Aurora cat eye nails turn a plain black nail into a small night sky, and this tutorial follows every stage shown in the video: a glossy black base, shimmering green and purple colours drawn into soft streaks with the help of a rectangular silver bar, tiny silver beads placed with a fine brush and a final pass of the flat brush, all filmed close-up against a dark grey background.
Everything below is based on a real step-by-step video, and each stage is illustrated with a frame taken from that footage. You will see which tools appear on screen, in what order the glow is built and which small mistakes can spoil the streaks. Our editorial policy explains how we describe what we can and cannot see.
The video is a short clip without spoken instructions, so we describe only what is visible: the brushes, the silver bar, the colours, the order of the steps and the final look. We do not know the brand or type of any product, and the video does not say how long anything is cured. Where the video is silent, we say so and offer a general suggestion, clearly marked as a suggestion.
Key takeaways
- These aurora cat eye nails combine a glossy black base, a green shimmer streak, a purple shimmer streak and a few tiny silver beads on a long almond nail.
- The video shows a flat brush with brown bristles, a rectangular silver bar held over the nail, a fine brush with a silver handle and a flat brush for the final pass.
- The order matters: black base, green shimmer, purple shimmer, silver beads, then the finishing pass.
- The silver bar looks like a magnetic tool, but the video does not name it or show how strong it is, so follow the instructions of your own cat eye products.
- The video does not show brands, product types or curing times, so follow the instructions of your own products and lamp.
Contents
Quick answer: how do you do aurora cat eye nails?
Start from a glossy black base, add a shimmering green colour and draw it into a soft streak with a rectangular silver bar, add a shimmering purple colour beside it in the same way, place a few tiny silver beads with a fine brush and finish with a layer suited to your own products.
What these aurora cat eye nails look like
The finished nail is long, almond-shaped and very glossy. The base is a deep black that looks almost like glass. Across it, two soft ribbons of light run diagonally from the bottom left towards the top right: one is an emerald green and the other a violet purple, and they seem to glow from inside the nail, like the northern lights. Fine specks of sparkle in the black make the background look like a night sky.
A few tiny silver beads sit along the ribbons, catching the light like small stars. There is no other decoration, and the video is filmed close-up against a dark grey surface, which keeps all the attention on the nail.
Why this aurora design works
Black is the ideal background for shimmer, because it makes the green and the purple look brighter and deeper. The two ribbons follow the same direction, so the design feels like one flowing movement rather than two separate effects. The silver beads add a little relief and echo the sparkle in the black, and the palette stays limited to black, green, purple and silver.
Materials and tools for aurora cat eye nails
The video shows several tools clearly. Everything else is a colour or detail visible on the nail, or a reasonable addition. We separate the two groups so you know what the footage confirms.
Visible in the video
- A flat brush with brown bristles and a metal ferrule, used for the black base, the shimmer colours and the final pass.
- A rectangular silver bar with a brushed metal surface, held over the nail while the shimmer settles into a streak.
- A fine brush with a silver handle, used to place the small beads.
- A glossy black colour, a shimmering green colour and a shimmering purple colour.
- Tiny silver beads.
Suggested additions (not shown in the video)
- A base layer and a clean, shaped nail before you start.
- A palette for small amounts of colour.
- A lint-free wipe and a little cleanser to tidy the edges.
- A lamp and a finishing layer that match your own products, used as their instructions say.
- An adhesive that suits your product type for the beads, used as its instructions say.
- A magnetic tool that comes with your own cat eye colours, used as its instructions say.
Materials checklist
- Flat brush for the black base and the shimmer colours
- Rectangular silver bar for drawing the streaks
- Fine brush for the silver beads
- Black, green shimmer and purple shimmer colours
- Tiny silver beads
- Lamp that matches your products
- Finishing layer that matches your product type
- Palette, lint-free wipe and cleanser
Preparation before you start
A cat eye effect needs a clean, smooth surface, because the glow follows the shape of the nail and a dark base shows every bump. In the video the nail is long, almond-shaped and evenly filed, which gives the streaks a calm background.
- Shape and tidy the nail. The design in the video is on a long almond nail, but aurora cat eye nails also work on shorter nails if you keep the streaks narrow.
- Follow your own products and lamp. The video does not show any curing, so rely on the instructions of the products you use.
- Plan the direction. Decide where the streaks will run, for example from the bottom left towards the top right.
- Lay out your tools. Keep the flat brush, the silver bar and the fine brush within reach.
- Work one nail at a time. The shimmer moves easily, so each nail needs your full attention.
Step-by-step aurora cat eye nails tutorial
The eight steps of this aurora cat eye nails tutorial follow the order of the video. Each card shows the frame we used, what happens in it and what to watch for.
Start the black base
The first frame shows a flat brush loaded with black approaching a clean, long almond nail on a dark grey background. The nail is still bare, with a natural pink tone at the top and a pale tip. The video does not say what the black product is or how it is set, so follow the instructions of your own system.
Pro tip: start at the centre of the nail and work out towards the edges, so the colour spreads evenly.
Mistake to avoid: touching the skin around the nail. Black marks are hard to clean.
Cover the nail in glossy black
In the second frame the nail is completely covered in a deep, glossy black, and the flat brush sweeps the last strokes near the tip. The surface is very smooth and mirror-like, with soft reflections of the light. This dark base is what makes the shimmer glow later.
Pro tip: keep the layer thin and even, and check the edges and the tip.
Mistake to avoid: leaving streaks or thin patches. The shimmer will show every one of them.
Draw the green shimmer into a streak
The third frame shows a rectangular silver bar held above the nail while the flat brush rests near the tip. A streak of shimmering green has formed along the left side of the black nail, and fine sparkle shows in the background. The bar looks like a magnetic tool, but the video does not say so or show how it is held, so we describe only what is visible: the green seems to follow the position of the bar.
Pro tip: hold the bar steady and do not move it while the shimmer settles.
Mistake to avoid: moving the bar around. The streak can blur or split.
Add a drop of purple at the top
In the fourth frame the green streak has grown into a wider diagonal ribbon, and the flat brush touches the upper right of the nail with a small drop of purple. The purple is shimmering and sits at the edge of the nail, away from the green. The black between the two colours stays dark.
Pro tip: place the purple on the opposite side of the green so the two ribbons do not mix.
Mistake to avoid: putting the purple right on top of the green. The two colours can turn muddy.
Draw the purple beside the green
The fifth frame shows the drop of purple on the flat brush at the top of the nail, and the green ribbon already glowing below it. The black background looks full of tiny sparkles. The purple is about to be drawn into a streak that runs beside the green.
Pro tip: use a small amount of purple. The aurora looks best when the colours stay thin and glowing.
Mistake to avoid: an oversized drop. It can swallow the black and hide the green.
Place the tiny silver beads
In the sixth frame a fine brush with a silver handle touches the nail while a few tiny silver beads already sit along the ribbons. The purple streak now runs beside the green one, and the two seem to twist around each other. The video does not say how the beads are fixed, so follow the instructions of your own products for this step.
Pro tip: place the beads unevenly, like stars, and keep them small.
Mistake to avoid: adding too many beads. A few are enough to add depth.
Finish with a brush pass
The seventh frame shows a flat brush moving across the top of the nail while the beads and the two ribbons are already in place. The video does not say what the brush applies at this stage, so follow the instructions of your own products for the finishing layer. The glow stays clear and the nail looks smooth.
Pro tip: keep the layer thin and work around the beads.
Mistake to avoid: a thick finishing layer. It can blur the streaks and hide the beads.
Reveal the finished aurora cat eye nails
The last frame shows the finished nail: a long black almond nail with a green ribbon and a purple ribbon running diagonally, tiny sparkle in the black and a few silver beads, all under a very glossy finish. The finish looks like a sealed design. The video does not show which product creates this finish, so use the finishing layer that suits your own system and follow its instructions.
Pro tip: tilt the nail in the light, as in the video, to see how the green and the purple shift.
Mistake to avoid: using a finishing layer that does not belong to your system. Mixing product families can dull the glow.
Pro tips for cleaner aurora cat eye nails
- Keep the black smooth. A flat base makes the glow cleaner.
- Hold the bar steady. The streak follows the position of the bar.
- Keep the colours apart. Two separate ribbons look like an aurora.
- Use small amounts. Thin shimmer glows more than thick shimmer.
- Place the beads last. They are easy to add and hard to remove.
- Check the nail in the light. The colours change as you tilt it.
- Clean the edges. A tidy cuticle line makes the black look sharper.
Creative variations (our suggestions, not shown in the video)
The video shows one design. The ideas below are suggestions based on the same technique.
- Blue and pink. Use a blue and a pink shimmer on black for a galaxy look.
- A single ribbon. Keep only the green for a quieter look.
- A navy base. Swap the black for a deep navy for a softer night sky.
- A matte finish. A soft matte finishing layer gives the base a velvet look, with the glow still visible.
- Gold beads. Replace the silver beads with gold ones for a warmer touch.
- A short-nail version. Keep one narrow streak and one bead.
When do aurora cat eye nails suit you best?
This design suits evenings, autumn and winter outfits, parties and any day when you want a manicure that looks simple from a distance and surprising up close. Because the nail is mostly black, it matches almost every wardrobe, and the glow becomes a pleasant surprise when the hand moves in the light. If you are trying aurora cat eye nails for the first time, begin with one nail, compare the result with the frames of the video and then decide whether to repeat the effect on another finger.
Why the order of the steps matters
The order in the video has a clear logic. The black base comes first because the glow only works on a dark, even surface. The green shimmer follows, because it is the main ribbon and sets the direction. The purple comes next, since it needs to run beside the green without mixing with it. The beads come last, because they are the highest and most fragile elements, and the finishing pass protects everything before it. This sequence reduces corrections and keeps the streaks clean.
Questions to ask yourself before you start
Ask yourself three simple questions. First, how long and how shaped are my nails? The video shows a long almond nail, so on shorter nails keep the streaks narrow. Second, how confident am I with shimmer colours? They move easily, so begin with one nail. Third, which look do I want? For a quiet look, use one ribbon and no beads, and for a richer look add the second colour and a few beads. Remember that the video names no products and gives no curing times, so always follow the instructions of your own products and your own lamp.
Care and safety
Nail products can contain ingredients that call for careful use. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reminds consumers to read the labels of nail products and to follow the warnings, and notes that some ingredients can be harmful if swallowed and that some can catch fire near heat. Its page on nail care products is worth reading before you start.
If you do your nails often, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) describes the chemical exposures that nail technicians face, a useful reminder to work with good ventilation and to follow the safety information of your products. See its overview of health hazards in nail salons.
- Follow your own products and lamp. Curing requirements vary from one product to another, and the video does not state any, so neither do we.
- Keep products away from heat and flames. Close the bottles after use and store them away from heat.
- Stop if your skin reacts. If you notice irritation, remove the product and consult a qualified professional.
- Keep decorations away from children and pets. Pearls and small charms can be a choking hazard.
- Remove the design gently. Use the removal method recommended for your product instead of peeling the artwork.
Aurora cat eye nails: frequently asked questions
How do you do aurora cat eye nails step by step?
Start from a glossy black base, add a shimmering green colour and draw it into a soft streak with a rectangular silver bar, add a shimmering purple colour beside it in the same way, place a few tiny silver beads with a fine brush and finish with a layer that suits your products.
Which tools does this design need?
The video shows a flat brush with brown bristles, a rectangular silver bar, a fine brush with a silver handle and a flat brush for the final pass.
What is the silver bar?
It looks like a magnetic tool, but the video does not name it or show how it is used, so follow the instructions that come with your own cat eye colours.
How do you keep the two colours from mixing?
Place the purple on the opposite side of the green and use small amounts, so the two ribbons stay separate and glowing.
How do you place the tiny beads?
Use a fine brush, place the beads unevenly like stars and fix them in line with the instructions of your own products.
Does this design work on short nails?
Yes. The video shows a long almond nail, but on shorter nails you can keep one narrow streak and one bead.
What colours can replace green and purple?
As suggestions, try blue and pink shimmer for a galaxy look or a single green ribbon for a quieter effect.
Are nail products and lamps safe to use at home?
Nail products are regulated as cosmetics and should be used as directed. The FDA advises reading labels and following warnings, and notes that some ingredients are harmful if swallowed or can catch fire near heat. Follow the instructions of your products and lamp, keep small decorations away from children and pets, and stop if your skin reacts.
Conclusion: aurora cat eye nails, a small night sky on every fingertip
Aurora cat eye nails look magical, but the video shows a clear sequence: a glossy black base, a green ribbon, a purple ribbon, a few tiny silver beads and a glossy finish. Keep the black smooth, hold the bar steady and leave the two colours apart.
If you enjoy seasonal designs, continue with our Halloween toe nails ideas for ghost and pumpkin pedicure designs, learn how to pick the right outline with the nail shape guide, or explore a darker palette in our dark red toe nails ideas. More nail art guides are published regularly on GetDailyTrend.
Sources, all consulted on 7 November 2026: FDA, Nail Care Products · OSHA, Health Hazards in Nail Salons.