Dua Lipa’s ‘Midnight Emerald Cat-Eye’ Manicure Is the Winter Nail Trend to Try

2 min read

If Dua Lipa’s nails could sing like her, they just might belt out “We’re good.” The singer posted a photo on Instagram of a green manicure—in a similar shade to the color featured in the music video for the song—that has nail experts intrigued and feeling festive with a look they’re calling a “midnight emerald cat-eye” manicure. “I would call it a ‘midnight emerald cat-eye,’” says Viktoriia Voloshyna, founder of Tory Pro Nails Studio in Beverly Hills. A cat-eye manicure is a light-reflective style akin to a feline’s eyes that is achieved using magnetic pigment and gel. “It’s almost as if somebody captured the Aurora Borealis and placed it directly onto the nails—very Nordic witch, very winter 2026, and incredibly chic!” says Max Estrada, nail artist and founder and creative director of eNailCouture. The singer wore the nail design this week, when she brought her Service95 Book Club to the London Literature Festival at Royal Festival Hall.

“What I particularly love about this look is the soft transition between the deep green color and the lighter magnetic reflections, creating a beautiful velvet-like glow,” adds Vikki Swan, founder of Vikki Swan Nail Academy in Los Angeles.

Dua Lipa may have kept her midnight emerald cat-eye manicure for the 2026 WSJ. Magazine Innovator Awards.

The key to catching the eye with this manicure is a layering technique, with nail experts agreeing that the color starts with a black base, followed by green pigment. “Looking at Dua Lipa’s manicure, I believe a black gel polish base may have been used underneath the green cat-eye polish to achieve that rich, deep color. This is also a technique I would recommend for recreating the look, as a black base enhances the contrast and makes the lighter magnetic shimmer stand out beautifully,” says Swan.

If you want a similar look at home, Estrada suggests that you embrace layering, just like you would as the weather becomes colder. “The deep green is absolutely on trend for winter 2026, but what makes this manicure particularly exciting is the layering of effects,” he says. “We’re combining the luminosity of magnetic cat-eye pigments with a diffused velvet appearance and a beautifully textured-looking finish. Rather than settling for one flat color, we’re creating something multidimensional. And that’s what I believe the future of nail fashion should be about.”

Shop Dua Lipa’s ‘Midnight Emerald Cat-Eye’ Manicure