• Jelly nails refer to manicures that use sheer, vibrant, glossy polishes—regular or gel—that create a “juicy” effect on each nail.
• The style has become popular in recent years because of its nostalgic 2000s vibe, easy-to-achieve design, and versatility.

When you’re looking for a change of pace at your fingertips, consider reaching for jelly nail polish to get a wash of juicy, semi-sheer color on your nails. “Jelly polishes are like Jolly Rancher hard candy in manicure form,” says Olivia Van Iderstine, Olive & June’s VP of content and creative. “They are so versatile and can completely change the look of a mani.” Though they first began to trend in the spring (and are an obvious choice for fruity summer manicures), jelly nails are fit for all seasons. Come fall and winter, simply opt for a dewy red shade or a sheer, dusty rose hue.

Jelly nail polish can be worn alone or layered for a super dynamic look. “A single coat of jelly polish provides a gorgeous sheer wash of color, but applying two to three coats makes your mani look like a sweet and bouncy popsicle,” Van Iderstine says. “They add so much dimension, creating an almost 3D effect that lends so much visual interest.” Plus, mixing and matching jelly polishes with more opaque colors makes for extra-interesting accent nails and elevated details. Think a jelly base with an opaque French tip.

Like naked manicures, jelly nails are a trend that A-listers and influencers can get behind. Demi Lovato and Brooke Shields are among the trend setters who have placed their stamp of approval on the plump-adjacent trend. So, if you’re looking for a sweet and subtle mani, you’ve come to the right place.

Below, scroll through 23 of the juiciest jelly nail ideas.

Meet the expert

Olivia Van Iderstine is the resident trend expert and vice president of content and creative for Olive & June.

Candy Apple Red

Olive and June

To try out a fiery shade without it being too loud, you can go for a jelly finish, which naturally adds a touch of softness. Van Iderstine describes this polish as “a candy apple red jelly that makes every spicy mani glow.”

Sunset Strip

@melanated.mani/Instagram

This stunning orange jelly pops beautifully. It’s a bright orange polish with subtle yellow undertones that keep the shade friendly. To bring a bit of texture and interest, three nails feature silver glitter specs.

Mauve Moves

Olive and June

Pretty and soft, this pink polish is absolutely stunning. It’s the perfect mauve-like choice for a sweet and delicate look. And since it’s on the mauve side, you could technically sport this mani as a neutral.

Chrome Jelly

@nailsby_bridgett/Instagram

Chrome powder on short nails is the perfect low-key mani. With a jelly twist, this set couldn’t be prettier. Its understated elegance, short length, and practical shape make these chrome nails a great everyday mani.

Dark Gloss

@lolo.nailedit/Instagram

Not all jelly manicures necessarily have to be vibrant—but they do have to be glossy, like this one here. The gray base is sheer and the black polish is high-shine, making it a great jelly polish for the colder months.

Barbiecore Blush

Olive and June

“This polish is a gorgeous magenta-purple jelly that is fun and sophisticated,” says Van Iderstine. These nails are oval shaped, which elongates the nail and prevents broken nails. After all, there are no corners to chip.

Sheer Rose

Cirque Colors

Jelly polishes are what give lip gloss nails their gorgeous high-shine finish. This polish features a sheer rosy pink polish that supplies a stunning, classic look. And, in case you were wondering, the manicure is almond shaped—meaning that it’s pointy yet round.

Thirst-Quenching Lemon

@melanated.mani/Instagram

Add a little spice to your jelly manicure by applying a polish with a hint of sparkle. This look features a bright greenish yellow polish complete with silver sparkles. As you might notice, these nails are slightly pointier at the tips—which is the trademark of an almond shape.

Moody Mix

@ceesclaws/Instagram

A moody twist on jelly nails, this mixed-style mani is instantly eye-catching. While the brown and black polishes are opaque, the white and tiger-print nails are semi-sheer—making the mani jelly-adjacent. The contrast between dark tones and translucent accents gives it the perfect balance of edgy and playful.

Acid Green Jelly

@klawsbysonia/Instagram

Using Aprés Sculpted Almond Long Tips, this set incorporates jelly features in the coolest way—only on the tips. The geometric shape uses an acid green shade for a neon-like effect.

That’s Hot (Pink)

Olive and June

“This is a joyful pink jelly that is truly candy for your mani,” says Van Iderstine. It’s a classic hot pink that’s incredibly vibrant, making it perfect for a summer or spring manicure.

Lavender Fields

Olive and June

“This is a soft pastel lavender jelly that plays like a neutral and is so milky and bouncy,” says Van Iderstine. The touch of white in the polish adds so much softness to the look.

Brown Glitter

@disseynails/Instagram

Brown nails are a neutral, and this set is a fun way to break up your go-to set. The earthy polish is perfectly sheer, while the specs of golden glitter offer a touch of playfulness.

Tutti Fruitti

@lolo.nailedit/Instagram

Yellow, green, red, and pink come together beautifully in this fruit-inspired manicure—which features dragonfruit and watermelon on the index and ring finger, respectively. To let the fruit sing, the thumb, middle finger, and pinky are painted in a solid jelly polish.

Confetti Creation

Olive and June

Pairing a sheer polish with a chunky glitter is such a fun way to get a look that’s equal parts fun and airy. This pink-tinted polish hits two trends with one lacquer: the jelly trend and the K-beauty blush nail trend.

Jelly Accents

@disseynails/Instagram

Pick a few nails for the jelly effect and build from there. This set uses a deep teal jelly polish accented by a shimmery silver and pearlescent white. To add dimension to this mani, consider adding pearl nail art.

Juicy Top

@melanated.mani/Instagram

A top coat of jelly on a shimmery opaque shade gives a mani a sweet and juicy finish. This one feels like if grape Jolly Ranchers went to space and accidentally spent a bit of time in a black hole.

When shopping for jelly polishes, you want to look for keywords like “sheer,” “glass,” and “translucent.” This way, you’ll for sure get a juicy finish instead of a traditional or matte one.

Moody Gradient

@melanated.mani/Instagram

This blue and purple Skittle mani is both tropical and whimsical. It functions like a fun gradient, starting with a light lavender on the pinky before moving to a darker purple on the index finger. The middle and index fingers are a transitional blue, before closing the manicure with a mint green polish on the thumb.

Gray Areas

Cirque Colors

This dusty greige (i.e., gray and beige) polish is stunning. The gray creates a chic stone look, grounded by beige undertones that keep it from reading sterile.

Barely There

@klawsbykailuna/Instagram

This pink polish is perfect to achieve a your-nails-but-better look. One coat will leave your nails looking naturally healthy and glowing. For a similar lacquer, consider Cirque Colors Rose Jelly.

Mint Condition

Lights Lacquer

This shade features a light green that leans gray thanks to the addition of silver sparkles. The glitter is super finely milled, so the polish reflects light without weighing down the look.

Sunshine Shades

@melanated.mani/Instagram

With the mix of lighter yellows and nearly red shades, this is a warm manicure you’ll want to recreate. The best part? It’s super easy to DIY. Just pick three or four different solid hues and intersperse as desired.

Strawberry Lemonade

@nailed.pierced.linkedbyskyler

In a summer state of mind? This juicy, hot pink manicure was made for warm weather. It features the Kokoist Strawberry Lemonade gel polish.