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Hailey Bieber does this thing where she takes a trend everyone forgot about, tweaks one tiny detail, and suddenly the entire internet is spiraling. It happened with glazed donut skin. It happened with the "strawberry girl" aesthetic. And now, we’re all collectively obsessed with Hailey Bieber jelly gloss nails.
They’re squishy. They look like Jolly Ranchers. Honestly, they look like you dipped your fingertips into a jar of expensive maraschino cherry syrup and just... left them there. But unlike the heavy, opaque chrome looks of years past, the jelly gloss vibe is all about transparency. It’s that "glass skin" philosophy applied to your cuticles.
Why Everyone Is Obsessed with the Jelly Look
Most people get it wrong. They think "jelly" just means "sheer," but it’s actually about the depth of the polish. When Zola Ganzorigt—Hailey’s go-to nail artist—posts a new set, people scramble to find the exact OPI bottle she used. But here is the secret: it's rarely just one bottle.
Jelly nails have this weirdly nostalgic 90s feel, right? Think back to those translucent purple iMacs or the jelly sandals that gave us all blisters. That’s the energy. Hailey’s version is more sophisticated, though. She often leans into "mismatched" palettes or "mismatched" fruit tones that look intentional rather than messy.
The appeal is simple. It makes your nails look healthy. It's forgiving. If you chip a jelly nail, you can barely see it compared to a solid matte navy or a stark white. Plus, it grows out like a dream. You’ve probably seen the "syrup nails" trend coming out of Korea and Japan over the last few years; Hailey basically took that aesthetic, gave it a high-fashion polish, and renamed it for the Western audience.
The Science of the "Squish"
To get that specific Hailey Bieber jelly gloss nails finish, you have to understand light refraction. Boring, I know. But hear me out. A standard cream polish blocks light. A jelly polish lets light pass through the color and bounce off your natural nail bed.
That’s why the color looks different depending on if you’re standing in a dimly lit bar or under direct sunlight. In the sun, they glow. It’s a 3D effect that you just cannot get with standard drugstore lacquer unless you know how to manipulate the formula.
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Breaking Down the Viral "Cherry Jelly" Set
Remember that specific set she wore that looked like blood oranges? Or the deep red tint? Everyone was trying to figure out if it was a custom mix. Usually, it is. Zola often mixes a tiny drop of a vibrant, high-pigment color into a large amount of clear topcoat. This "dilution" method is the only way to get that true glass-like transparency without the streaking that plagues cheap sheer polishes.
It’s not just about the red, either. We’ve seen her do "lemon lime" jellies and even a soft, milky blueberry version. The common denominator is always the shine. It has to look wet. If it looks dry, the illusion is broken. You want it to look like it’s still curing under the lamp even when it’s bone dry.
How to Do This at Home Without Ruining Your Life
You don't need a professional kit to pull this off, though a UV lamp definitely helps for longevity. If you’re a DIY person, you have two real options.
- The Professional Route: Buy dedicated jelly polishes. Brands like Cirque Colors or Orly have "jelly" collections that are specifically formulated with a lower pigment-to-resin ratio. They flow better. They don't streak as much.
- The "Hacker" Route: This is what most people do when they're bored on a Sunday night. Take a clear topcoat—preferably one that’s about 3/4 full—and drop in three tiny beads of your favorite cream polish. Shake it like your life depends on it.
The problem with the DIY mix is bubbles. If you shake a bottle of polish, you’re introducing air. Professional jelly polishes are stirred or mixed in a way that keeps them crystal clear. If you’re going to mix your own, do it a day before you plan on painting so the bubbles have time to rise to the top and pop.
Shape Matters More Than You Realize
You can’t just put Hailey Bieber jelly gloss nails on short, bitten-down squares and expect it to look like the Pinterest board. Hailey almost exclusively sticks to an "almond" or "oval" shape. It elongates the finger. Because the polish is sheer, you can actually see the "free edge" (the white part of your nail) through the color.
If your natural nails are stained or uneven, this might bother you. Some people hate seeing the whites of their nails. If that’s you, you’ll want to apply a very thin, sheer nude base coat first to "blur" the nail bed before going in with your jelly color. It creates a "foundation" for the nail, sort of like using a primer before your makeup.
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Debunking the "One Coat" Myth
I see people on TikTok all the time saying "one coat for that jelly look!"
No. Stop.
One coat of a sheer polish is just a streaky mess. The secret to that juicy, plump look is thin, multiple layers. We’re talking three, maybe four layers of very thin polish. This builds the "depth" I mentioned earlier. Each layer adds a bit more pigment while maintaining the transparency of the layers beneath it.
It’s like looking through several panes of stained glass. The more panes, the richer the color, but you can still see through it.
The Top Coat is the Hero
You cannot use a "matte" or "satin" finish here. It kills the vibe instantly. You need a high-build top coat. Brands like Seche Vite or any "Plumping" top coat work best because they add physical thickness to the nail. This thickness is what creates those beautiful highlights on the curve of the nail that make it look like a piece of candy.
Is This Trend Dying?
Honestly? No.
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Fashion moves fast, but the "clean girl" aesthetic has evolved into something more experimental. We moved from "glazed" (which was pearl/shimmer) to "jelly" (which is color/transparency). It’s a natural progression. People are tired of the heavy, thick acrylic look that dominated the 2010s. We want stuff that looks lighter.
Even as we head into different seasons, the colors just shift. In the fall, we’ll see "conker" jellies (deep browns) or "malbec" jellies (deep purples). The technique stays the same; the "flavor" just changes.
Maintenance and the "Grown-Out" Problem
One of the best parts about Hailey Bieber jelly gloss nails is how they age. Because the base is often sheer near the cuticle, you don't get that harsh "cliff" that you get with a solid red manicure after two weeks. It blends.
However, jelly polish can sometimes show "filth" under the nail more easily. Since the nail is translucent, any dirt under your fingernails is visible to the world. You’ve gotta keep a nail brush in your shower. It’s the price you pay for the aesthetic.
Actionable Steps for Your Next Manicure
If you’re heading to the salon or sitting down at your coffee table to try this, here is the exact workflow for success.
- Prep the canvas: Buff your nails gently to remove ridges. Ridges are the enemy of jelly polish because the pigment will settle into the "valleys" and create dark lines.
- The "Blur" Step: If you have any discoloration, apply one coat of a "milky" nude. This acts as a concealer.
- The Dilution: If using your own polish, mix it in a separate small dish or a palette rather than the bottle to avoid bubbles.
- The "Thin to Win" Rule: Apply three layers. Wait at least two minutes between coats. If you rush it, the bottom layers will stay soft and you’ll end up with "sheet marks" on your nails the next morning.
- Seal the deal: Use a thick, gel-effect top coat. Wrap the edge of your nail (the tip) to prevent the jelly from pulling back as it dries.
- Oil up: Hailey is the queen of hydration. Apply cuticle oil twice a day. The gloss of the nail looks ten times better when the surrounding skin isn't crusty.
The "jelly" look isn't about perfection. It’s about a specific kind of effortless, "I just have naturally amazing taste" energy. It’s playful but polished. If you mess it up the first time, just add another layer of top coat. Usually, that fixes everything.