Cat-Eye Nails From Home: An Expert Guide (2025)

A guide to nailing the viral style yourself.

• Isabelle Buneo

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Not to sound biased, but in the way of viral nail trends from the past 365 days, cat-eye nails have made the biggest impact on me, and I’m not alone. From moody reds and purples to emerald greens, soft pinks and nudes, cat-eye nails have become one of the most versatile, trendy nail styles as of late, adding extra intrigue to any manicure with just the right amount of sparkle and shine.

Cat-eye nails are different from any other manicures out there on account of its magnetic properties, and we don’t mean that figuratively—to create a cat-eye effect, a special, magnetic polish and magnet are needed to draw the pigments in different directions, creating that futuristic, iridescent look. But, you don’t need to rely on the salon to create that sought-after cat-eye style. Ahead, expert advice and product recommendations for creating cat-eye nails at home.

How do you create cat-eye nails at home?

While cat-eye nails look quite complicated, the process is relatively simple. You can achieve the look with regular polish or gel polish, so long as you have a cat-eye polish and a magnet, CEO of Nailing Hollywood, Mazz Hanna explains. In terms of how to create the manicure yourself, it’s just a matter of patience. “First, apply a base coat of your choice,” Hanna begins. “Then apply the magnetic polish in the same way you would apply any other polish. Then, use a magnet (usually provided with the polish) near your nails to create a cat-eye effect.” There are several ways to create the effects—you can drag the magnet around the perimeter of the nail for a dimensional, all-over look, or you can pull it in specific patterns to create a more distinct design.

While you can create these nails at home with regular or gel polish, the process varies slightly if you use gel. “If you’re using gel, you would use the magnet before curing the gel,” Hanna notes. “Once you’ve achieved the cat-eye effect with the magnet, apply a top coat of your choice.”

The Best Cat-Eye Polishes to Use at Home

If gel is your preferred method, one of Hanna’s favorites is the Gelcare Oyster Velvet ($22). Nail polish giant, DND, also recently launched a collection of cat-eye gel polishes with tons of shades to suit any aesthetic, from the bright pink Bejeweled ($13) shade to neutrals like Unicorn ($13) and jewel tones like Persian Purrrfection ($13). DND also has its own Cat Eye Magnet ($12) to make your cat-eye manicure experience seamless.

If you’re not a gel fan, there are many reliable, effective regular polish options for creating cat-eye nails at home. Iconic polish brand ILNP has tons of options, from a vampiric Blood Red ($13) to lively greens like Power Surge ($13) and rave-inspired purples and pinks like Amped ($13).