What Are Blooming Gels Used For In A Manicure?

2021 gave birth to quite a few nail trends that people could not wait to try out. One popular example that took off last year was blooming gel manicures, according to Coveteur. Like the name implies, blooming gel literally gives a manicure a flowing, bloom-like effect by spreading out the nail polish. This in turn creates an artistic look and a beautiful marbled finish (via Nail Plus Online). The more gel you add, the more dramatic the effect.

According to Verve Times, celebrity nail artists like Imarni and Johanna Schüßleder create unique designs by playing with layers of color and then applying blooming gel. Nail artist Alex Smith told Allure you can master the techniques necessary for blooming gel manicures yourself, even though it is fairly a new trend. On the other hand, if you'd rather leave it to your nail artist, Smith suggested showing them photos as references during your appointment. "The trend is so new, so not everyone has blooming gel," she also noted.

Blooming gel can help you pull off countless artistic nail designs, according to Nylon. The product behaves in seemingly limitless ways. Johanna Schüßleder told Allure that, "There are no borders or rules with blooming gel; just let it bloom." You can create a wide variety of designs ranging from marble and floral artwork all the way to tie-dye or even snakeskin and tortoiseshell patterns. However, it is paramount to learn the technique for applying the gel to your manicure if you want to get your desired result. You can start by observing and taking tips from the professionals.

In an interview with Coveteur, nail artist Angel Nguyen described a technique for applying blooming gel. She said to start with a base color and cure it. Then "apply a layer of blooming gel and without curing it, you paint the gel color using a brush, straight onto the blooming gel in the desired shape." The product causes the colors to "bloom," and creates a faded effect that will set once cured. Why stop at one layer? If you want to add extra drama, you can repeat as many times as you like. "You then cure it under the light and repeat the blooming gel step with other gel colors until you're happy with the outcome," Nguyen added.