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Since her early days as a content creator, Alix Earle hasn’t shied away from spotlighting her favorite beauty products. Recently, she’s been singing the praises of the Vivant Skin Care 8% Mandelic Acid Serum, giving us insight into her “everything” shower routine, and now, she’s divulging the exact steps—and products—for replicating her latest manicure, which she’s called “cotton candy chrome” nails.
The 23-year-old University of Miami alumna guided fans through the steps to achieve the look at home on TikTok using two Essie nail polish shades. The first is a brand bestseller: Mademoiselle, a sheer light pink hue, which she topped with a new chrome shade from the brand’s freshly released Nail Art Studio collection. This collection features various special effects shades for DIY nail art, but Earle chose Cosmic Chrome, a sheer silver satin chrome effect nail polish.
Press play on the video below to see Earle’s “cotton candy chrome” nails, and keep scrolling for the step-by-step guide and exact nail polish shades she used.
Step 1: Two coats of Essie Mademoiselle
“I’m usually pretty bad at painting my nails, but this is going on really smoothly and easy,” she told the camera while applying a second coat of the light pink polish. The brand recommends using two coats for an even finish.
While Earle didn’t mention if she used a base coat, Essie always suggests applying a single layer of one before using any of its nail polishes. Its Strong Start Base Coat ($11) is a great choice because it helps prevent chipping and peeling while also strengthening your nails.
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Step 2: One Layer of Essie Cosmic Chrome
After applying two coats of Essie’s Mademoiselle, Earle swiped on one layer of Essie Cosmic Chrome for a touch of shimmer. “Usually when I’ve done chrome in the past, it kind of changes the whole look of the nail, but I feel like this just added a nice shine to the nail—a nice little tint,” she explained to viewers. According to the brand, a single coat delivers a subtle effect like Earle’s, but you can layer more coats to level up the intensity of the chrome effect.
