DIY Shattered Glass Nail Art Tutorial

Martha Temmuz 30, 2021

This viral trend is not going anywhere, anytime soon. Learn how to DIY shattered glass nail art with this step-by-step tutorial.

DIY Shattered Glass Nail Art Tutorial

Without South Korea, our skin would be in shambles and we would be entrenched in a life where shattered glass nail art doesn’t exist. While it certainly seems as if we can’t get enough of Korean beauty (probably because we can’t), there are so many great trends and looks to try that we can’t help but write about all of them. This leads to a lot of posts with the word “Korea” in there, something we’re definitely not opposed to (they clearly have their beauty game on lock). So, bear with us as we fangirl for a bit about shattered glass nails and how it’s, quite possibly, one of the most inventive trends of the social media age.

Created with iridescent cellophane, shattered glass nails are an easy look that gives your nails the appearance of having been dipped in shards of broken glass. The result is all beauty, no pain.

We’re sure you’ve heard of this trend before, so enough chitchat and let’s get right down to it.

Step 1

Every manicure begins with soft, moisturized cuticles, so grab your favorite cuticle oil (if you have yet to find a favorite, the oil used in this tutorial is NCLA Treatment So Rich Cuticle Oil) and massage those cuticles like your life depends on it.

NCLA So Rich Cuticle Oil. image via Cute Polish

Soften and moisturize the cuticles with your HG cuticle oil. image via Cute Polish

Step 2
Once the oil has been absorbed by the cuticles, wipe off any excess oil on the nail with rubbing alcohol. Removing the oil from your nails will make the manicure last longer without chipping. Be sure to only remove the oil from the nail, not the cuticle.

Wipe excess oil off of the nails with rubbing alcohol. image via Cute Polish

Step 3
Let’s start with a base coat. The one used here is Quo by Orly Strong Bond.

Quo by Orly, Strong Bond. image via Cute Polish

Base coats help nail polish stick to the nail bed for a longer period of time, so be sure to always use one and apply a thin layer.

Apply a light base coat in order to prolong the lifespan of your nail color. image via Cute Polish

Step 4
After the base coat dries, apply black nail polish as your base color. The nail used in this tutorial is Formula X by Sephora in the color Dark Matter.

Formula X by Sephora, Dark Matter. image via Cute Polish

While this look can be done with any base color, the most striking shattered glass effect is with black. Feel free to use white, emerald green or neon pink. A viewer recommended trying this look with matte black polish in order to make the glass even more pronounced.

Apply a black base coat for an even more striking shattered glass effect. image via Cute Polish

Step 5
Now we’re going to create the shattered glass effect. First, pick up a packet of iridescent cellophane from your local craft store.

To create your glass shards, buy iridescent cellophane. image via Cute Polish

Next, cut the cellophane into small triangles (these will be your “shards”). The triangles can be in a variety of sizes and triangular shapes. Don’t be afraid to get creative.