Silk Wrap Nails Guide

First things first, what ARE silk wrap nails? Well, they’re actually exactly as they sound. Silk wrap nails are created with silk that is, well…wrapped around the nail. Believe it or not, silk wrapped nails have been around since the 80’s (at least). Silk wrap nails are said to be great for strengthening natural nails, and tend to be ideal for shorter nail lengths. While experts say additional length can be added to natural nails using silk wraps, most don’t like to add too much length using this material. The process is (fairly) simple to achieve, which is a major bonus! Silk wraps are wrapped over the nail and held in place using an adhesive and topped off with a resin.

So let’s get into the pros and cons of silk wrap nails. Kicking things off with the positives, one of the main pros of these nails their ability to strengthen (as we mentioned above) the natural nails. This is great for people who have a lot of cracks or splits in their natural nails and need some time to heal/strengthen. Another major pro? Silk wrap nails are very lightweight and breathable for natural nails. See why they’re so great for your nails? Some nail extensions and faux nails can feel a bit heavy for people. If you want something that feels very similar to natural nails – silk wraps are for you. That actually brings us to our next pro – silk wrap nails LOOK like natural nails. Because they’re so thin, lightweight, etc. they give an extremely realistic appearance when applied to nails. Last (but certainly not least), another favorite pro of silk wrap nails is how easy they are to apply and remove from nails. They don’t require any UV lights or soaking for removal. Pretty great pros, right?

Of course, with all pros there are cons. This is a silk wrap guide so we want to make sure you have ALL the information, even the cons. One main con of silk wrap nails is they’re known to be less durable than other types of nail extensions. While the lightweight element is a pro, it can be a con for some if you like your nails to be extremely durable and tough. Next, some people experience silk wraps coming off a little TOO easily. Again, this is a pro in some sense they have been known to come off quite easily when you’re exposing them to a lot of moisture.

While silk wrap nails aren’t super common in nail salons, they’re easy enough to apply that you can do it at home. We found this simple silk nail wrap kit on Amazon that gives you everything you need to DIY, it even comes with step-by-step instructions for you to reference (or you can come back to this post!).

Start by cleaning your nails and creating the shape you want by filing and cutting. Next, use a nail file over the top of the nail – you’ll need to remove the natural shine nails have on the surface. Be cautious when doing this, you need to remove the shine but don’t damage the nails! Now begins the actual application process, select the size silk wrap necessary to fit your nail and cut to the right shape/length, apply some adhesive to the nail and wrap the silk around your nail. It’s recommended to start the wrapping process at the base and then working your way to the tip – don’t go over the cuticles with the silk wrap! Once you’ve secured the silk wrap, apply the resin (also known as the sealing product) to the top of the silk wrap to hold it in place. After the resin has fully dried you can use a nail file to perfect the shape and surface. Last but not least- paint your nails in any color or design you please!

The great thing about silk wrapped nails is you can express yourself and paint any design you like on top of them. This black ‘textured’ design is so edgy and fun. It’s not your typical black nail polish look, which makes it extra special and fun.

We adore this light blue color for the spring and summer seasons. The color looks great on its own, but the addition of subtle blue glitter lightly applied to the top really adds the perfect amount of texture and dimension.

Metallic colored nails for the win! How pretty are these nails? Metallic nail polish isn’t just for special occasions. This soft champagne color is an incredibly wearable and versatile metallic nail color. Glam, edgy and stylish.

Talk about statement nails, right?! Chrome nail polish is definitely having a moment right now. The good news is you can apply chrome nail polish to silk wrapped nails.

If you’re looking for a design that’s soft, feminine yet offers some dimension to your nails – this is it. The color palette of pink and white adds that feminine aesthetic with ease. We like that the detail is swirled, subtly, using white polish.

Coral nails are a summer must! This bold pop of color is summertime perfection. It’s gorgeous as is, but we really love that they personalized silk wrapped nails here with a lighter color coral touch at the base of the nails.

Give your silk wrapped nails a glam, neutral twist. This design is a fun take on French ombre tips, using white glitter instead of solid white polish. Ombre fading gives the illusion of longer nail length, too!

Another gorgeous metallic nail design that’s perfect for silk wrapped nails! Paint the nails gold metallic, once that dries apply gold glitter just to the ends of the nails to give an ombre type of finish. So pretty for short nails.

Neutral pink polish gets a chic addition with an iridescent finish! We love how the addition of the iridescence changes up the vibe of neutral pink polish, and gives short nails an elevated design look.

If you’ve been around our site for a while, you know holographic nail polish is kind of a must right now. The best part about it is you can apply it to shorter nails, like silk wrapped, and get an incredibly stylish manicure.

Since it’s summer, we wanted to make sure we’re giving you seasonally appropriate nail design ideas. We don’t know about you, but we love light color schemes this time of year. Pale pink is a gorgeous choice and looks even better when paired with light pink glitter polish to accent it.

This color scheme is EVERYTHING! Talk about summer time chic. Add a matte finish to your silk wrapped nails for a major style upgrade, as you can see from these nails.

We love when people add subtle stylish touches to neutral nail colors. Here, the addition of silver metallic polish painted on the side of the nails really changes the entire look of the nail color. Small details make a big difference on short nails.

Really love the look of neutral nails? That’s one of the pros of silk nails. Keep them natural with this color painted on top. Adding just a touch of shimmer and glitter polish gives enough design to make them fun and glam.

Peach is one of those nail colors a lot of us forget about, but it’s so pretty for the spring and summer. It’s light, bright and colorful – what’s not to love? Such a pretty color you don’t need any other design elements added.