Japanese “Blooming” Gel Is the Coolest Nail Trend of 2026

For those who are always looking for the next big nail trend, meet blooming gel. The style—which is a favorite of manicure-obsessed celebrities like Dua Lipa, Hailey Bieber, and Rosalía—is different each time you give it a try, creating endless options of unique nail art.

“Blooming gel is a specialty gel formula that allows you to paint onto an uncured surface, so the design subtly diffuses and expands before it’s cured under the lamp,” says Natalia Mercedes, the founder of Manhattan’s Sad Girl Nails Studio. “Unlike a classic manicure, where every line and detail is intentionally placed and stays exactly where you put it, blooming gel introduces movement. The pigment spreads organically, creating soft, fluid effects that feel almost alive on the nail.”

Think of it as a tie-dye technique for your nails a la the dip-dyes Eckhaus Latta is known for—while you can aspire to create a certain design, the color moves and expands, so you never exactly know what you’re going to get.

“Traditionally, nail painting is about precision since you’re placing pigment exactly where you want it to form a specific image,” says Mercedes. “But blooming gel is the opposite: it lets the color float and evolve on its own.”

But the artful results are worth the exercise of letting go, as the expansion creates organic-appearing designs that mimic flowers, reptile skin, watercolor drops, and more. Scroll on for a lot of inspiration.

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