The 21 Best Cat Eye Nail Polish Designs Give Chrome Nails a Run for Their Money

Ever since I was a little girl, my favorite beauty ritual has been spending a day at the spa with my grandma. Whenever she was in town, we'd head to the neighborhood salon for matching manicures and pedicures—complete with tiny flower art on my thumbs, of course. These days, my beauty obsession has evolved; I never leave without a cat eye nail design.

As a nail art enthusiast, I've tried it all. While I love how elaborate fish nails and farmer's market designs look, I'll be honest: I get sick of the design way too fast. But sometimes, I want more than just a single-color manicure or a simple nail design. This is when cat eye nail polish comes in. I got my first cat eye manicure last year, and I've been hooked ever since. Whether you're exploring new winter nail ideas or searching for a new signature, this versatile design is perfect all year round.

If you haven't heard of a cat eye manicure yet, let me bring you up to speed: It's a nail art style that uses magnetic nail polish with a shimmery finish to create a shifting look that mimics a cat's eye (hence the name). It applies just like any other gel nail polish, but before curing, you use a magnet to align the particles and bring the shimmer to the surface, producing the cat eye effect. You get a shimmery, shifting manicure that's equal parts subtle and mesmerizing.

Ready to try a cat eye manicure for yourself? Ahead, the 21 best cat eye nail ideas to scroll through for some inspo before you head to the salon. And if you need any more convincing, Hailey Bieber and Khloe Kardashian are on board with the look, too.

Toasted Caramel Ombré Cat Eye

Ombré nails are here to stay this year, and they're now paired with cat eye polish. Softer than a French manicure, this gradual gradient in a toasty caramel color is oh-so-sweet.

Chrome Cat Eye

Glazed donut nails are made possible by topping your manicure with chrome powder. If you love chrome and cat-eye, try this design that incorporates both. After your cat eye mani is done, add chrome powder on top for extra shine and dimension.

Spell-Bound Cat Eye

Just because Halloween is over doesn't mean I'm letting go of the spooky nail ideas. This mysterious, hocus pocus-like mani is proof that the designs are magical all season long. Paired with thin, bold, white nail art on top, these tips are a fun way to align with the cooler weather.

Brownie Cat Eye

Chocolate is my personal go-to manicure color as the seasons change (and my go-to sweet treat all year round), so I'm a sucker for these brownie cat-eye French tips.

Pumpkin Spice Cat Eye

What is it they say? Pumpkin spice and everything nice? This nail polish certainly embodies that; the toasted orange color is what autumnal manicure dreams are made of.

Cat Eye With Flecks of Gold

A gold mani shines all year long, but especially during the holiday season. To dress it up even further, add touches of cat eye nail polish, like this one. Thanks to the cat eye polish and gold flecks, you're sure to look luxe and festive.

Midnight Cat Eye

One of the coolest things about cat eye manis in my opinion? When you mix shades to create a new look. This one was made using black and silver cat eye polishes to achieve a sultry, midnight effect.

Red Velvet Cat Eye Tips

If you aren't ready to fully commit to cat eye, you can keep it to just the French tips. What's more magnetizing, the color or the cat eye finish?

Toasted Cat Eye

Cat eye paired with nail art is chef's kiss. This design features cat eye polish on just one nail, making it an easy entry point for those new to the category.

Radioactive Cat Eye

Bold green with an orange finish in a cat eye polish makes for a fierce and radioactive look, as seen in this manicure. The bright pop of color definitely makes a statement, and personally, I think it's fun to wear any time of year.

Chocolate Brownie Cat Eye

Bieber debuted the ultimate fall manicure at the Academy Museum Gala. Taking a step away from her classic glazed donut nails, these shimmery brown cat eye beauties are about to be my go-to all season long.

Reverse Cat Eye Tips

Bored with plain nude base coats for your Frenchies? Switch things up with a cat eye base and a solid color for the tip. The contrast of the champagne base with the green French tip is giving serious matcha latte energy.

Velvet Cat Eye

Sure, cat eye is known for being shiny and metallic, but if you're not into that style, that doesn't mean you have to forego the trend. Velvet cat eye gives a softer, glowy, velveteen finish to your nails and is one of my favorite ways to wear the look.

Cinnamon Cat Eye

I'm not sure about you, but I spend most of the fall and winter in my kitchen baking cozy desserts. These cinnamon-y nails match my favorite seasonal spice and make baking even more fun.

Smokey and Gilded Cat Eye

Use a gray smokey cat eye polish as your base, and then top it with reflective gilded gold art on the edges of your nails for a chic yet understated nail design.

Vampy Red Cat Eye

There's no nail polish color quite as sexy as red, and now you can amp it up with a cat eye finish. Insider tip: Start with a black base coat underneath the red cat eye polish to get that super dramatic, sensual finish.

Molten Metal Cat Eye

Molten metal, liquid galaxy, or whatever you want to call it, there's no doubt this inky grayish-black mani has serious depth. The organic blobs of 3D builder gel on top of the base only add to its dimension.

Intergalactic Cat Eye

Blue and gold come together to create a truly out-of-this-world mani that feels uniquely intergalactic and Milky Way-inspired.

Moody Cat Eye

Pair gray cat eye polish and green chrome together for a moody, eerie manicure. This design thrives on long almond or stiletto nails, as the length gives you enough real estate to let the chrome shine through.

Brown Sugar Cat Eye

Brown sugar-esque swirls atop a caramel-colored cat eye polish make this manicure sweeter than your favorite hot drink.

Swirled Cat Eye

Are these nails Coraline-inspired? Yes. But even if you aren't a fan of the movie, you can enjoy these swirly, intense cat eye nails. Perfect for all autumn long, switch up the art as you please, but the cat eye swirls will be staying put on my nails.

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