Jelly Burgundy Nails: Glossy, Glam & Surprisingly Affordable

Okay so burgundy nails are classic whatever but the jelly version? That's the move right now. We keep seeing them everywhere—Pinterest, TikTok, every salon feed we follow. They're glossy and translucent and weirdly flattering on everyone somehow.

The best part though? You can totally do this yourself without spending half your holiday budget at a salon. Like the whole look costs maybe $25 if you're smart about it.

We tried this last weekend and got so many compliments we're annoyed we didn't do it sooner. Here's how to get the look without the salon price tag.

Finding The Right Polish (This Matters More Than You Think)

The polish has to be jelly formula specifically. Regular burgundy won't work—it's too opaque. You want something that looks like red wine held up to light. Bold but sheer at the same time.

We've tried a bunch and these are the ones that actually deliver:

ILNP "Dahlia" is probably our favorite. Rich wine color with this gel-like glow that looks expensive. It's like $12 on Amazon and honestly rivals polishes triple the price. The formula's smooth too so it doesn't streak which is huge.

Sally Hansen Miracle Gel in "Can't Beet Royalty" is easier to find if you're grabbing stuff at Target. It's their longwear jelly tint and it actually lasts. We got almost a week without major chipping which for me is basically a miracle. Around $10-13 depending on sales.

Holo Taco "Waste of Space" if you want to splurge a little. It's that influencer-favorite brand and yeah it's good. The jelly effect is perfect—not too sheer, not too dark. Like $15 We think? Worth it if you're gonna wear this look a lot.

Start with one of these. Don't try to make regular polish work. I tried that first and it looked flat and boring. Jelly formula is the whole point.

Layering Is Where The Magic Happens

This isn't a normal manicure where you slap on two coats and call it done. Jelly nails need thin layers to get that translucent depth thing going.

First coat will look super sheer. Like maybe too sheer you'll think you messed up. You didn't. That's supposed to happen. Let it dry completely—like actually completely not just surface dry.

Second coat adds more color but still keeps transparency. Starting to look good now right?

Third coat is optional depending on how deep you want it. We usually do three because I like the richer look but two works if you want it lighter and more see-through.

The key is keeping coats thin. Thick coats look goopy and take forever to dry and just ruin the whole effect. Patience here pays off we promise.

Oh and use a good base coat first. We use Essie Here to Stay because it's like $11 at Target and it fills in ridges so your nails look smooth. The jelly polish shows every imperfection otherwise and it bugs me.

Adding Sparkle Without Going Overboard

Jelly burgundy is pretty on its own but sometimes you want a little extra. Just don't go crazy—the whole vibe is elegant not like a disco ball. For glitter we love Essie "A Cut Above." It's this subtle shimmer that catches light without being loud. Like $10 and way better than that Chanel Rouge Noir everyone raves about for $33. Literally can't tell the difference on the nail honestly.

If you're into gems the Dark Red Burgundy Crystal design from Amazon is like $23 and has everything you need. I usually just do one or two accent nails—ring finger and maybe thumb. More than that starts looking busy.

Apply gems while top coat is still slightly tacky so they stick better. Then seal everything with another layer of top coat so they don't fall off in two days. Keep it minimal though. Jelly burgundy is already a statement. Don't need to add fifty things to it.

The Top Coat Makes Or Breaks This

You need a top coat that gives that wet glossy jelly look. Regular top coat won't cut it—needs to be high-shine almost glass-like. Seche Vite Instant Gel Effect is the one everyone swears by for good reason. It's thick and glossy and makes everything look professionally done. Like $12 on Amazon. Dries fast too which matters when you're trying to do stuff and not mess up your nails immediately.

Olive & June Super Glossy Top Coat is another good one. Little pricier at like $12 but the brush is wider so application's easier. Available at Target if you're grabbing other stuff there anyway.

Apply top coat carefully—don't drag the brush or you'll pull up the jelly layers underneath. Light strokes, seal the tips, done. Reapply top coat every few days to keep the shine going. It fades faster than you'd think but touching it up takes like 2 minutes.

Keep Your Hands From Looking Crusty

A good manicure deserves good hand care. Otherwise your nails look amazing but your cuticles are a disaster and it's distracting. Burt's Bees Lemon Butter Cuticle Cream is my go-to. Smells good, works fast, under $10 at basically every store. We keep one in my bag and use it throughout the day without thinking about it.

EOS Shea Better Hand Cream for general hand moisturizing. It's like $6 at Target and absorbs quickly so you're not walking around with greasy hands. The shea butter one is my favorite but they have a bunch of scents.

Apply cuticle cream every night before bed. Keeps everything soft and your polish lasts longer when cuticles aren't dried out and peeling. Also, don't pick at your cuticles. I know it's tempting. Don't do it. Ruins the whole look and makes regrowth worse.

Why This Works Better Than Salon Nails

Full salon gel manicure with this look? $45-60 easy. Maybe more depending where you live. Doing it yourself with these products? $25 max for everything. And you'll have enough polish for like 10+ manicures so really the cost per use is basically nothing.

Plus you can redo it whenever you want. Chip a nail? Fix it in 5 minutes at home instead of booking an appointment and waiting three days. We're not saying never get salon nails. Sometimes you want the experience whatever. But for everyday wear this DIY version looks just as good and doesn't drain your bank account.

The jelly burgundy trend works because it's elegant without trying too hard. Looks expensive and polished (literally) but doesn't require professional skills to pull off.

Try It This Weekend

Honestly just try it. Get one of those jelly polishes and a good top coat. See what happens. Worst case you spent $20 and learned it's not for you. Best case you found your new signature nail look that costs practically nothing.

We did ours Sunday afternoon watching TV. Took maybe 45 minutes including dry time. Got compliments all week at work and two people asked where we got them done. "My couch" is a very satisfying answer. If you try this tag it #RadiantNailsChallenge so we can see your version. We're weirdly invested in people discovering how good jelly burgundy looks now.

You've got this. It's easier than you think and way cheaper than you'd expect. Go be glossy.