Glazed donut nails are a fun way to turn your fingertips into little jewels. Characterized by their reflective, pearlescent finish, glazed or chrome nails were first popularized by Hailey Bieber 2022, but seem poised to stick around for good. “It’s an easy way to elevate a simple color or design with a bit of shimmer,” says celebrity manicurist Fleury Rose. “Generally, this look is achieved by rubbing ‘chrome’ powder over a colored gel nail. You can also find tons of beautiful glazed press-on or nail wrap options from brands like Kiss or Dashing Diva.”
Even if you’re sporting a simple color, your nails can carry some added interest with the addition of chrome. And the finish looks good with virtually every color of nail polish. A blueberry milk moment turns into an icy aquamarine, while adding chrome to a pink manicure takes it from a strawberry milk look to a Barbie-inspired manicure. Even a simple white polish is elevated into a shimmering pearlescent manicure. The options are endless. If you do your nails at home, applying chrome powder is super easy and beginner-friendly, too.
Ahead, scroll through 22 gorgeous manicures for inspiration.
Butter Glaze
@nailchark
Butter yellow shines that much brighter with a coat of shiny chrome on top. It would also look great as a French manicure, with butter yellow tips.
Glazed Donut
@fleuryrosenails / Instagram
This exact Glazed Donut look started the glazed nail trend. It was popularized by Hailey Bieber’s mani at the 2022 Met Gala, which featured a milky white polish with a chrome overlay—just like the look pictured here. Post Met Gala, Bieber went on to rock shades like bubblegum pink and neon yellow with chrome powder, igniting the trend even further.
Glazed Aura
@rachelsuenails
Glazed chrome nails are stunning on their own, but even more so atop another recently trending look: aura nails. The ethereal trend features a spherical ombré effect, with a color gradient that starts at its darkest in the middle of the nail and emanates outwards, diffusing into a lighter shade toward the edges of the nail.
Sterling Silver
@nails2be / Instagram
For a silver-toned glow, start with your favorite light gray or milky nail polish and pair it with silver chrome powder. This look pictured is proof that chrome nails look just as good long as they do short.
Always finish your chrome nails with no wipe top coat to ensure they don’t chip.
French Glaze
@klawsbysonia / Instagram
Adding a glazed look to a French manicure is a great way to spice up the ever-classic manicure. It reflects light and adds a gorgeous effect. For something more playful, switch on the white French tips for a pastel pink or butter yellow.
Chocolate Glazed Donut
@nails_by__bridgett / Instagram
Craving chocolate? Adding chrome powder to this milky brown nail polish creates a yummy chocolate glazed donut look. This design would complement deeper skin tones, too.
Iridescent Jelly
@fleuryrosenails / Instagram
This hot pink glazed look by Rose blends 3D gel with chrome powder for a stunning iridescent and ombré effect. It also features a scorpion and a constellation for a subtle astrological nod.
Iced Pink
@klawsbysonia / Instagram
Pale pink nails can often skew super soft, but adding chrome powder on top adds a bit of edge. In this look, the silvery chrome topper pulls out some cool tones in the pink polish underneath, creating an icy vibe. Plus, the long almond nail shape is the ideal canvas to let the color and texture stand out.
Strawberry Milk
@nails_by__bridgett / Instagram
Speaking of strawberry milk, this manicure uses a milky, pink sheer polish as the base for a layer of subtle champagne chrome powder. The combination yields a super soft, simple, and elegant look. It’s perfect for a wedding or baby shower.
Chrome on Clear
@klawsbysonia / Instagram
For a statement-making yet minimal manicure, apply a silver chrome powder atop a clear base. Even in the dark, this look will shine. It’s reminiscent of glass slippers and totally Cinderella-inspired.
Coquette
@fleuryrosenails / Instagram
Rose created this dainty manicure using a pale pink polish as the base for the chrome powder. One nail per hand features a hot pink bow for a super cute coquette effect. For some extra drama, sub out the hand-drawn bow for a 3D nail charm.
Blueberry Milk
@klawsbysonia / Instagram
Anyone craving blueberry milk? Adding chrome to a cool-toned baby blue creates such an ethereal effect. Even though the nails are one solid color, they still look so interesting, thanks to the chrome topper.
Sunrise
@nailsbymaki.nyc / Instagram
This warm-toned glazed peach moment looks like the sun reflecting off of water as it rises. Plus, as a true neutral, it’ll match all your outfits. To replicate the look, opt for a light peachy shade of nail polish and top it with iridescent chrome powder.
Costume Jewelry
@nailartfairy / Instagram
Want your nails to look like an extension of your jewelry? This gold chrome set is studded with rhinestones and swirly texture, rivaling some of your favorite pieces in your jewelry box. Notice how the short nail shape helps keep this intricate design wearable?
Oat Milk Glaze
@julieknailsnyc / Instagram
Unlike the OG glazed donut nail, this look uses a white polish that skews a bit gray, creating a cooler, more silver finish. The iridescent chrome adds interest and visual appeal thanks to the way it shifts colors in the light.
Earth Tones
@gossipandgloss/Instagram
Neutrals and nudes are often a great choice for a minimalist manicure. Using a different shade on each finger, in addition to a glazed finish, adds a ton of interest to the look.
Lavender Glow
@gossipandgloss / Instagram
This shade of purply blue with the reflective top coat feels like looking out an airplane window right before the sun rises. It’s ethereal and glam but also soft and wearable. If you want a scaled-down version of this look, try it with French tips.
3D Glaze
@julieknailsnyc / Instagram
What makes this glazed look so fun is the incorporation of a 3D gel in a color deeper than the base. The combination adds texture and depth to a monochromatic look. For something bold and daring, try a black and silver chrome variation.
Sunset
@gossipandgloss / Instagram
White chrome powder always looks good, but don’t miss out on the other colors. Adding a golden chrome powder to a coral-y pink polish creates the most stunning sunset-like combination. This nail look is just perfect for a tropical vacation, right?
Ultra White
@nails_by__bridgett / Instagram
Searching for your wedding nails? This super bright white approach turns each finger into a little pearl. The white polish underneath the chrome is fully opaque, making the chrome super vivid.
Dip-Dye Chrome
@nailartfairy / Instagram
These short almond nails look like they’re dipped in copper chrome, thanks to an ombré design and neutral base. The astrology-themed nail art is done in gold chrome, too. Book an appointment with your nail tech to recreate this intricate look.
Gold Tips
@julieknailsnyc / Instagram
Adding chrome powder to a French manicure, but only over the tips, is another fun take on the glazed nail trend. It makes the tips the star of the look. But also manages to keep things looking subdued and neutral.