If you try this “outdated” nail trend now, you’ll be way ahead of everyone else!

My best friend always has the coolest nails. Every time she comes home to Toronto, she puts on a new outfit, and when she returns to New York, I spend 10 minutes staring at her nails. When she returned from her most recent trip, she was wearing a long pair of translucent tips that were transparent in the light and made her fingers look a mile long.

I’ve always been a nail traditionalist (I stick to the classic red color almost every time I get my nails done), but once I saw my friend’s jelly manicure, I fell in love. I had to try this nail trend for myself. I had a bottle of Butter London’s Jelly Preserve Strengthing Treatment ($18) on hand, so I applied a few coats. After seeing the results, I immediately headed to Amazon to purchase each color, as this trend can take a drastic spin over time.

Jelly nails aren’t a new concept-they’ve been around for years. Jelly polish looks like stained glass on the fingertips. It’s slightly transparent , and can come in any color. Because they are glassy, they are the ideal base for any and all nail designs, including jewelry. You can wear a set at the salon like my friend did, but it’s also easy to do at home. Below, I’ve gathered some of my favorite jelly looks and I’ll recreate them myself with polish – happy varnishing!