If you’re someone who gets your nails done often, it’s easy to fall into a rut. You’ve probably tried all the trendy designs, like frame nails and velvet aura nails. You have classics like French tips on rotation, and you’ve even gotten quite good at mixing and matching trends in one manicure. But if you’ve hit that wall where you don’t know what nail design to get next, allow us to put you on to a new trend: barcode nails.
Like many trendy nail looks, this design originated in South Korea and is now becoming mainstream in the United States. Barcode nails have a thin horizontal line (or multiple lines) that resembles the LED light that shows up when you scan a barcode.
The barcode design is yet another way to use magnetic polish to achieve a mesmerizing shimmer effect. Instead of the traditional vertical line in cat-eye nails, the barcode design features a horizontal stripe that shifts with movement and light—as you bend your finger, the line appears to move up and down.
Chloe Jeong, a nail artist in Arizona, says she started seeing barcode nail art on social media last spring. “While the design isn’t something every client is asking for just yet, I’ve definitely seen a growing interest,” she says. Yoshiko Yamaguchi, a nail artist in New York City, echoes this, noting she’s been asked to do the trend on a client only once in the past year but predicts more people will be asking for it in 2026.
Velvet nails were more popular than ever in 2025, so it’s no surprise that people are finding ways to remix the effect. Says Jeong, the look “feels modern, slightly edgy, without being overwhelming.”
In South Korea, barcode nails are being paired with maximalist nail adornments like rhinestones and decals, but “the clean, one-line look seems to be more popular stateside,” Jeong adds.
How to get barcode nails at home
Barcode nails are simple to create. First, apply a magnetic gel polish to the entire nail. We love the magnetic polishes from Kokoist and DND for their glossy finishes and durability. (For a non-gel option, try the magnetic nail polishes from Mooncat, which come in an array of mystical colors.) “Hold a rectangular magnet horizontally along the nail bed for about 30 seconds with the thin edge facing upward,” says Jeong. “As the magnet is held in place, the metallic particles within the gel are pulled into a fine, linear formation, creating that signature barcode effect.”
If you go the gel route, cure the art in place with an LED lamp. Repeat this process to create multiple barcode lines before sealing with a topcoat.
You can keep the design simple with a single line on each nail or get fancy with multiple stripes, a dash of glitter, chrome stickers, or rhinestones. “These details allow the design to range from ultra-minimal and understated to more dimensional and statement-making, while still maintaining the clean, refined feel that characterizes the trend,” says Jeong.
Below, discover barcode nail designs we’re saving for our next manicure appointment.
Silver stripe barcode nails
Courtesy of @nail_nid
Black cherry barcode nails
Courtesy of @b.by_you
Star-spangled barcode nails
Courtesy of @eve_nail
Courtesy of @nail.nuha
Green and silver striped barcode nails
Courtesy of @b.by_you
Green and gold striped barcode nails
Courtesy of @_moodnail
Galaxy barcode nails
Courtesy of @beambeam.nails
Purple and black ombré barcode nails
Courtesy of @nailsbycindyxo
Originally published in Allure US.
Frequently Asked Questions
Barcode nails are a manicure trend featuring a thin horizontal stripe — or multiple stripes — created using magnetic gel polish. The metallic particles in the polish are pulled into a linear formation by a rectangular magnet held horizontally along the nail bed, producing a shimmer line that appears to shift and move as the finger bends. The effect resembles the LED light visible when scanning a barcode.
Barcode nails originated in South Korea, where they are frequently paired with maximalist nail adornments such as rhinestones and decals. The trend began gaining visibility on social media in 2025 and is now expanding into mainstream nail culture in the United States and internationally. In Western markets, the cleaner, single-line variation has proven more popular than the embellished Korean interpretations.
All three trends use magnetic gel polish, but differ in the direction and shape of the metallic effect. Cat-eye nails feature a vertical shimmer line running from cuticle to tip, created by holding a magnet lengthwise over the nail. Barcode nails use a horizontal stripe achieved by holding a rectangular magnet sideways. Velvet nails use magnetic polish manipulated into broader, textured patterns rather than a single directional line.
Apply a magnetic gel polish to the entire nail, then hold a rectangular magnet horizontally along the nail bed — thin edge facing upward — for approximately 30 seconds. The magnet pulls the metallic particles into a fine horizontal line. If using gel polish, cure the design with an LED lamp before repeating for additional lines. Seal with a topcoat. Nail artist Chloe Jeong recommends magnetic polishes from Kokoist and DND for gel options, or Mooncat for a non-gel alternative.
Yes. The barcode design can be kept minimal with a single line on each nail or layered with multiple stripes, glitter, chrome stickers, or rhinestones for a more dimensional effect. Nail artists note that the design ranges from ultra-minimal to statement-making while retaining its clean, refined character. In South Korea, barcode nails are commonly combined with maximalist adornments; a simpler single-line interpretation is currently more prevalent outside Korea.
