. Don't be afraid to experiment, because creativity is always welcome in fashion!

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Little tricks

In order to create a unique shimmering picture on your nails, use simple but practical techniques:

To make your manicure neat and look neat, give your nails a beautiful shape. A soft square shape is ideal.
Any nail art requires special pedantry. Apply the varnish in an even layer without gaps or overlaps.
For a rich manicure color, use a dark base. So the effect will be stunning and picturesque.
Before applying magnetic varnish, thoroughly shake off the can. This way the metal particles will be distributed evenly.
To create a variety of designs, use a special magnetic pen. With its help you can realize your wildest fantasies: spirals, butterflies, monograms.
To obtain a voluminous and expressive effect, manipulation with the magnet must be repeated several times.
If you don't have a special magnet at hand, you can use a regular strong magnet that you can find at home.
To avoid ruining your manicure and imprinting the magnet into the polish, keep the magnet at a distance of five millimeters from the nail.
The nail design will be attractive if you place the magnet in the same place and at the same angle. The patterns on the right and left hands should be mirrored.