A significant departure from years past, the overarching theme among 2024's biggest beauty and fashion trends is wearability. For 2024, we'll be leaning into ease and simplicity (or as Cosmo's Fashion Director Cassie Anderson perfectly coined it: the "blandification of fashion"), and this applies to the year's biggest nail trends too. Think: Sleek finishes, minimalist nail art, shorter lengths, and sophisticated updates to classic styles, like the French manicure. Ready to try some yourself? Keep reading for our 2024 nail trend predictions below (courtesy of two top nail artists) plus all the need-to-know info for recreating these looks at home or the salon.
1
2024 Nail Trend: Floating French Tips
Celeb nail artist Julie Kandalec created this minimal nail art for the Staud spring/summer show at NYFW. Consider it the simple, ~chic~ update to your classic French tips. Start with a neutral base color, then draw a line a third of the way down your nails with a thin paintbrush in whatever shade you choose (Kandalec did a variation of colors across the models' nails that matched the collection, including a light teal and peach, for reference).
2
Ultra-Glossy Nails for 2024
According to Kandalec, layering different textures to create a majorly shiny nail look will be huge in 2024. "I love this because layering is so fun, and a lesson in color theory," she says. "Sometimes you can be really surprised by the color combos you've created," she adds, like combining jelly nails with a magnetic velvet nail polish (which you can see above), or mixing cat-eye polish with chrome powder (as seen by Kandelec here).
3
2024 Nail Trend: Short, Square Nails
Kandalec says many of her celeb clients are starting to ask for short, squared-off nails, which fits the natural, "clean" aesthetic everyone has been leaning into lately. After years of acrylics and gel-X extensions, our nails are all pretty beat—but opting for short lengths and light shades make it easier to start giving your nails some much-needed TLC. Top your manicure with a strengthening top coat or layer on a bond-building nail treatment to help repair your nails. And of course, a dose of daily cuticle oil is a must for healthy-looking nails, especially when you're opting for a shorter length.
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4
Chocolate Milk Nails for 2024
"I'm seeing a big transition to minimalist looks," says nail artist Hannah Lee. "I think a clean, natural nail look will be popular in 2024." We'll be seeing variations of neutral shades, like sandy beiges, light pinks, and deep browns, which of course, TikTokers have deemed as "chocolate milk nails." To get the creamy look, make sure to opt for a shade without shimmer (I personally love Mented Brown and Bougie and Manicurist Orme).
5
Trend for 2024: Aura Nails
Y2k fans, rejoice: Aura nails are still set to be one of the biggest trends of 2024. We saw it gain popularity on TikTok last year, but it's only going to grow, incorporating new shades and color combos, 3D effects, and rhinestones to up the ante.
If you wanna try the look at home, it's shockingly easy: Just paint your nail your go-to base shade. Then, dab your "aura" shade onto the center of your nail with a wedge makeup sponge (here's a quick tutorial if you're a ~visual learner~). But if you make it into a salon, ask if they have an airbrush gun, which can give you a more subtle gradient.
6
Simple Rhinestone Nail Trend for 2024
Less is more in 2024, including your rhinestone nail art, as seen at Sandy Liang's spring/summer 2024 runway show. Instead of all-over crystals, a few precisely-placed gems hold a lot more impact this year, says Lee. "This gives a super fresh and chic vibe which I think 2024 will be all about," she adds.
And it's majorly easy: "Just apply some top coat and attach the rhinestones before it dries to secure them in place," says Lee. The key, though, is to use itsy-bitsy rhinestones that won't overtake your entire nail. If you're heading into a salon, see if the salon has small rhinestones on hand to create simple nail art,"says Lee, or order a set of tiny rhinestones to bring to your appointment.
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7
2024 Nail Trend: Bow Accents
The balletcore trend has officially made its way to our nails. We're talkin' 3D bows, bow stickers, painted bows—basically bows are about to be everywhere. The trend fully embraces girlhood and femininity in all its forms, so it's often paired with white and light-pink nail colors, shimmery finishes, and delicate pearls and rhinestones.
8
Sheer Nail Colors for 2024
In a sea of opaque-chrome manicures and neon shades, a sheer, rosy pink has a fashionable edge (hence why it was the go-to shade at Michael Kors spring/summer 2024 show by nail artist Jin Soon Choi). It mixes "balletcore" and "quiet luxury" beautifully, emulating the classic Ballet Slippers or Bubble Bath nails mani. It's a pared-down nail look that's obviously timeless but also feels so current, à la Sofia Richie-Grainge's 2023 wedding.
9
2024 Nail Trend: Oyster Nails
"Dewy" isn't just for your skin and hair anymore. Nope, we're taking glow to our nails, thanks to the nail looks at Sandy Liang, Annie's Ibiza, and Alice and Olivia. Think: Shimmery, duo-chrome sheer shades in ultra-glossy finishes that mimic an oyster or mother of pearl. It's basically an update of the 2022 glazed-donut nail craze, just with a lot more sparkle. Just layer your milky-white or light-pink nail color with a sheer, shimmery top coat, like Sally Hansen Miracle Gel Unicorn top coat or Kiki World Pearl nail graffiti.
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10
3D Nail Art Trend for 2024
Wanna add major dimension to your manicure? Try the 3D trend, including the look above, which combines builder gel and magnetic and jelly polishes to make your nails look like they're covered in shiny, see-through glass beads, says Kandalec. The trend started in Korea and Japan years ago and is finally making its way stateside (FYI, the same thing happened with cat-eye and chrome finishes).
This trend can take many forms, including the 3D swirls and bubbles above, a fully swirled vibe, 3D bow or heart accents, water droplets, and raised French tips. But however you try it, def go to a professional, says Kandalec: "This is a new trend, and is definitely a specialty technique that I'd recommend to ask your nail tech for to make sure the gel is layered and formed properly."
Meet the experts:
- Julie Kandalec is a celebrity nail artist and educator with her own salon in New York, NY. Her client list includes Jessica Chastain, Joe Jonas, and Pink. She's also the founder of Julie K Nail Academy where she provides nail education to salons and spas.
- Hannah Lee is a nail artist and content creator based in Atlanta, GA. She started her career creating nail art on her YouTube channel while attending nail tech training, and has since created looks for editorial shoots and red carpets.
Why trust ‘Cosmopolitan’?
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with five years of experience researching, writing, and editing nail stories that range from how to remove acrylics to dip powder nails. She’s an authority in all nail categories, but is especially well-versed in nail trends, thanks to her obsession with Instagram and being a backstage rat during NYFW.
Beth Gillette
Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan, where she covers skincare, makeup, hair, nails, and more across digital and print. She can generally be found in bright eyeshadow furiously typing her latest feature or hemming and hawing about a new product you "have to try." Prior to Cosmopolitan, she wrote and edited beauty content as an Editor at The Everygirl for four years. Follow her on Instagram for makeup selfies and a new hair 'do every few months.
