Pixie dust nails are a lesson in subtle shimmer

Pixie dust nails solve a certain Goldilocks problem. Subtle enough to be worn almost anywhere, they are a step up from a classic nude nail but don't feel as shouty, pre-teen or party themed as glitter nails.

Also known as fairy dust nails, the look is currently trending on TikTok with 129.7 million views and skews a couple of different ways, depending on whether you want to dial up or dial down the glimmer.

The first fits neatly into the aesthetic for nearly-bare nails, popularised by Margot Robbie at the Golden Globes, and Hailee Steinfeld at the Vanity Fair Oscar Party. Here, a sheer coat of shimmery nail polish or a holographic glitter topcoat is meant to mimic the delicate, iridescent sheen of a pixie's wing when it hits the light.

Good at-home options include Manicurist Nail Polish in Moon and Essie FX Expressie in Holo, which is the exact product Margot's manicurist Tom Bachick topped her nude polish with.

Tom is also behind the second iteration, which features a jolt of pastel coloured nail polish (in this case pistachio) and finely-milled flecks of glitter. And finally, there are pixie dust nails that feature a colour-shifting duo-chromatic sheen, which Tom embellished with flower nail art.

There's no shortage of pixie dust nail inspiration on the Internet, with nail artists finding fresh inspiration in this subtle spin on shimmer for summer. Here are some of our favourite ways to test drive the look:

Lipgloss pixie dust nails

Ultra-sheer pixie dust nails

Love hearts pixie dust nails

Lilac pixie dust nails

Rosé pixie dust nails

Golden hour pixie dust nails

Pearly pixie dust nails

Evil eye pixie dust nails

Ombre pixie dust nails

Moon lit pixie dust nails

Silver pixie dust nails

Blue tipped pixie dust nails

Nearly naked pixie dust nails

For more from Fiona Embleton, GLAMOUR's Acting Associate Beauty Director, follow her on @fiembleton.