Mermaid gel nails are the hottest nail trend that features iridescent pearly nail coating. But no need to go to a salon! You can re-create this effect at home with a mermaid gel polish or a regular gel nail polish together with a special mermaid nail powder. Your nails will look absolutely gorgeous! You can also embellish your nails with iridescent mermaid nail sequins that look like fish scales. This style is especially great for summer!
Here are the best products and tips for creating beautiful mermaid gel nails.
My top 3 picks
Best mermaid gel polish and mermaid nail powder
FairyGlo 24 Piece Mermaid Gel Nail Polish Set
FairyGlo 5 Piece Set
FaityGlo is a Chinese brand of gel products that offers two sets of mermaid gel nail polishes.
One is a set of 5 bottles that come in beautiful bright hues: hot pink, two shades of purple, light green, and blue.
And the other one is a huge 24-piece set that entirely consists of only iridescent mermaid gel nail polishes for you to choose from and to experiment with. No creams or glitters.
The colors in this large set are all the colors in the 5-piece set plus several shades of pink, peach, and pearly white.
They look just like the range of colors real pearls come in.
FairyGlo polishes are non-toxic and low odor. Which is a nice bonus if you’re sensitive to smells.
Another huge plus is that they look very shiny and shimmery, especially in the sunlight.
Apply these polishes in 3-4 thin layers to get the best coverage because they are very sheer.
Makartt Mermaid Atlantics Set
Makartt 22 Piece Summer And Mermaid Gel Nail Polish Set
Makartt is another Chinese brand known for creating beautiful polygels in various colors and with pretty effects. For example, semi-transparent, jelly-like polygels.
Makartt has a huge 22-piece set of gorgeous summer-themed gel nail polishes in cute bright and pastel colors.
This set includes pearlescent mermaid polishes from Makartt’s Mermaid Atlantics collection, along with other, cream gel nail polishes.
The colors range from pastel pinks, blues, and lilacs to bright purple, rose, peach, and yellow.
So you get everything you need to create jaw-dropping mermaid gel nails in one kit.
All the polishes are well-pigmented and provide a gorgeous look and full coverage without streaks with only 2 coats.
Beetles Mermaid Mantra Kit
Beetles is a very popular manufacturer of gel nail polish products and beautiful gel polish sets.
And the best features of their polishes are that they are certified non-toxic (9-free), vegan, cruelty-free, and low odor.
The Mermaid Mantra Kit is a new release, a sea-themed summer set from Beetles
This set has everything you need!
It comes with iridescent mermaid nail powders, mermaid sequins, application brushes, and even with the base coat, and both glossy and matte top coats.
However, this Beetles kit has very few true mermaid polishes.
It’s more focused on the mermaid-themed color palette.
The set consists of various glitter polishes, including gold and silver ones, and mermaid glitter nail polish.
In addition to that, the Mermaid Kit contains cream (and a few iridescent) polishes in pink, turquoise, several shades of green, lilac, purple, and blue.
And the mermaid effect is supposed to be done mostly by layering mermaid powders and sequins over the cream gel nail polishes.
This may be a downside for those who are looking for a wider selection of mermaid gel polishes in one set and don’t want to bother with applying mermaid nail powders over cream polishes.
The powders come in white, light blue, royal blue, purple, and turquoise green.
Gre8tion Mermaid Gel Polish
Cre8tion is a California-based brand of nail art and waxing products, founded in 2005.
The company sells matching color trios that consist of gel nail polish, nail lacquer, and dip powder of the same color.
Their mermaid glitter nail polish is available as a standalone product.
Cre8tion polishes create a really glossy finish and have bright and beautiful colors with lovely iridescent shimmer.
To get the best pearlescent effect you can add a layer of black or white gel nail polish underneath the mermaid polish coat, as the manufacturer recommends.
So the polish would act like a mermaid nail powder without all the hassle that comes with applying this powder.
It’s a salon-level product used by professional nail technicians, so it’s not too budget-friendly.
OneDor Mermaid Enhancer
OneDor is a New York City-based company that manufactures nail products and hair extensions.
OneDor mermaid gel nail polish is called an Enhancer.
It’s made to be used as an additional coating over another gel nail polish, so it comes in one sheer white iridescent color only.
It’s a replacement for the mermaid nail powder.
The final look of OneDoor Mermaid Enhancer manicure depends on the color of the gel nail polish underneath.
Apply OneDor mermaid glitter nail polish over your favorite gel nail polish, cure it, and apply a layer of your preferred top coat.
Then you’ll get lovely mermaid gel nails without any hassle, as the Enhancer is easier to use than a powder.
Of course, you can use the shimmery Enhancer gel polish without the underlying color polish, but it’s almost clear and colorless on its own.
A big plus of this product is that you don’t need to buy lots of mermaid gel nail polishes to experiment with colors. Because this product looks gorgeous on top of any cream nail polish color.
OneDor mermaid polish looks fantastic on French manicure nails.
DND Mermaid Gel Polish
DND stands for Daisy Nail Design.
It’s a brand of salon products created by nail artists for nail artists.
While DND is known for making duo sets of gel nail polishes with matching regular polishes, all its mermaid gel polishes are often sold as standalone products.
Unlike Beetles, Makartt, or Fairyglo, DND doesn’t make large multiple bottle sets. Each bottle is sold separately.
DND is a high-quality professional-grade polish that is used by salon nail techs, so they may be not too budget-friendly.
The brand has a whole Mermaid collection of pearlescent gel nail polishes.
These polishes work like any other gel nail products but have iridescent mermaid powder mixed into the formula.
So you get the mermaid effect easily, without using any nail powder over the polish.
The polishes come in pretty bottles with golden caps.
DND mermaid polishes are not pastel-colored.
They have deep and bright hues, including emerald green, red, fuchsia, royal blue, Bordeaux, purple, etc.
All these colors look amazing with shimmer already mixed in.
Another plus is that DND gel nail polishes are long-lasting and can stay on your nails for 10-15 days, according to the manufacturer.
Memeda Gel Polish
Memeda is another non-toxic and low odor Chinese gel nail polish on this list.
The polish is only available in two light pastel colors: very light pink and lilac. Which is a downside if you want to have more choices.
Also, it’s not really pearly or iridescent-looking. It’s rather just shimmery.
But the colors are really gorgeous. They are soft and elegant.
Memeda polish is quite sheer so you may need 3 coats for it too look best, otherwise, the coverage may be uneven.
And if you want a subtle shimmer effect you can apply it in one thin layer only.
You can even apply the pink polish over almost any other gel nail polish color to get a little bit of shimmer without using a powder.
The pink is so subdued that it would not change the underlying color too much.
A real plus of this polish is that it’s very shiny.
Best mermaid nail powder
Born Pretty Powders Set
Born Pretty is a famous Chinese brand that sells highly popular stamping pad sets and magnetic cat’s eye polishes.
They also manufacture thermal color changing polishes.
Born Pretty does have a set of mermaid nail polishes. But these are regular polishes, so they don’t belong on this list.
But where Born Pretty really shines is its mermaid, unicorn, and chrome powders.
The company sells a very convenient 4-box set of various kinds of powders for nail decoration.
You will get mirror chrome, chameleon, holographic laser, and of course, diamond mermaid nail powders in one kit.
Each powder is packaged in its own little jar. The capacity of the jars ranges from 0.5 to 1.5 grams.
You’ll get 1.5 g of mermaid nail powder in this set.
Born Pretty’s mermaid powder that is included in the set comes in white color only.
It’s really high-quality, shiny, and gorgeous.
Born Pretty is actually my personal go-to brand for mermaid powder.
It’s incredibly gorgeous in real life.
And they always stuff the jar almost to the lid so you get more than enough powder for the money.
Pretty Diva Mermaid Nail Powder
Pretty Diva is a Chinese manufacturer that specializes in creating nail embellishment powders and nail art tools.
Pretty Diva mermaid powder is sold in one small jar.
It’s a breathtakingly beautiful white powder with amazing pearlescence.
The manufacturer claims that it’s made od 100% natural pearl powder. Hence the gorgeous pearl look and the reason why it’s not so budget-friendly.
Rub it over a white gel nail polish to make your nails look like white Akoya pearls.
Or over a black gel nail polish to make them resemble Tahitian black pearls.
Pretty Diva powder is high-quality, very fine and smooth, not grainy. So it’s easy to apply in an even coat.
A downside of Pretty Diva is that you only get 0.5 g of your powder. The jar is not packed to the lid. It’s only half-full.
But anyway, you only need a small amount of powder for your mermaid gel nails. So this jar would last for months.
Pretty Diva Mermaid Chrome Nail Powder
Pretty Diva also manufactures a chrome mermaid powder.
This powder is similar to Pretty Diva’s pearlescent powder, and it also comes in white only.
However, it has a brighter, more metallic sheen. And looks probably even more beautiful.
This powder is absolutely perfect for a wedding manicure.
Embellishments
Fandamei Mermaid Sequins
Fundamei is a brand of nail art products and tools from China.
In this amazing set, you get 36 small boxes of little iridescent confetti sequins in various shapes.
You can use them to decorate your mermaid gel nails because these sequins look like tiny pearly fish scales.
The little boxes are actually compartments in 3 trays. Each tray has 12 compartments.
The flakes come in a lot of different shapes: circle, triangle, star, hexagon, heart, petal, moon, diamond, flower, etc.
They also change color when you look at them from different angles.
You can use these flakes for decorating your craft projects too, not only for your nails.
The only downside of this set is that the packaging is not secure enough. So be careful not to spill your flakes when you open it.
What are mermaid gel nails?
Mermaid gel nails are a hot style of manicure done in a salon or at home with the use of mermaid gel nail polish or regular gel polish with mermaid nail powder
These nails have an iridescent look that resembles pearls or fish scales, just like the scales on a mermaid’s tail.
Mermaid gel nails look really pretty and are a hot trend for the summer.
What is the mermaid gel nail polish?
Mermaid gel polish is a gel nail polish with a pretty iridescent pearly effect.
This polish usually has pastel colors, but some brands make bright polishes too.
It often comes in a cool color palette, from cool pinks to lilacs, light blues, and mint hues.
Mermaid glitter nail polish makes your nails look like pearls.
What is the mermaid nail powder?
Mermaid nail powder is a kind of very fine chrome powder with an iridescent pearly look.
It usually comes in white, but can sometimes be colored.
You can use this powder with any cream gel nail polish and get a similar effect to the one you get with the mermaid gel polish.
The nails will instantly look absolutely stunning!
Don’t confuse this nail powder with dip powders.
This powder is only used for embellishing your nails, not for building extensions.
You need to rub it in, over the nail polish.
Whereas dip powders are acrylic powders that are used to create nail extensions. And you need to dip your nails in them.
What are the mermaid sequins?
Sequins are tiny confetti flakes that you can stick to your nails in any pattern that you like.
These sequins won’t create the mother-of-pearl mermaid effect on your nails.
They can only be used as embellishments.
You need special polishes or finely ground powders to create mermaid nails
Mermaid sequins are iridescent.
So they look like beautiful little fish scales that could cover a mermaid’s tail.
That’s why they add a really nice touch to mermaid gel nails.
How to apply mermaid gel nail polish?
Apply your favorite mermaid gel polish in the same way as you do with any other gel nail polish.
It’s usually a 3-step process.
But first, you need to prepare your nails. File your nails to the preferred shape, push back the cuticles, and buff your nail plate lightly to remove the natural shine.
Use the cleanser, followed by the dehydrator and the primer.
The first step of any gel manicure after the preparation step is the application of the base coat is a single thin layer.
Cure the base coat layer under your UV/LED lamp.
Apply the mermaid gel nail polish in 1-3 layers and cure each layer separately before painting the next one.
The number of layers depends on the pigmentation of the polish.
If the polish is too sheer or looks streaky add another layer.
Mermaid gel polish often looks streaky when you apply it. So in most cases, one layer is not enough. You may need 2-3 or even 4 coats.
How to apply mermaid nail powder on gel nails?
It’s very easy to use mermaid powder with gel nail polish. These two products were made for each other.
Apply the gel nail polish in the same 3 steps as you always do.
Push away the cuticles. File, buff, and cleanse the nails. Then goes the dehydrator, followed by the primer.
Apply the base coat, cure it. Then add 2 layers of the color polish (or you can add 1 or 3 layers, depending on the pigmentation level of your gel polish). Cure each layer as you go.
The last step is important. You need to choose a no wipe gel top coat only. Don’t use the wipe-off one with a mermaid nail powder.
Here is my article listing the best no wipe top coats for an easy at-home gel manicure.
But the best no wipe top coat to use with mermaid powders is Chroma Gel.
It works with glitters and iridescent powders especially well.
Apply the no wipe top coat, cure it under the lamp.
Then immediately after you pull your hand out of the lamp, while the polish layer is still warm (this is important!), apply the mermaid powder.
The best tool to apply the mermaid nail powder with is the eyeshadow sponge applicator.
You can buy a short one or a long one, it doesn’t matter. Choose the one you like.
If you are having any difficulties with the applicator just use your fingers.
Rub the mermaid powder into your nail with the applicator (or fingers) until you get the desired look and full, even coverage.
Always use a small amount of powder only.
Carefully wipe off excess powder with a powder brush.
Then add another thin layer of the top coat over the powder and cure it under the lamp. This top coat should be glossy. Don’t use a matte top coat.
How to apply mermaid sequins?
Again, use the 3 step application method:
Preparation, base coat, then two (or 1, or 3) layers of gel nail polish.
However, don’t cure the last layer of the polish yet!
You will need it as the glue to which the mermaid sequins will stick.
Carefully pick the sequins out of their jar with a nail dotting tool and place them on the nails in any pattern that you like.
Cure this final polish layer under the lamp.
After that, cover the nails with the top coat and cure the top coat under the lamp too.
I hope that you will be able to create amazing mermaid gel nails like a pro after reading this guide!
Recommended reading:
Best Professional Gel Nail Polish Brands Used In Salons
Best Gel Base And Top Coat: The Updated List Of The Best Gel Nail Base And Top Coat Sets
Rubber Base Gel 101: The Rubber Base Coat And Rubber Top Coat Ultimate Buying Guide
Color Changing Gel Nail Polish: Best Mood Changing Gel Nail Polish Brands
How To Apply Gel Nail Polish Perfectly At Home And How To Use Gel Nail Polish Like A Pro
Kiara Sky Gel Polish: Full Review And Buying Guide
Black Gel Nails 101 And The Best Black Gel Nail Polish For A Flawless Finish
Best No Wipe Gel Top Coat: An Honest Review Of 12 Best No Wipe Top Coat Gel Brands
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