Cat Eye is taking over my clients!
There’s a moment I keep seeing in the studio lately. A client picks a colour, I reach for the magnet… and suddenly there’s that look. Eyes widen. Head tilts.
“Wait… how did it do that?”
Cat eye gel polish is having a full main-character moment right now, my clients are absolutely obsessed. It feels brand new to them. Like some secret nail innovation that’s just landed in the industry. And honestly? I love watching the surprise when I tell them the truth…
Cat eye gel has actually been around for years. My first experiences with cat eye was back in 2016 ish with BrillBird and Crystal nails. Their cat eyes had an incredible shift and multi tonal colours back then. And still do!
What’s changed isn’t the product itself, but how creative nail techs have become with it. Better magnets, new techniques, and finishes that go way beyond a single line, have completely transformed the look. Then you have the new addition from silky soft cat eyes, to flash-infused sparkle, to ultra-glassy, light-catching finishes… there are so many options now. Honestly, it’s no wonder clients are becoming obsessed.
It’s no longer just a moving stripe across the nail. It’s depth, movement, glow and that hypnotic, “can’t stop looking at it” finish that makes clients fall in love at first flash. The picture above is an amber cat eye with a brown ink. The possibilities & creative freedom with cat eye is amazing.
This blog is all about my favourite cat eye gels and exactly where you can get the ones you see on my socials. No gatekeeping, no guessing. Good news & bad... The bad news, I dont have discount codes for all the brands I mention. I like to recommend everything I love despite codes etc. Good news, I do have a couple of codes listed. Make sure to make a note of them to save some pennies!
I get asked all the time which cat eyes I use, what gives that glow, and where certain finishes come from, so it made sense to link everything in one easy place. Whether you’re a nail tech looking to expand your kit or fallen down the cat eye rabbit hole, this is your go-to guide for the shades and finishes I genuinely reach for daily!
Silk Cat Eye Gels
If you love a soft, expensive-looking finish, silk cat eyes are for you!
Silk cat eye gels give a smooth, satin-like glow that moves beautifully in the light without looking too much. They’re perfect for clients who want something eye-catching but still elegant. Think clean sets, neutral tones, bridal vibes, and those “your nails but better” moments.
Why I love them:
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Super smooth, velvety finish
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Gorgeous for natural and minimal sets
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Photographs beautifully without overpowering the nail
Flash Cat Eye Gels
These are the ones that make clients gasp when that flash hits.
Flash cat eye gels combine magnetic pigment with flash-reactive sparkle, so they look subtle in normal lighting and absolutely insane under flash or bright lights. They’re bold, fun, and perfect for clients who want drama without glitter overload. You can get them with a very subtle amount of flash glitter or with a high amount. Another cool way to incorporate the two is having some loose flash glitter and mixing the two together on a pallet to the consistency you desire!
Why clients love them:
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Two looks in one nail
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High-impact for nights out and events
Glassy Cat Eye Gels
Glassy cat eyes are all about depth and shine.
These create an almost wet-look finish that makes the nail look like it has layers of light inside it. They’re amazing over darker bases but equally stunning over sheer or milky shades. I am looking forward to spring, with all the pastel shade bases and adding the glassy cat eye over the top!
Why they’re a salon favourite:
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Insane depth and dimension
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Perfect for luxe, high-shine sets
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Makes even simple shapes look elevated
Where I get mine:
👉 Kookie - Some are HEMA free, not all of them. Important to check the description before purchasing.
👉Crystal Nails - HEMA free
👉 Brillbird - HEMA Free
👉 JN Nails - HEMA Free
Lets dive in to my fav cat eyes....
LIUHWA - MOONLIGHT COLLECTION (INDIVIDUALS/FULL SET)
The colours I reach for when clients want a neutral glam tone are from the above collection - L#042 - L#043 - L#044
The colours I use for a torti vibe - L#045 - L#046
LIUHWA - YUNSEUL Collection
This collection is stunning. I tend to use mainly the lighter more pastel shades. I haven't had an opportunity to use the darker tones just yet. These are more of a creamier silk cat eye. I use these more in spring. I bought the entire collection. These have a gold shift when moving. I love how they apply.
Enoi, again from kookie, is another collection I am fond of. My clients tend to go for the pink and purple tones in this collection. If I could have the whole Enoi range I would. I am slowly building on it. They apply from a pot and are just so beautiful to work with. They have a wide range of cat eyes from glassy, to glam, to diamond!
Next up is Crystal Nails UK collection of cat eyes. Here you will find some old time classics when looking at the shifts. Especially when applied over a black or a dark colour. I specifically love their new SENS range of magnetic cat eyes. They are on the thicker side to apply with the bottle brush but I like to decant and apply with an oval gel brush. The shift is subtle but gorgeous. especially if you pair with a silk cat eye!
For this brand I do have a discount code 10_ERIN you can save yourself 10%. The magnetic flash gel is can be seen on the ring finger in the picture below. It is also available in other colours like chocolate! HEMA free too!
(Tap the image to view the products)
Brillbird cat eyes have a collection of silky ones and some with a shimmer/sparkle. I love the silver and violet silk cat eyes. The next one I have my eye on is called cat eye extra in the shade pink! It looks stunning, especially over black! I The brush on these are lovely to paint with and the bottles are a nice shape and size to hold. These are also HEMA & TPO free.
Use code ES10 for a cheeky discount! I use their art gels (brush and go) and all of their products are such high quality. You definitely wont be disappointed with these cat eyes.
(Tap the image to view the products)
JN Nails is a recent cat eye that I have fallen in love with. I instantly fell in love with their brushes in the bottles. This is an important factor for me. Sometimes I paint with a separate brush, but if I am painting with the brush in the bottle, I LOVE it when it's a dream to paint with! Nothing worse than having an awful shape and no control when painting, especially when close to the cuticle etc.
So I have tried a couple of varieties of JN Nails cat eyes. I do love them all. BUT my fav again is the silky ones. Diamond in the rough is a beautiful and subtle silver that leaves a stunning finish. I use this silver and then go in with a glass red and it's the BEST combo ive tried for this technique. These are also HEMA free. My other top two favs are 'Lovely Jubilee' and 'He's Her Lobster' the picture below is using both of these colours...
(Tap the image to view the products)
Magnets
Let’s talk magnets, because the magnet is just as important as the gel.
Different magnets create completely different effects. Lines, waves, curves, halos, diagonals… once you start experimenting, you realise how much control you actually have over the final look. You may also realise some are just not that great at all.
The heart cat eye designs for example. Dont even bother with the paper clip. You need a strong magnet, and the pre shaped 'V' magnet. There is nack for it. I'll do a video on it soon. You can also get an oval shape one to make a circle instead of a heart too.
The magnets to avoid are those ones. They do not work well enough.
My go-to magnet styles:
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Cylinder (short or long)
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Small pen like magnet (helps with animal print/torti style)
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Multi-mini balls in a line or in a circle
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Strong edge magnets for sharp definition
- Balls on the end of a cylinder shape.
Cat eye gel polish isn’t new… but the way we’re using it definitely is.
With so many finishes, pigments, and magnets available now, it’s no surprise clients are falling in love with it all over again. Hopefully this blog makes it easier for you to see what’s out there, understand the differences, and find the exact products you’ve been seeing on socials.
Whether you’re a nail tech looking to expand your kit or someone who’s fallen head-first into a cat eye obsession, I hope this has helped you understand why this finish has everyone hooked and how many options are actually out there.
My blogs are very much a no gatekeeping zone.
If you have any questions, drop them in the comments, and let me know what you’d like to see covered next. If there’s a blog topic you’re curious about, chances are you’re not the only one!
Erin xx