Here are this year’s hottest manicure trends. We’ve also picked nail polish shades so you can cop these looks no matter what your budget is.
Feeling blue
This one’s a no-brainer. Classic Blue is the Pantone Color of the Year, making this timeless hue a must for your manicures. But don’t just stick to this shade—there’s a myriad of blues that would look fabulous on your nails. And if you can’t pick just one, wear different shades at the same time—ombre nails (wearing a different shade on each nail) is also a trend this year (not that it’s ever been out).
Lifestyle picks: Dior Blop, Orly Snowcone, Chanel Bleu Trompeur, Sally Hansen + Jelly Belly Blueberry, Bench Paint Box Sky Blue, Bench Beauty UltramarineFunky French manicures
French manicures dominated the Spring 2020 runways of New York Fashion Week. But we don’t mean your grandma’s French mani—these are reimagined, funkified French tips by some of New York’s and Los Angeles’ hottest nail artists including Jin Soon Choi, Miss Pop, Julie Kandalec and Betina Goldstein. When it comes to French manicures this year, anything goes. Try a neutral base with black tips like the models wore in the Rag & Bone show, or go for super fine tips as seen in the Khaite and Prabal Gurung shows. Take your inspiration from Christian Siriano’s models and wear pale-green tips with glitter flecks on the base, or from Oscar de la Renta, and wear a nude or taupe base with orange or pink tips.
Lifestyle picks: Dior Pow, Chanel True Black, Orly White Tips and French Manicure, Happy Skin X Posh Nails TLC, Orly Jealous Much?, Bobbie The Big Bang Matte magic
Matte has come and gone and now it’s back again. Sure, you can buy bottles of matte nail polish but here’s our tip: Just buy a bottle of matte top coat and turn every nail polish you own into a matte polish.
Lifestyle picks: Orly Matte Top, Sally Hansen Big Matte Top Coat, Bobbie Matte Top Coat, Deborah Lippmann Flat Top, Bench Paint Box Matte Top Coat
Nudes and neutrals
Less a trend and more a mainstay on the manicure front, nudes and neutrals are always a safe bet. But this year, go for a nude that’s not sheer, minimalist but not boring, as seen on the runways of Alexander Wang, Phillip Lim, Longchamp and Coach. You can do a nude ombre, too, or a matte nude manicure—have fun mixing and matching those trends.
Lifestyle picks: Deborah Lippmann Undressed set which includes Flesh for Fantasy, Totally Nude, Born This Way, Bare It All, Natural Woman and Skin Deep; Happy Skin X Disney Enchanted Mirror; Chanel New Dawn; Bobbie Matte Naughty Nude; Bench Beauty Sand
Mad about metallics
Let your nails shine with metallic polish. But if you feel that a full metallic mani is too much for you, try a swipe of silver in the middle of each nail or a gold-painted ring finger as an accent nail.
Lifestyle picks: Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Game of Chromes, Caronia Champagne, Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Go for Gold, Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Silver Stallion, Orly Breathable Soul Sister, Orly Breathable Elixir, Sally Hansen Salon Chrome Rose Gold, Sally Hansen Salon Chrome Mermaid