If You Try a Textured Manicure This Year, Make It One of These 50+ Chic Ribbed Glass Nail Designs

If you’ve ever run your fingers along the fluted edge of a vintage champagne coupe, or traced the grooves of your grandmother’s cut-crystal candy dish, you already have a feel for our new favorite manicure.

Ribbed nails.

They feature fine, raised lines set closely together; sometimes vertical, sometimes swirled, creating a textured, glass-like surface that catches light from every angle.

The effect reads equal parts tactile and refined, like the nail art version of a well-loved heirloom.

Call it texture with a memory attached.

Ribbed nails are having their moment on our social feeds, and at this point, we agree that this isn’t just a passing texture moment.

So let’s help you get that textured manicure.

You May Also Like: Animal Print Nails Were Always Iconic—These 40 Maximalist Ideas Make the Trend Even Wilder

The Ribbed Glass Nail Tutorial

Here’s the thing about ribbed glass nails: they look like they require a nail-art degree, but the actual technique is two simple moves layered on top of each other.

You start with painting your nails however you like.

We’d recommend, though, you start with cat eye gel base for a start! They are just so gorgeous!

Once that gorgeous base is locked in, the ribbing comes down to patience: thin, close-together lines of clear gel, painted freehand with a steady liner brush, that catch the light and give the nail its signature dimension.

Then you finish with a swipe of cuticle oil, and suddenly your at-home mani looks like it walked straight out of a Manhattan nail studio.

Here’s a tutorial for you:

What You’ll Need

Quick Tip…

Nail pros generally split builder gels into two camps: self-leveling (easier for beginners, but can soften your rib lines if too thin) versus firm-hold (better for structure, slightly less forgiving).

For ribbed nails specifically, you want to lean toward the firmer end, since the whole point of the look is that the lines stay raised and distinct rather than melting into a smooth surface.

Ready for Inspiration?

Here Are 55+ Ribbed Nail Designs for your next Mani Appointment

Now that you’ve got the technique down, it’s time for the fun part: deciding what ribbed nail design you want to wear.

Scroll on for 50+ ribbed nail designs to save, and bring straight to your next appointment.

Ribbed nails are here to stay, at least for this texture-obsessed season. Now go add some depth to your next mani.

You May Also Like: The “Lace” Manicure Trend That Is Getting Us Through This Year