A silver nail in a supplier's photo might show a narrow band of light, a soft glow or a mirror-like surface. Those are different design requests, even if all three look similar in a small catalog thumbnail.
Cat-eye finishes use a magnetic effect to create a pattern of reflection. Chrome describes a reflective surface effect, often made with a powder over a prepared coating. For a press-on nails wholesale order, choose the appearance you need, then compare identified physical samples and a short movement video. A finish name alone does not specify the nail base, the attachment method or how long the set will last.
This guide is about selecting a finished effect, not applying uncured gel. The assortment photo shows decorated SENAILGLOBAL samples; it is not a controlled cat-eye-versus-chrome comparison or evidence of a particular coating formula.
Three requests that should not share one vague label
Cat-eye: decide where the reflection belongs
In a magnetic coating, a magnet influences the reflective particles before the coating is cured. Gelish explains this process in its magnetic-effects guide. The placement of the effect matters: a diagonal band, a central highlight and a broader glow are not interchangeable instructions.
For buying purposes, ask for a front view and a slow tilt of the same sample. Watch where the bright area appears, how it changes with the viewing angle, and whether the base remains visible. If the sample only matches your reference at one carefully chosen angle, record that before approving it.
Do not request a magnet for the customer merely because the finished nails are described as cat-eye. The visual design is created during finishing. Confirm the separate attachment instructions for the retail set.
Velvet: describe the glow, not a fabric texture
Velvet can describe a softer, more spread-out magnetic effect rather than a distinct stripe. Gelish documents a velvet effect within its magnetic-gel techniques. It is therefore a useful appearance description, but not evidence of fabric, a different tip resin or a universally defined product grade.
Tell the supplier whether you want a visible band or a diffuse glow. A simple note such as "keep the base color visible; avoid a sharply defined diagonal stripe" can resolve more than the word "velvet" on its own. That is an example of a brief, not a confirmed SENAILGLOBAL product specification.
Chrome: mirror silver and pearl glaze are different targets
A chrome request might mean a strong metallic reflection or a softer pearl-like glaze. OPI's chrome-powder examples show that the base shade and chosen effect change the result. "Chrome" is not a complete color reference.
Specify whether the effect covers the whole nail, only the French tip or a small accent. Ask whether the base should remain visible. Approving a pearl sheen over a pale base does not approve an opaque silver finish over the same shape.
These manufacturer references explain finishes. They do not mean SENAILGLOBAL uses those brands' products or offers every illustrated technique.
Separate the effect from the nail underneath it
Keep three lines in your inquiry: tip base, surface finish and attachment items. A cat-eye or chrome label does not establish whether the tip is ABS, PMMA or a particular soft-gel system. Nor does it establish the included adhesive, pack contents or removal process.
Use the press-on nail materials guide for the base-material question. In the finish brief, stay with observable features: base color, opacity, reflection, coverage and pattern placement. If composition is important to your market or product specification, ask for documentation tied to the selected reference.
Compare samples without changing everything at once
Begin with the closest available match in shape, length and base-color direction. A long dark sample photographed under a spot light is not a useful direct comparison with a short pale sample beside a window.
When matching samples are unavailable, list the differences instead of declaring one finish better. For example, you may still need to assess a preferred effect on the shorter shape you intend to order. Confirm feasibility and the sample scope before paying for another version.
First, look at both samples in the same ordinary light
Put them side by side against a plain background. Check the base color, coverage and visible edges. Keep the lamp, camera position and exposure consistent where possible. Avoid judging one sample from a filtered social clip and the other from an unedited phone photo.
Then check the reflection as the sample moves
Keep the light in one place and slowly tilt the sample. For cat-eye, note the direction and spread of the bright area. For chrome, check whether the reflection reads as a mirror, a pearl sheen or an accent over the base. Repeat the same movement with the comparison sample.
This is a practical visual review, not a laboratory test or an industry tolerance. Agree the acceptance points with the supplier; do not create a numerical pass mark after the samples arrive.
Finally, look at the whole set
A single attractive nail does not settle the arrangement across the set. Check whether the effect direction should repeat, mirror between positions or appear only on accents. Mark the intended pattern on the reference image and identify the sample pieces it covers.
The custom design brief helps separate those artwork positions from size numbers. Keep the same distinction in your approval notes.
A small sample record that prevents a larger argument
Copy these prompts into the sample discussion. Leave unresolved items as questions rather than filling them with assumptions.
- Reference: catalog item or custom brief version, sample date and identifying photo.
- Base appearance: color direction, opaque or translucent, and what must remain visible.
- Effect: defined cat-eye band, diffuse velvet glow, mirror-like chrome or pearl glaze.
- Coverage: whole nail, tip or marked accent positions.
- Shape and length: sample shown and intended order specification; note any difference.
- Viewing record: light used, front image and slow-tilt clip of the same sample.
- Decision: approved appearance, change requested or physical review still needed.
- Commercial check: quantity per design, sample contents, packaging and destination still to confirm.
A useful correction might read: "Keep the approved base color. The highlight should be diagonal rather than central. Please show that change on the same shape before we approve it." This is an illustrative message, not a customer order or a promise that the change is available.
Keep the original and revised records together. A change to the finish does not automatically approve a different shape, size arrangement or packaging version.
What a video can answer, and what it cannot
A short clip can show the changing reflection more clearly than a still thumbnail. It still cannot guarantee the exact color a buyer will see on another screen. Adobe's color-management guidance explains why devices and viewing conditions can produce different appearances.
Use video to narrow the choice, then retain the physical reference when appearance is important to the order. For later product listings, follow the buyer-first photography checklist and show the selected product, not a more dramatic reference from another design.
Do not turn a pleasing reflection into a scratch-resistance, wear-time or material claim. Those are separate questions requiring relevant evidence. The handmade finish checklist covers visible workmanship issues such as scratches, exposed edges and loose decoration.
Bring a clear finish question to the quote
Start with the current catalogs or your own permitted reference images. Send the preferred appearance, shape and length, quantity for each design, packaging needs and delivery country. Say whether you are selecting an existing design or asking for a new one.
For SENAILGLOBAL inquiries, effect availability and the exact sample scope must be confirmed for the selected brief. Do not assume that a style name confirms stock, a standard piece count or the same price across a collection. Existing-design quantities, new-design minimums and branded packaging conditions are separate matters.
Use the inquiry form to explain the comparison you need. "I need to compare a diffuse silver glow with a pearl glaze on this shape" gives the conversation a clear starting point. Approve the identified sample and the written notes together, rather than relying on the finish name alone.