The Two Polishes I Use to Nail the Hailey Bieber Glazed Donut Nail Trend

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When Hailey Bieber wore a simple, beigey-pink manicure to the Met Gala this year, the innocent looking pearly pink manicure went viral. TikTokers, nail techs, celebrities and beauty journalists like moi set to recreating the look by any means necessary.

Why We Love It

Why has the beauty world gone all Homer Simpson on the glazed donut nail? At first glance, the “Glazed Donut” nail looks simple – a pretty beigey-pink polish with high shine, that paired perfectly with Bieber’s minimalist beauty look and sleek and silky Saint Laurent gown. 

But, that’s at first glance. You’ll find yourself taking a second, third and fourth look at the translucent, 3-D texture and the finish that is neither glitter or pearl. 

The magic of the glazed donut nail lies in its dimensionality, achieved through a layering of textures that elevates the look from a simple pink mani to a trend that is a little bit-barbicore and a little bit extraterrestrial — while still being totally wearable.

How Hailey Does It

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A post shared by Zola Ganzorigt (@nailsbyzola)

Bieber’s nail artist Zola shared the exact products she used at the Met. Working with OPI, she used GelColor in Funny Bunny, a soft off-white, along with a top coat and OPI’s “Tin Man Chrome Effect” Chrome Powder pigment to achieve the subtly frosted finish. All of these products require a UV lamps and some fuss to achieve from home. So, for those of us who want to skip the salon, the best bet is a user-friendly, at-home dupe. 

My Glazed Donut Recipe

I have trialled many suggested polishes on my glazed donut pilgrimage, and discovered many new favourites. However, the two I am sharing are both the fastest to work with and the closest match to Bieber’s exact shade.

My preferred polishes are Sally Hansen, Color Therapy in “Powder Room” ($9) and Sally Hansen, Xtreme Wear Nail Color in “On Cloud Shine” ($4).

“Powder Room” is a pinky beige chrome with a rose gold reflect, perfect for recreating Bieber’s look. I apply a base coat, as chrome polishes can run a little streaky, and then apply one layer of the chrome polish. 

Applying minimal layers of product is essential to achieving the translucent finish of the glazed donut nail. Too many layers and you’ll have an opaque, traditional chrome mani on your hands, which while pretty, is not very Bieber.

Now it’s time for your glaze. “On Cloud Shine” is a transparent polish with a pearly-pink effect. The X-treme wear ranges are designed to give a high gloss finish — exactly what you need for this look. Glossy and pearly, “On Cloud Shine” gives the perfect dimensional iridescence to this manicure.

Again, apply only one layer of On Cloud Shine and wait for the polish to dry. 

The first time I tried this combo I considered myself good to go – but, once I felt I’d nailed the basics I decided to push the look a little further.

Depending on my vibe, I’ll add Sally Hansen, Extreme Wear in “Glitter Glam” ($4). This is a totally clear, thick polish with flakes of blue-green sparkle scattered throughout. The layer gives additional thickness and a subtle blue shift. Then I add a coat of Revlon, Ultimate Shine Top Coat ($16). Having a few more layers of clear polish buffers any streakiness from the chrome base, giving a more professional finish.

So, sure, there’s no dupe in the world that will give me the steady hand or attention to detail of a nail tech. For me, at least, at-home nails will always have a certain scrappiness. However, this combo gives me all of the charm of the glazed donut nail with none of the inconvenience and fuss. As a trend it’s fun, flattering and elevates a look without being distracting. I’ll be sticking with my home made cocktail for the foreseeable and thanking Hailey Bieber for bringing us the 2022 French-mani upgrade improvement we didn’t know we needed.