We’ve gradually said goodbye to trendy complicated nail designs and headed back into neutral territory, leaning back into colors your grandmother would call “classics.” However, perhaps the biggest nail trend for spring and summer 2025 lies in the finish instead of the color, though it does stick more to the neutral end of the spectrum.

“Glass nails” have been taking over salons for months now, with no signs of slowing down. With good reason, since spring and summer are undeniably the perfect time for a shiny, glassy wash of color. Glass nails are meant to add a reflective mirror quality to nails, which can be captured with glazed, pearly, cat-eye, or jelly nail colors that give a little something extra to your usual neutral or other go-to shades.

Here’s why glass nails are the ultimate manicure for spring and summer 2025.

What Are Glass Nails?

The term “glass nails” was coined for nails that look, as expected, so shiny and reflective you could think they were coated in glass. Instead of merely being focused as a sheer glossy neutral, glass nails can vary in color and texture, which make them a bit more versatile than 2025’s popular soap nails.

Unlike other shiny and glazed looks such as pearl nails, glass nails are meant to go above and beyond the normal top coat, and they usually rely upon different layers to achieve the look. At the salon, that could mean asking for the velvety-textured cat-eye polish topped with a “jelly” coat. Or it can simply mean asking for a chrome layer on top. At home, you can achieve a more simplified version of glass nails with certain polishes and top coats.

What Makes Glass Nails So Popular

Ultimately, who doesn’t want a manicure that is even more shiny than all others—and actually stays that way? Using a jelly top coat or a chrome top coat helps extend the life of the shine and reflectiveness of your nails, as well as being super flattering on your hands. That means you’ll be feeling confident about your mani for much longer than usual, and the trend makes the most of having classic, elegant nails, only with a super-shiny twist.

How To Get The Look

While perhaps the easiest way to achieve glass nails is to head to the nail salon and leave it to the professionals, you can also go for the look at home. At the salon, simply ask to see the options of cat-eye nail colors and jelly nail colors, and you can consider adding a chrome top coat as well. There are also at-home recommendations for glass nails.