Working with a magnetic polish is quick. You do not need nail art brushes or practice at painting designs – the whole job is spreading the colour well and holding the magnet over it at the right moment. The set takes as long as an ordinary gel polish manicure, and looks far more striking.

Eleven shades in two lines

In this category you will find eleven cat eye gel polishes, divided into two lines with a different kind of shine. All come in 8 ml.

Flash Cat Eye - five shades with a clear, sharp streak. The flake stands out strongly from the colour and gives a contrasting effect, most visible on dark shades. They also contain flash flakes, which flare up in the light of the lamp and in photos taken with a flash.

Satin Cat Eye - six shades with a pearly finish. Instead of one sharp line, you get a soft glow spread across the whole nail plate. The effect is subdued, closer to satin than to metal.

Flash Cat Eye - five shades

These gel polishes combine two effects: the glow of the cat eye from under the magnet and the flash sparkle. In diffused daylight they look like a classic cat eye, and under a lamp, in spotlights and in photos taken with a flash they flare up. For the finish choose a glossy top coat - a matte one dulls the flash effect. You will also find them in the flash gel polish category.

• 967 - a dark, warm brown with flakes that shimmer gold and brown. An autumn and winter colour that looks good on warmer skin tones.
• 968 - a rich red with a hint of brown, shimmering in brick and raspberry shades. Muted by the brown, so easier to wear every day than a pure red.
• 969 - a deep, wine red verging on burgundy. The streak stands out most strongly against the dark background, so this is the shade where the cat eye effect shows most clearly. Evening and festive sets.
• 976 - a brown with a hint of purple, with flakes shimmering silver, pink and purple. Cooler than a classic brown, and the reflection changes shade depending on the viewing angle.
• 977 - a silver densely packed with a flake that shimmers pink. The lightest and most sparkling polish in the series - it shines intensely even without a magnet.

Satin Cat Eye - six shades

• 970 - a brown with a hint of purple, shimmering silver.
• 971 - a warm beige with a hint of orange. A versatile shade, for everyday sets and for work.
• 972 - a muted, cool pink. Calmer than a classic pink, sits well on cool skin tones and suits bridal sets.
• 973 - a cool beige, the most neutral in this line. Nails look well cared for without an obvious colour.
• 974 - a grey with an effect close to matte silver. Cool and modern, it looks good on short nails.
• 975 - a graphite with a hint of denim blue. The darkest shade in the satin line, and the silver reflection shows up more clearly on it than on lighter colours.

All the shades come from the NessaUV lac line and have the same consistency and curing times.

How to do cat eye nails - step by step

• Prepare the natural nail plate and remove the dust after filing.
• Degrease the plate and apply an adhesion-boosting preparation.
• Apply a gel polish base and cure it in the lamp.
• Spread the magnetic polish with smooth strokes from top to bottom. The layer should be even - where there is too little colour, the flake will not line up properly.
• Before curing, hold the magnet over the nail and keep it there for a few seconds until the streak appears.
• Cure: 120 seconds in a 36W UV lamp or 30 seconds in a 48W DUAL LED lamp.
• If the colour needs strengthening, apply a second layer and repeat the work with the magnet.
• Finish with a top coat and cure.

Hold the magnet over the nail without touching the polish with it. The closer it is to the plate, the narrower and sharper the streak - moving the magnet away blurs the effect and gives a softer transition.

Techniques - how to set the streak

The colour alone is only half the effect. The other half depends on how you guide the magnet.

Horizontal streak - the magnet placed across the nail, roughly halfway along its length. The most common layout, it visually shortens the plate.

Vertical streak - the magnet along the nail. It lengthens the plate, so it works on shorter nails.

Diagonal streak - the magnet at an angle. It gives a dynamic effect and looks good when each nail has a slightly different angle.

Double streak - the magnet applied twice, from two sides of the plate. Two lines of light appear, for a more elaborate effect.

The effect depends not only on the movement of your hand but also on the magnet itself. Our 3-in-1 magnet combines several ways of guiding the streak in one tool, so you do not need to buy a separate accessory for each layout.

The cat eye effect also combines with other techniques. You can do ombre by placing two shades side by side, or use cat eye only on selected nails and cover the rest with a colour from the same family. A French manicure with a cat eye on the tip also looks interesting.

The most common mistakes when working with a magnetic polish

Too thin a layer of colour. The flakes need room to line up. In too thin a layer the streak comes out pale or does not appear at all.

Magnet applied after curing. After the lamp the flakes are already locked in place and nothing will move. The magnet always goes before curing.

Holding the magnet for too short a time. The flakes need a few seconds to settle. Rushing gives a blurred, soft-edged streak.

Touching the polish with the magnet. It leaves a dent that can no longer be levelled out. Hold the magnet above the plate.

A different magnet position on each finger. Unless you plan it deliberately, the streaks will go in different directions and the set will look messy. It is worth keeping a fixed point of reference.

Which sets suit cat eye

Dark shades with the flash effect - 969, 967 and 976 - look best in autumn and winter and in evening sets. The contrast between the dark background and the light streak is then strongest.

Satin shades in beiges and muted pinks - 971, 972, 973 - work all year round. They are colours close to nude that do not draw attention, yet have more to them than an ordinary gel polish. A good choice for clients who work somewhere that bold sets would not go down well.

Silver and graphite - 977 and 975 - are colours for New Year's Eve, Christmas and special occasions. You can also use them as an accent on one or two nails in a calmer-shade set.

Safety at work

Gel polishes are for professional use only. Avoid contact of the uncured product with skin and eyes – it may cause an allergic reaction. Use only on a healthy, undamaged nail plate. Use a nail dust collector when filing a set.

Store gel polishes at room temperature, away from heat sources and sunlight, in a tightly closed container. The full ingredients list is given on each product page.

Cat eye gel polish - frequently asked questions

Do I need a special magnet for cat eye?

Yes. An ordinary magnet has too weak and uneven a field to line the flakes up into a clear streak. In the range you will find our 3-in-1 magnet, which lets you do several streak layouts with one tool.

Why does the streak not appear?

Most often because the layer of polish is too thin or the magnet was held for too short a time. Also check that the magnet is above the nail and not next to it.

Does cat eye need a top coat?

Yes, the set is finished with a top coat like any gel polish manicure. The top coat protects the colour and brings out the shine of the flake.

How many layers of polish should I apply?

Usually two - the first builds the colour, the second evens out the coverage. Work with the magnet separately on each layer.

How does Flash Cat Eye differ from Satin Cat Eye?

In the character of the shine. Flash Cat Eye gives one clear, sharp streak and also flares up in the light of the lamp and a flash. Satin gives a soft, pearly glow spread across the whole nail plate.

Can cat eye be done on the natural nail plate?

Yes, a gel polish base underneath is enough. The polish does not require nail extensions or building a structure.