If you’re a fan of delicious, glazed donuts, then you’ll love the latest nail trend: glazed donut nails! These sweet and sugary-looking nails are the perfect accessory for any pastry lover, and the best part is, you can easily create them at home.
The trend of glazed donut nails, which became the top manicure trend of 2022, was a spontaneous idea that came to celebrity nail artist Zola Ganzorigt while preparing Hailey Bieber’s nails for the 2022 Met Gala. As Ganzorigt explains, ‘It was really unexpected and unplanned. [Hailey Bieber and I] decided on the nail look last minute before the 2022 Met Gala.
What are glazed donut nails?
Like glazed donut skin, glazed donut nails mimic the sweet treat they’re named after — particularly the slick and smooth layer of glaze that tops the donut. Bieber’s original glazed donut nails similarly boasted a sheer coating of OPI Gel Color in Funny Bunny polish topped with the OPI Chrome Effects in Tin Man Can for a shiny and glistening effect.
“Since it’s really neutral, minimalist and chic, I can definitely see that these nails will be around,” says Ganzorigt.
The nail artist also created several variations of the original sheer white look, including neon chrome and lavender chrome, but she’s currently loving the pink iteration. “My current favorite is the strawberry glazed donut nails, which is the sheer pink version,” Ganzorigt shares.
The products Ganzorigt used to create Bieber’s manicure (which she shared in a tutorial on TikTok) are only sold to professional nail technicians, but she says it’s easy to recreate the look at home with standard polish. Ahead, the nail artist tells us how to do your own glazed donut nail manicure, and we take a look at alternative methods that the internet has been loving.
5 steps for DIY glazed donut nails
Step 1: Prep the nails
Nail prep consists of cleaning the nails of old nail polish and dirt, as well as trimming and shaping the nails. Prepping your nail bed will help the polish last longer and get you closer to a salon-worthy manicure, too.
Pronto 100% Pure Acetone
$9.99 at Amazon
Pronto 100% Pure AcetoneAmazon
Remove any old nail polish with an acetone-based nail polish remover and clip and file your nails to the desired shape. After you’re done grooming the nails and cuticles, right before you start applying polish, you’ll also want to wipe the nails with the acetone or rubbing alcohol to ensure that the nails are clear of any oils that may interfere with how well the polish bonds with the nails.
Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover
$5.98 $4.99 at Amazon
Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle RemoverAmazon
If needed, soak your fingers in warm water to soften the cuticles or use a cuticle remover (the Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover is an editors’ favorite) to make it easier to push cuticles back with a cuticle pusher and carefully trim away excess skin with a cuticle nipper.
Step 2: Apply the base coat
A base coat protects the nail from staining from color polish and will help extend the life of your manicure.
OPI Natural Nail Base Coat
$10.79 at Amazon
OPI Natural Nail Base CoatAmazon
Ganzorigt recommends the OPI Natural Nail Base Coat. Apply a thin layer and then follow with your color polish.
Step 3: Apply the white polish
To get the creamy yet sheer glazed look, start with a thin layer of white, pale pink or nude nail polish.
OPI Nail Lacquer in “Funny Bunny”
$10.79 at Amazon
OPI Nail Lacquer in “Funny Bunny”Amazon
For the sheer, creamy glazed donut look, Ganzorigt says to start with a thin layer of white polish, like OPI’s Nail Lacquer in “Funny Bunny” — the same shade she uses for Bieber’s gel manicure but in a regular polish formula.
Step 4: Add the shimmer
For the shiny, shimmery finish, Ganzorigt says to mix a pale pearlescent polish with a clear top coat.
OPI Nail Lacquer in “Kyoto Pearl”
$11.49 at Amazon
OPI Nail Lacquer in “Kyoto Pearl”Amazon
According to Ganzorigt, the key to recreating the look with regular nail polish is OPI’s Nail Lacquer in “Kyoto Pearl.” The pearlescent white shade gives the same shimmery effect as the chrome powder and gel combo of Bieber’s original manicure. To nail the look (pun intended), Ganzorigt says to mix the “Kyoto Pearl” polish with a clear top coat to get the sheer effect. “If the color isn’t sheer enough, mix it with a clear top coat to thin out the polish,” she says.
Step 5: Seal the manicure
To finish the manicure, paint on a chip-resistant top coat for long-lasting wear. Take the same top coat you used to mix with the Kyoto Pearl (make sure to wipe off the brush or use a clean one after mixing the polishes) and apply a thin coat to your nails.
OPI Top Coat
$11.49 $10.79 at Amazon
OPI Top CoatAmazon
Ganzorigt recommends the OPI Top Coat for shiny, chip-resistant wear.
4 other ways to get glazed donut nails
With regular polish:
Essie Smooth-E Base Coat
$10 at Amazon
Essie Smooth-E Base CoatAmazon
This TikToker starts with the Essie Smooth-E Base Coat, which is a ridge-filling base coat that will give a smooth and even surface for the color polish.
Olive & June Nail Polish in “BEB”
$8.99 at Target
Olive & June Nail Polish in “BEB”Target
For the first layer of color polish, they use Olive & June’s nail polish in “BEB,” a sheer white shade.
Essie Expressie FX Nail Polish in “Iced Out”
$10 at Ulta
Essie Expressie FX Nail Polish in “Iced Out”Amazon
Next, they add a shimmery layer with the frosty iridescent “Iced Out” shade of Essie’s quick-drying top coat.
Essie Gel Couture Nail Polish in “Sheer Fantasy”
$12 $9.89 at Amazon
Essie Gel Couture Nail Polish in “Sheer Fantasy”Amazon
On top of the shimmery layer, add on a sheer coat of the Essie Gel Couture Nail Polish in “Sheer Fantasy,” which is a long-wear formula but not an actual gel polish
Glisten & Glow Top Coat
$7.25 at Amazon
Glisten & Glow Top CoatGlisten and Glow
To seal the glazed donut manicure, finish it with the Internet-favorite Glisten & Glow Top Coat.
With regular polish and chrome powder
Born Pretty Chrome Powder, Set of Four
$12.99 $9.99 at Amazon
Born Pretty Chrome Powder, Set of FourAmazon
Another option is to use a chrome powder with regular nail polish. Like the tutorial above, this TikToker opted for the Essie Gel Couture Nail Polish in “Sheer Fantasy” as the base color, but instead of adding a shimmery polish on top, they immediately follow it with the Glisten & Glow Top Coat. Once the top coat is dry, apply the chrome powder.
The TikToker uses the same OPI Chrome Effects Powder in “Tin Man Can” as Ganzorigt (which is only available to professional nail techs), but commenters say that any white chrome powder will do — another TikToker cited this iridescent mirror-effect powder from Amazon as an affordable alternative. It comes in a pack of four, including a white chrome powder that most closely resembles OPI’s “Tin Man Can.” Some commenters even said using a luminescent powder highlighter works, too.
With gel at home
LeChat Perfect Match Polish in “Awakening”
$15.95 at LeChat
LeChat Perfect Match Polish in “Awakening”LeChat
LeChat nails educator Anastasia Totty says, “to create this look at home your best bet is to use a light white or nude nail lacquer.” An alternative to the often-sold-out gel polishes and chrome powder that Ganzorigt has made viral, Totty recommends the LeChat Perfect Match gel polish in cream “Awakening” or pale pink “Babydoll.”
LeChat Perfect Match Polish in “Unicorn Tears”
$17.95 at LeChat or $19.99 at Amazon
LeChat Perfect Match Polish in “Unicorn Tears”Amazon
For the shiny “glazed” effect, the nail artist loves the LeChat Perfect Match gel polish in opalescent “Unicorn Tears.” Plus, LeChat’s Perfect Match polishes come in a set of two — one gel polish and one regular polish in the same shade — so you can create the look at home with a gel or traditional manicure.“You can also use pastel polish colors to add a bit more color to your mani, which will be a bit muted by the pearlescent ‘donut glaze,’” she adds.
With one step
Sally Hansen Color Therapy Nail Polish in “Fleur-T”
$9.99 $6.79 at Amazon
Sally Hansen Color Therapy Nail Polish in “Fleur-T”Amazon
For an even simpler alternative, this TikToker used Sally Hansen Color Therapy Nail Polish in the shade “Fleur-T.” The pearlescent white polish gives the glazed donut nail trend’s signature pale shimmer.
