Smooth animation card effect using box shadow with only CSS animations and a pseudo element. Hover over the box below to see the action. DEMO HTML < div class = "box-shadow" ></ div > CSS . box - shadow { position: relative; display: inline - block; width: 100 px; height: 100 px; border - radius: 5 px; background - color: #fff; box - shadow: 0 1 px 2 px rgba( 0 , 0 , 0 , 0.15 ); transition: all 0.3 s ease - in - out; margin: 1 em; background - color: BlanchedAlmond; } . box - shadow::after { content: '' ; position: absolute; z - index: - 1 ; width: 100 % ; height: 100 % ; opacity: 0 ; border - radius: 5 px; box - shadow: 0 5 px 15 px rgba( 0 , 0 , 0 , 0.3 ); transition: opacity 0.3 s ease - in - out; } . box - shadow:hover { transform: scale( 1.2 , 1.2 ); } . box - shadow:hover::after { opacity: 1 ; }