Dua Lipa’s Midnight Emerald Cat-Eye Manicure Makes Magnetic Green Feel Winter-Ready
Dua Lipa’s deep green manicure pairs a dark base with magnetic shimmer for a soft, velvet-like finish. Nail artists explain the layering behind the look.
Dua Lipa’s deep green manicure gives winter’s darker palette a reflective twist. Spotted this week as she brought her Service95 Book Club to the London Literature Festival at Royal Festival Hall, the look has caught nail artists’ attention for its mix of near-black depth and shifting green shimmer. Viktoriia Voloshyna, founder of Tory Pro Nails Studio in Beverly Hills, calls it a “midnight emerald cat-eye.”
The name describes both the shade and the effect. A cat-eye manicure uses magnetic pigment in gel polish to create a reflective streak that moves visually across the nail. Max Estrada, nail artist and founder and creative director of eNailCouture, describes Lipa’s version as resembling the Northern Lights on the nail: “very Nordic witch, very winter 2026, and incredibly chic!”
The appeal comes from the finish rather than a single bright shade. Vikki Swan, founder of Vikki Swan Nail Academy in Los Angeles, points to the “soft transition” between the deep green and the lighter magnetic reflections. That gradual shift gives the polish a velvet-like glow, with the shimmer catching the light while the base keeps the overall color moody.
The layering behind the color
A dark foundation is central to recreating the depth. Swan believes Lipa’s manicure may use black gel polish beneath green cat-eye polish, a combination she recommends because the black strengthens the contrast and makes the magnetic shimmer more visible. The result reads as a saturated green in lower light, then reveals brighter reflections as the nails catch a different angle.
For a salon version, ask for a black base under green magnetic gel and discuss how concentrated you want the reflective stripe to look. The cat-eye effect depends on the magnetic pigment and gel, so the artist can shape the highlight while the polish is still being worked. A softer, more diffused reflection will feel closer to the velvety finish described by Swan; a sharper line will make the magnetic movement more pronounced.
Estrada sees the look as a combination of several finishes: magnetic luminosity, a diffused velvet appearance and a surface that looks subtly textured. The layers add dimension that a flat green polish can’t provide. His advice for an at-home interpretation is to think in layers, much as you might build up warmer pieces as the weather cools. The technique is also a useful way to make a familiar dark shade feel more dressed up without changing its wearable, winter-friendly base.
One distinction matters when choosing products: the featured shopping picks include black and green nail lacquers, while the defining cat-eye effect described by the artists comes from magnetic pigment in gel. The lacquers can help evoke the color pairing, but the source doesn’t identify them as magnetic polishes or as the products used on Lipa. Treat them as shade references rather than a confirmed kit for recreating the exact finish.
Polish picks for the color story
For the dark foundation, the listed option is OPI Nail Lacquer in Black Onyx. The source shows it at $8 at Walmart, marked 24% off, and $12 at Target; the Walmart listing also displays a crossed-out $10 price. For a deep green reference, Hermès Les Mains Hermès Nail Polish in Vert Écossais is listed at $66 at Hermes. Neither listing specifies a magnetic effect, so a salon manicure or a separate magnetic gel product would be needed to match the technique artists describe.
Shop Dua Lipa’s ‘Midnight Emerald Cat-Eye’ Manicure
For a wearable take, keep the green deep and let the magnetic reflection supply the brightness. That balance is what makes Lipa’s manicure feel suited to winter: a rich base with movement that appears when the light shifts.
