Gee, we’re already marching our way to St. Patrick’s Day, and that means it’s time for another St. Patty-inspired nail design. As your trusty nail trend reporter, I know you’re looking for something simple yet striking and not so green yet not so gold. Oh, bestie, have I got news for you! This beginner-friendly guide on creating shamrock nail art using green cat eye and golden chrome on nude nails is our recipe for luck! ☘️ Step 1: Prep with Base Coat (Optional) When dealing with nail enhancements, they don’t always require a base coat as the extension material itself acts as one. However, some nail enthusiasts still advocate applying a very thin layer of base coat like iGel Gel Base Coat 0.5 oz, then curing it for 30 seconds for better adherence and to avoid potential discoloration or staining, especially if you intend to do nail art on these pre-shaped, ready-to-go tips. Step 2: Paint Nude Polish For this set, we will be painting 2-3 thin, even layers of Dip & Dap Duo - DD013 Cosmic Latte (a 5-star-rated nude polish) onto the nail. Don’t forget to cure this base color for 30 seconds per layer under a reliable UV/LED nail lamp. Choosing a neutral shade as a base helps bring out the beauty of the nail art you’re going to do. Step 3: Draw 3 black lines meeting at a point Start the foundation of your nail art by drawing 3 black lines similar to a 3-pointed star or a Mercedes-Benz logo. There are plenty of options for making these lines; you can choose to work with Line Art Gel - 02 Black on Black alone or a true black gel polish like Rosé Duo - R002 All Black using a thin line brush. Step 4: Use the lines to make a heart shape Shamrock leaflets naturally resemble a heart shape, so that's what we'll sketch next. Using the same products in Step 3, draw the heart using the line as a guide. Step 5: Fill in the heart shape Once the heart form has been sketched, fill in the interior to give the heart a more solid appearance. Cure the black gel polish or the black liner for 30 seconds. Step 6: Grab your Green Cat Eye polish We’re moving on to making the green cat eye design. Apply LB Supernova 10D Cat Eye - SCE18 Arcturus on top of the black heart using a pointed gel brush or a thin line brush for a more precise application. Step 7: Use a magnet Do not cure your nail art just yet; while it’s still tacky, position the cat eye magnet at a slight angle and gently move it across the nail's surface to direct the polish's magnetic particles until you achieve the desired design. Experiment with different angles and various patterns! Step 8: Repeat Steps 4-7 to continue making the leaves 1 down, 2 more leaflets to go; let’s apply again what we learned in steps 4 to 7 since shamrock is a three-leafed clover. Aha, consider yourself a cat eye nail art expert! 😉 Step 9: Apply Matte Top Coat over the nail Trust the process! To further enhance the black outlines, apply iGel Beauty Matte Top Coat first, then cure for 15-30 seconds, depending on the strength of your lamp (be careful not to overcure!). Step 10: Get your black liner to outline Everything should look matte at this point. As you emphasize the black outlines, make a stem-like line connected to the shamrock nail art, then cure for 30 seconds. Step 11: Rub the gold chrome We’re going back to making it all shiny and sparkly! To rub in the gold chrome, use the highly pigmented Mirror Chrome Pen - MC11 Dark Gold, which already has a built-in brush or applicator. Discover our easy-to-use mirror chrome pens here. Step 12: Seal with No Cleanse Top Coat Time to seal the design! After applying the gold chrome, finish with thin layers of iGel Beauty No Cleanse Top Coat to lock in the color and shine. Finally, cure the nail for 30 to 60 seconds to see the magic. Repeat all these steps for the next nail! Raise your green glasses, and be-leaf in the magic of St. Patrick’s Day! Which part of this tutorial was your favorite? Share your feedback and shamrock nail art tips on our iGel Beauty Facebook Community. If you want to see more quick tutorials, follow us on Instagram: @igelbeauty. Great savings are just around the clover with our latest promo code: BLOOM60. Let’s get shamrockin’ and rollin’, everybody! ──────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Written by Alyssa Bueno on March 12, 2025 Alyssa Bueno, a true beauty enthusiast, brings her passion for writing and beauty to life as a writer for iGel Beauty. With a diverse editorial background and industry expertise, Alyssa shares the latest trends and curates tutorials and tips to inspire nail lovers worldwide.
