"Spider Gel" Is The Coolest Holiday Nail Art Trend We've Ever Seen

From nail stickers to striping tape, we're always here for a product that makes creating cool nail art insanely easy. Because really, who wants to devote more than 30 minutes to their at-home manicure — or spend hours in a salon waiting for their artist to finish dotting on every last detail with a brush? So, when we found out about "spider gel," an innovative nail art formula sweeping Instagram (that requires almost no tools), we were immediately intrigued.

"It gives you the straightest lines you've seen in your life," New York City-based nail artist Julie Kandalec says. "It looks like a really thick gel, and then when you put a little toothpick or something in it, you can draw out a string of the stuff, and drape the gel on the nail." A few strands later and your fingertips are transformed into works of modern art.

During a season when nail art is typically all about glitter, Kandalec loves this stuff because it offers an alternative to the sparkly stuff. "This gives the option of a cleaner, more linear look," she says. But she does have one warning: This gel is best used on top of a gel manicure. "I feel like it won't last as long on top of just polish," Kandalec says. "Because you really should use a gel topcoat over it."

Available in shades of black, red, gold, and silver (for $12 a pop), consider spider gel the ultimate upgrade to your holiday gel mani. Check out our favorite takes on the trend, and all the ways artists are using it, ahead.