How to Use Chrome Nail Powder

The distinctive shiny finish of chrome nails makes for a truly striking manicure! If you already do your own gel nails (or even if you don't), you'll find doing chrome nails a breeze. Regardless of your experience level as a DIY manicurist, we're here to show you how to apply chrome powder to your gel manicure so you can get this trendy look for a fraction of the nail salon price!

Quick Guide to Applying Chrome Nail Powder

Apply a gel base, color, & top coat to your nails. Nail artist Smarlen Balbi recommends a black or white base to make the chrome stand out. Apply a generous amount of chrome powder to your nail with upward strokes and rub it into your nail until it shines. Finish with a no-wipe top coat and cure under a UV lamp.

Section 1 of 5:

How to Build a Gel Base for Chrome Powder

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File and buff your nails to prepare them for gel polish. Use a nail file to create your desired nail shape, then use a cuticle stick to gently push your cuticles back from the nail beds. Next, use a buffer block in a back-and-forth motion to buff and create a slight texture on the surface of your nails. Sweep away the nail dust with a soft fluffy brush.
- Buffing your nails is an essential first step because gel nail polish will not stick to a smooth, shiny nail surface.
Apply the gel base coat from your cuticle to the free nail edge to create a smooth, even surface on top of your nail.^{[1]
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Research source} The base coat will also help your manicure last longer and protect the nails underneath from staining.^{[2]
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Follow the gel base manufacturer’s instructions for how long to keep your hands under the lamp to fully dry and set it. You can also use a handheld UV light, but just know it will take longer since you can only hold it over one nail at a time.
If you want your chrome nails to look as bright and reflective as possible, opt for a dark gel nail polish color like black. If you're leaning more toward a subtle, shimmery effect (like an abalone shell), choose a lighter color like white, light pink, or beige. Remember to cure your nails under UV after every new coat!
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Finish the gel manicure with a no-wipe top coat. After applying a no-wipe gel top coat, place your nails under a UV lamp until the top coat is completely dry, and your gel manicure is ready for chrome powder!^{[3]
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- No-wipe top coats are specially formulated to not be sticky after curing. They also give your nails a salon-quality clear finish.
- Be careful not to touch the top coat after curing it. Your skin contains natural oils that could transfer to your nails and prevent the chrome powder from going on smoothly.^{[4]
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Section 2 of 5:

How to Apply Chrome Powder to Your Nails

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Collect a tiny amount of chrome powder on the applicator. If your chrome nail powder didn’t come with an applicator, you can use a foam eyeshadow applicator or don a disposable glove and use your gloved finger.^{[5]
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Research source} Since chrome powder is expensive, start with a very small amount. You can always add more if needed.
- Chrome powder is made of glass, metal, and pigment. It doesn’t actually contain any chrome because chrome is a heavy metal that cannot be used safely in cosmetics.^{[6]
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Start at the cuticle and spread the chrome up toward the end of the nail. Cover the entire nail (including the corners) with powder, using multiple strokes if needed.^{[7]
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Rub more chrome powder into the nail with the applicator. Keep rubbing it in until the nail is shiny.^{[8]
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Research source} You'll know you're finished when the entire nail reflects light and you don't see any dull spots.
- While the chrome powder looks like it becomes solid on your nail's surface, it actually remains a very fine powder. The solid effect comes from the particles lying so close together.^{[9]
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Brush off the excess chrome powder with a soft fluffy brush. The extra powder will look like sparkly particles.^{[10]
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Research source} If you don't have a brush handy, you can use a lint-free pad or paper towel instead.^{[11]
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- It's important to remove the excess powder because the particles will make your nail look more sparkly instead of reflective. However, if you want a slightly sparkly, textured finish, you can leave the powder in place.
If you use a regular top coat, the chrome can become streaky and lose its shine.^{[12]
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Research source} Wipe the top coat applicator clean on a paper towel or a facial tissue before dipping or storing it back in the bottle. This will keep the polish from getting contaminated with chrome powder.
If you want your nails to stand up against several days of chipping, add a second layer of top coat after the first one is dry. Once that second layer is cured, your chrome nails are ready to flash and show off in the light!^{[13]
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Section 3 of 5:

How to Remove Chrome Powder from Nails

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Buff your nail lightly with a 100/180 grit nail file. The 100/180 grit file will gently grind away the gel top coat and the chrome powder layer underneath.^{[14]
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Research source} Keep filing until you see the gel polish color.^{[15]
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- If you want to remove the gel nail polish, too, either take it off with acetone (if you painted your natural nails) or with a non-acetone nail polish remover (if you're wearing acrylic or dip nails). Another great option for your acrylic nails is to file the color down until you see the naked nail base. Then you can start over with a brand new look!
If any chrome remains on your nail or skin after filing, dip a cotton swab or soak a cotton ball in rubbing alcohol. Next, gently rub the rubbing alcohol onto the area with chrome residue to lift it.^{[16]
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Section 4 of 5:

Fun & Creative Chrome Nail Ideas

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Rock metallic nails with chrome shades in silver, gold, and rose gold. With this idea, you can match your nails to your jewelry or opt for an opposing metal shade to make them pop against your outfit. The secret to achieving a metallic chrome finish is to paint your nails with black gel polish first. That way, when you apply the metal-colored chrome powder, it will really stand out!
- All you need for this look is silver, gold, rose gold, copper, gunmetal, or any other metallic shade of chrome powder; and black gel nail polish.
In a traditional French manicure, only the tips of the nails are painted white while the rest is painted in a clear coat or a transparent shade of pink. But you can make this look edgier by applying chrome powder to your tips instead! If you've never done a French manicure with powder before, place a tip guide on top of each nail to ensure the chrome only gets on the tip, not the rest of the nail.
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Accessorize your chrome nails shiny embellishments. Use nail glue to adhere tiny jewels, charms, and other nail embellishments to your already fabulous chrome nails as a finishing touch. Arrange the embellishments in a symmetrical pattern (like diamonds or chevrons) or place them randomly across your nails. The beauty of DIY chrome nails is it's all up to you how you want them to look!
- Reader Poll: We asked 247 wikiHow readers where they find new fashion and beauty trends to try and 71% of them said they follow their own personal style and creativity. [Take Poll] Keep your style in mind when deciding how to decorate your nails!
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Glitter-fy your chrome nails for an extra sparkly glow. Nothing shines in the light of your selfie ring like sparkly glitter. And when you pair glitter with chrome, you better get out your shades because your nails are going to look dazzling! To achieve this look, paint a layer of glitter gel nail polish over the final no-wipe top coat. Cure it and then seal it with one last top coat, and voila: your chrome nails are now glitterfied!
- Avoid applying it directly to the chrome powder layer or the mirror finish might streak.

Section 5 of 5:

Frequently Asked Questions

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Apply a top coat to your gel nail polish color before putting chrome powder on your nails. Then, after you apply the chrome powder, paint a top coat over it to seal it in place.
Apply chrome powder to your dip nails after building up your dip layers, buffing the surface of your nails, and painting a base gel coat followed by a no-wipe top coat.^{[17]
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Yes, you can use chrome powder with non-gel polish, but it's a little tricky! After painting a layer of quick-drying base coat and letting it dry, paint on your nail polish. Wait 30 seconds, then press a fingertip to the paint. If you leave a fingerprint impression without picking up any paint, quickly swipe the powder across the nail using very light pressure. Let it dry for 2-3 minutes and then finish with a protective top coat.^{[18]
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For maximum chip resistance, apply 2 no-wipe top coats to finish your chrome nails (don't forget to cure each coat under the UV lamp!).

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