It looks like it came straight from a comic book.

If you think velvet nails are just an illusion, wait until you see cartoon nails (also known as pop art nails). As the name suggests, these designs look like they came straight from a cartoon and come with anime-like effects.
The #popartnails has been used more than 38 million times on TikTok, and with just one glance at the first result, you might think you’re actually watching a cartoon. Keep reading for more details on the fun year-round style and how to achieve many variations at home.
What are cartoon nails?
Cartoon nails offer three-dimensional effects and one-dimensional effects. “It’s a fun take on the popular art of nail art,” Gerstein explains. “The cool thing is that it’s on a person’s hand, so it gives it a different dimension – the cartoon seems to pop out of the hand.”
“It’s fun to see all the variations of this trend, from bright and colorful to festive and holiday,” says Elle Gerstein, a celebrity manicurist who specializes in the vibrant trend. “I also love the versatility of it – not only the colors, but the nail shapes used. I’ve seen everything from coffins and Russian almonds to thin heels. This trend really allows you to put different twists on it, so it doesn’t always look the same”
What products do I need for a cartoon manicure?
To achieve this effect, you’ll need a striping brush, a choice of polish colors (for your base), and black and white nail polish for dimension lines. According to experts, this style works equally well with gel or regular lacquer.
“Personally, I prefer to decorate with bright pops of color,” says nail artist and content creator Hannah Lee ( Hannah Lee ). “You can also use a darker shade as a shadow if you want to add more dimension. For example, if you’re using pink as your base color, use a darker magenta pink.”
Gerstein recommends LeChat’s shades for cartoon nail design. The key components of cartoon nails are contouring and highlighting,” she says. “Some of LeChat’s polishes come with a built-in striping brush that makes it easy to contour cartoon nails.”
How to do cartoon nails
Although cartoon nails may look complicated, the technique is actually quite simple and doesn’t require advanced nail art skills – the secret lies in the black outline and white accents. See below for a step-by-step guide on how to create a cartoon manicure at home.
1.Apply two coats of your base color of choice (Gerstein recommends using a brighter shade for best results), making sure to dry completely in between each coat.
2.Outline your nails with black nail polish.
3.Use white polish and add curved exclamation points, dashes or commas elsewhere to add dimension. This detail makes the artwork “pop”.
4.Add top coat. “A good tip is to apply a glossy topcoat before a matte finish,” Lee says. “This will make the surface very smooth, so you can get a super-smooth matte finish.”