Tackle the Crackle

Just when you thought durable no-chip, two-week-long manicures were hot, in comes a polish that cracks the moment it dries on your nail. Cracked nail polish, a nail trend introduced in the '90s, is making a comeback with an updated look, and you can stay on top of the trend to attract more clients.

China Glaze revealed its new Crackle Glaze colors on the second day of the International Salon and Spa Expo (ISSE) in Long Beach, selling out before I could even make my way over to take a picture. Luckily, China Glaze educator Lynn Long kept a demo set for herself and showed me Crackle Glaze in action.

China Glaze brand manager Sarena Kirby says, "the innovative technology creates a deconstructed crackle design over your favorite shimmer, glitter, or crème nail lacquer. The look is edgy, creative, and makes a bold statement.

With ibd clear gel on Lynn’s index finger (left), the Black Mesh Crackle responded in a different way and produced more of a zebra stripe effect. Crackle polish cracks and acts differently depending on the thickness of application and the texture of the nail.

Hair stylist passer-by Bre Simpkins also tried a few colors over three of her chipped turquoise-colored polish, each letting the turquoise peek through a little differently.

OPI has taken a different approach to the cracked nail trend. Included in OPI's Glam Slam and Katy Perry collections is Black Shatter, a shattering polish to compliment the polish colors, creating edgy and unique designs each time. Pictured above is Glam Slam's Simply Smashing and Black Shatter.

OPI also recently released Silver Shatter to go with their new Pirates of the Caribbean-inspired polish collection.

If that's not enough shatter and crackle for you, here are some Crazed Expression Crackle Nail Finishes. The Crazed Expression crackle polish comes in 24 different colors and are oil-based, helping to create more varied patterns on the nail. They've included video tutorials on their website with different application techniques, from a French tip design to nail art using multiple colors, treating the crackle polish as you would any regular polish, giving you endless possibilities as seen below.

For best results with any crackle polish, apply a base coat and two coats of polish. Seal in the dried crackle design with top coat. Based on my experience with OPI's Shatter and China Glaze's Crackle Glaze, the thicker the crackle polish is applied, the larger the cracked lines revealing more of the polish color underneath.

Try it out and offer it as a limited-time special at your salon. If your clients like what they see, you could retail the crackle to create more buzz and attract more clients to your salon.

— Kim