diff --git a/src/components/DashboardShell.tsx b/src/components/DashboardShell.tsx
index ea9e86d..4d37322 100644
--- a/src/components/DashboardShell.tsx
+++ b/src/components/DashboardShell.tsx
@@ -3,8 +3,9 @@
  * Used for pages that need actual backend connectivity
  * (My Profile, My Portfolio, Verification) instead of the preview mock.
  */
-import { For, JSX, Show, createMemo, createSignal, onMount } from "solid-js";
+import { For, JSX, createMemo } from "solid-js";
 import { AiChatWidget } from "./AiChatWidget";
+import NotificationBell from "./NotificationBell";
 import {
   User,
   Briefcase,
@@ -101,36 +102,6 @@ export default function DashboardShell(props: Props) {
     return k.charAt(0).toUpperCase() + k.slice(1).toLowerCase();
   });
 
-  const [unreadCount, setUnreadCount] = createSignal(0);
-
-  // Fetch unread notification count
-  const fetchUnreadCount = async () => {
-    try {
-      const token =
-        typeof window !== "undefined"
-          ? window.sessionStorage.getItem("nxtgauge_access_token") || ""
-          : "";
-      if (!token) return;
-      const res = await fetch("/api/me/notifications/unread-count", {
-        headers: { Authorization: `Bearer ${token}` },
-        credentials: "include",
-      });
-      if (res.ok) {
-        const data = await res.json();
-        setUnreadCount(data.unread_count || 0);
-      }
-    } catch (e) {
-      console.error("Failed to fetch unread count:", e);
-    }
-  };
-
-  // Start polling on mount
-  onMount(() => {
-    fetchUnreadCount();
-    const interval = setInterval(fetchUnreadCount, 30000);
-    return () => clearInterval(interval);
-  });
-
   return (
     <div
       style={{
@@ -266,35 +237,7 @@ export default function DashboardShell(props: Props) {
             {titleCase(props.activeSidebar)}
           </p>
           <div style={{ display: "flex", "align-items": "center", gap: "12px" }}>
-            <button
-              type="button"
-              style={{
-                position: "relative",
-                border: "none",
-                background: "transparent",
-                cursor: "pointer",
-                display: "flex",
-                "align-items": "center",
-                "justify-content": "center",
-                padding: 0,
-              }}
-            >
-              <Bell size={18} style={{ color: "#9CA3AF" }} />
-              <Show when={unreadCount() > 0}>
-                <span
-                  style={{
-                    position: "absolute",
-                    top: "-2px",
-                    right: "-2px",
-                    width: "8px",
-                    height: "8px",
-                    background: "#FF5E13",
-                    "border-radius": "50%",
-                    border: "1px solid white",
-                  }}
-                ></span>
-              </Show>
-            </button>
+            <NotificationBell />
             <div
               style={{
                 width: "32px",
diff --git a/src/components/NotificationBell.tsx b/src/components/NotificationBell.tsx
index f25b6e0..c2ba717 100644
--- a/src/components/NotificationBell.tsx
+++ b/src/components/NotificationBell.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,9 @@
 import { createSignal, createEffect, onCleanup, Show } from "solid-js";
 import { api } from "~/lib/api";
 
+const ORANGE = "#FF5E13";
+const NAVY = "#0D0D2A";
+
 export default function NotificationBell() {
   const [unreadCount, setUnreadCount] = createSignal(0);
   const [showDropdown, setShowDropdown] = createSignal(false);
@@ -84,7 +87,7 @@ export default function NotificationBell() {
     <div class="relative">
       <button
         onClick={toggleDropdown}
-        class="relative p-2 text-gray-600 hover:text-gray-900 hover:bg-gray-100 rounded-full transition-colors"
+        class="relative h-8 w-8 rounded-full border border-[#E5E7EB] bg-white text-[#6B7280] hover:text-[#111827] hover:border-[#D1D5DB] transition-colors flex items-center justify-center"
         aria-label="Notifications"
       >
         <svg
@@ -104,7 +107,10 @@ export default function NotificationBell() {
 
         {/* Unread Badge */}
         <Show when={unreadCount() > 0}>
-          <span class="absolute top-0 right-0 inline-flex items-center justify-center px-2 py-1 text-xs font-bold leading-none text-white transform translate-x-1/4 -translate-y-1/4 bg-orange-500 rounded-full">
+          <span
+            class="absolute -top-1 -right-1 min-w-[16px] h-4 px-1 inline-flex items-center justify-center text-[10px] font-bold leading-none text-white rounded-full"
+            style={{ background: ORANGE }}
+          >
             {unreadCount() > 99 ? "99+" : unreadCount()}
           </span>
         </Show>
@@ -117,33 +123,46 @@ export default function NotificationBell() {
           <div class="fixed inset-0 z-40" onClick={() => setShowDropdown(false)} />
 
           {/* Dropdown Panel */}
-          <div class="absolute right-0 mt-2 w-80 bg-white rounded-xl shadow-lg border z-50 overflow-hidden">
-            <div class="flex justify-between items-center p-4 border-b">
-              <h3 class="font-semibold">Notifications</h3>
+          <div class="absolute right-0 mt-2 w-[360px] max-w-[calc(100vw-24px)] bg-white rounded-2xl border border-[#E5E7EB] shadow-[0_10px_30px_rgba(2,6,23,0.08)] z-50 overflow-hidden">
+            <div class="flex justify-between items-center px-4 py-3 border-b border-[#E5E7EB] bg-[#FCFCFD]">
+              <div class="flex items-center gap-2">
+                <h3 class="text-sm font-semibold" style={{ color: NAVY }}>Notifications</h3>
+                <Show when={unreadCount() > 0}>
+                  <span class="text-[11px] font-semibold px-2 py-0.5 rounded-full bg-[#FFF3EE] text-[#C2410C]">
+                    {unreadCount()} unread
+                  </span>
+                </Show>
+              </div>
               <Show when={unreadCount() > 0}>
                 <button
                   onClick={markAllAsRead}
-                  class="text-sm text-orange-600 hover:text-orange-700"
+                  class="text-xs font-semibold hover:opacity-90"
+                  style={{ color: ORANGE }}
                 >
                   Mark all read
                 </button>
               </Show>
             </div>
 
-            <div class="max-h-96 overflow-y-auto">
+            <div class="max-h-[420px] overflow-y-auto">
               <Show
                 when={notifications().length > 0}
                 fallback={
-                  <div class="p-8 text-center text-gray-500">
-                    <p class="text-4xl mb-2">🔔</p>
-                    <p>No notifications yet</p>
+                  <div class="px-6 py-10 text-center">
+                    <div class="mx-auto mb-3 w-10 h-10 rounded-full bg-[#F3F4F6] flex items-center justify-center text-[#9CA3AF]">
+                      <svg xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" class="h-5 w-5" fill="none" viewBox="0 0 24 24" stroke="currentColor">
+                        <path stroke-linecap="round" stroke-linejoin="round" stroke-width={1.8} d="M15 17h5l-1.405-1.405A2.032 2.032 0 0118 14.158V11a6.002 6.002 0 00-4-5.659V5a2 2 0 10-4 0v.341C7.67 6.165 6 8.388 6 11v3.159c0 .538-.214 1.055-.595 1.436L4 17h5m6 0v1a3 3 0 11-6 0v-1m6 0H9" />
+                      </svg>
+                    </div>
+                    <p class="text-sm font-semibold text-[#374151]">No notifications yet</p>
+                    <p class="text-xs text-[#6B7280] mt-1">We will show updates here when they arrive.</p>
                   </div>
                 }
               >
                 {notifications().map((notification) => (
                   <div
-                    class={`p-4 border-b hover:bg-gray-50 cursor-pointer transition-colors ${
-                      !notification.is_read ? "bg-orange-50" : ""
+                    class={`px-4 py-3 border-b border-[#F1F5F9] hover:bg-[#F8FAFC] cursor-pointer transition-colors ${
+                      !notification.is_read ? "bg-[#FFF7ED]" : "bg-white"
                     }`}
                     onClick={() => {
                       if (!notification.is_read) {
@@ -153,20 +172,20 @@ export default function NotificationBell() {
                   >
                     <div class="flex items-start gap-3">
                       {/* Unread Dot */}
-                      <div class="mt-1.5">
+                      <div class="mt-1.5 shrink-0">
                         <div
                           class={`w-2 h-2 rounded-full ${
-                            !notification.is_read ? "bg-orange-500" : "bg-transparent"
+                            !notification.is_read ? "bg-[#F97316]" : "bg-transparent"
                           }`}
                         />
                       </div>
 
                       <div class="flex-1 min-w-0">
-                        <p class="font-medium text-sm text-gray-900 line-clamp-1">
+                        <p class="font-semibold text-sm text-[#111827] line-clamp-1">
                           {notification.title}
                         </p>
-                        <p class="text-sm text-gray-600 line-clamp-2 mt-0.5">{notification.body}</p>
-                        <p class="text-xs text-gray-400 mt-1">
+                        <p class="text-sm text-[#4B5563] line-clamp-2 mt-0.5">{notification.body}</p>
+                        <p class="text-[11px] text-[#9CA3AF] mt-1.5">
                           {formatTime(notification.created_at)}
                         </p>
                       </div>
@@ -176,10 +195,11 @@ export default function NotificationBell() {
               </Show>
             </div>
 
-            <div class="p-3 border-t bg-gray-50">
+            <div class="p-3 border-t border-[#E5E7EB] bg-[#FCFCFD]">
               <a
                 href="/dashboard/notifications"
-                class="block text-center text-sm text-orange-600 hover:text-orange-700 font-medium"
+                class="block text-center text-sm font-semibold hover:opacity-90"
+                style={{ color: ORANGE }}
                 onClick={() => setShowDropdown(false)}
               >
                 View all notifications