OPI’s Gelement system makes it easy to recreate viral chrome manicures at home without recurring salon bills.
Hailey Bieber’s glitter donut nails have officially gone from viral beauty trend to modern manicure classic.
Created by celebrity nail artist Zola Ganzorigat in 2022, the look paired a translucent, milky base with pearlescent chrome and quickly took over social media. Unlike most internet beauty obsessions, this one never really went away.
Naturally, we wanted to see how easy it would be to recreate the manicure at home. Using OPI’s Gelement system, we followed Zola’s OPI TikTok tutorial and wore the finished manicure every day for two full weeks.
Here’s exactly how we got the look.
Meet OPI Gelement
OPI Gelment Gel Essential Kit It covers the basics you need to get started doing gel manicures at home:
- gelment base coat
- Gelment No-Wipe Top Coat
- A compact LED gel lamp
- prep pad
- cuticle pushers
- nail files and buffers
One important thing to know before ordering is that the kit does not include gel color or chrome powder. To recreate Hailey’s manicure, let me buy a gem And tin man can glaze Each must be purchased separately.
The lamp, base coat and top coat can then be reused with other colors from OPI gelment collection.
The kit is compact and very easy to install. The lamp has an automatic 60-second cure cycle, and OPI recommends curing the four fingers first, followed by the thumb. There are no settings to detect. Press the button, cure and move on.
What’s OPI GEelement really like to use?
Honestly, it was pretty easy.
Gel is applied just like traditional nail polish. The main difference is that each layer cures under the lamp before the next layer is added, so there is no waiting for the coat to air dry.
The biggest tip is to use less polish than you think you should. Thinner layers cure more evenly, and the gel should be kept away from the skin and cuticles.
OPI is free gLiversity Tutorial Really helpful, especially for people trying gels at home for the first time. They cover nail preparation, application, lifting, use of lamps and safe removal without making the process overly technical.
The whole look came together by following Zola’s TikTok with GLiversity. OPI explains how to properly use the GLement system, while Zola shows how to create Hailey’s signature glazed finish.
Zola’s Instructions:
@OP 👀 Learn how to get @Zola straight from the manufacturer ♬ Original Sound – OPI
Chrome was also much smoother than expected. It only takes a few seconds of buffing to get the pearly effect, and it’s easily the most satisfying part of the manicure.
Step by Step: How We Recreated Hailey Bieber’s Glazed Donut Nails
Before starting, mix the base coat, color and top coat for 30 seconds. OPI recommends completing one hand at a time and healing the thumb separately.
Step 1: Prepare the nails
Start with completely dry nails. Shape them, gently push back the cuticles and gently remove any natural shine.
Clean each nail with 99 percent isopropyl alcohol on one of the included prep pads or a lint-free wipe. Avoid pre-wetting hands or applying lotion and cuticle oil.
Step 2: Apply Base Coat
apply a thin layer of gelment base coatPaint the free edge before covering the nail.
Hold the gel away from the skin and cure for 60 seconds.
Step 3: Apply Let Me Buy A Mani
apply a thin coat of let me buy a gemRemember to seal the free edge.
Cure for 60 seconds, then apply a second thin coat and cure again. The shade is intentionally semi-transparent, so there is no need to build it to full opacity. Two coats create the soft, milky base needed for the look.
Step 4: Prepare for Chrome
apply a thin layer of Gelment No-Wipe Top Coat and treat it only for 30 second.
The lamp automatically runs for 60 seconds, so remove hands mid-cycle. This soft cure gives the chrome powder the perfect surface to stick to.
Step 5: Add Tin Man Can Glaze
Following Zola’s technique, lightly dip a foam or silicone applicator into tin man can glaze.
Rub the powder onto each nail using small circular motions. A little goes a long way, and the shiny finish is visible almost immediately.
Lightly file the free edge with a fine-grit file, then remove excess powder.
Step 6: Seal the Manicure
Apply a final thin layer of Gelment No-Wipe Top CoatSealing the free edge.
Hold true for the full 60 seconds. Clean nails with 99 percent isopropyl alcohol, wash hands, and finish with cuticle oil.
This is it. Base coat, two coats of color, chrome and top coat.
Does OPI gelment last?
Yes. After wearing it daily for two full weeks, the manicure still looked shiny and wasn’t chipped.
This includes constant typing, opening packages, washing dishes and all the little daily tasks that usually destroy a routine manicure very fast. The prison survived all this impressively.
Proper preparation still matters. Starting with clean, dry nails, applying thin coats and sealing the free edge will help prevent nail breakage and give the manicure the best chance of lasting a long time.
The other big advantage is that the nails are completely set as soon as the final coat comes out of the lamp. There is no drying time, no accidental smudges and no waking up with marks of the sheet pressed into the polish.
Why we liked OPI Gellement?
What impressed us most was how easy the entire system was to use.
The gel applied smoothly, the lamp handled the cure time and GELiversity made it easy to follow each step. Zola’s tutorial shows how to take a soft nude manicure and turn it into Hailey Bieber’s recognizable glazed look.
For anyone who likes to do their nails at home, wants a manicure that lasts longer than regular polish or who doesn’t want to spend on regular nail appointments, GELement is easy to recommend.
After two weeks of wear, it proved to be as durable as it was easy to use.
where to buy
OPI Gelement System and at-home gel shades Available through OPI.
let me buy a gem And Tin Man Can Glaze Chrome Effects Powder GElement is sold separately from the Gel Essential Kit.
Readers can also browse the entire OPI chrome effects collection.
