Physics enthusiasts aren’t always the ones people turn to for advice on the latest fashion trends, this season’s hottest color, or whether these shoes go with that outfit. However, it’s impossible not to give physics at least partial credit for the recent nail craze–magnetic nail polish.

Magnetic nail polish is not some innovative way to pick up paperclips or keep track of nuts and bolts while doing chores around the house, although that type of nail polish might be useful in some situations. Magnetic nail polish refers to a traditional-looking polish that makes cool patterns if it dries in the presence of a magnet.

There are a few different kinds of magnetic nail polish, but in general you apply one coat of the polish and let it dry, and then apply a generous second coat one nail at a time. After applying the second coat of polish to a nail, you hold a magnet (often built into the lid of the bottle) directly over the polish for about 10 seconds and the pattern emerges.

Nails with these glossy, colorful patterns might not be commonplace in the laboratory, but change the context slightly and the patterns will be familiar to most physics students.

Watch magnetic polish in action in the video below. Click arrow.

Read more: click below