Welcome to fall, a season of new energy. We’re shopping for upcoming weddings, getting haircuts, going back to school or the office full time. When it comes to choosing something as seemingly mundane as a nail polish color for September and October (Libra season!), we’re being mindful about the tones we’re gravitating towards and why — because even more fun than painting your nails is doing it with intention.
Here, our editors and resident nail experts get into the specific shades we’re wearing right now and why we think that the tones will resonate this fall. Maybe a shiny “lip gloss” manicure speaks to you like it does me. It could be that you’re more of a dark-nail person, in which case, we see you, too. Whatever draws you, we have an IG save and a polish rec for an upcoming manicure.
Bubble Gum Chrome
Nail artist Alexandra Teleki (@thehotblend) recently posted this photo of a reflective sheer pink manicure, a trend that she’s coined “bubble gum thermo chrome.” Thermo chrome is a polish that changes colors under the light of a UV lamp. This one looks slightly purple in the bottle then turns to pink on the nails. If you’re at the salon, go for a gel manicure. Look for a shade of pink or purple that’s thin, almost transparent — you want to be able to still see your natural nails underneath two coats. Then, make sure to ask for a dusting of chrome powder over top.
Poppy Orange
Red nail polish is more timeless than trendy. However, if you’ve been avoiding red tones over the summer, now is the time to reconsider. According to author and color expert Walaa, shades of red offer us energy while oranges allow us to get in touch with our emotions. Nail artist Jess Brush (@thenailbetch) says that red with orange undertones, as opposed to blue, tend to be more flattering. Here, nail content creator Lauren (@lolo.nailedit) proves it, wearing Hermes 39 in Orange Poppy.
“Unusual” Green
Rachel Apfel Glass, the founder of Glosslab, offered her prediction on fall tones, mentioning “unexpected” or “unusual” greens. Now, in the fall, a shade like emerald or a pine feels obvious, but the key when it comes to green is to think beyond the expected. Instead, opt for a transitional green, more of a light sage or a matcha tone. This press-on manicure, Oasis by Glamnetic, hits on the trend, so you don’t have to use polish or schedule a salon appointment.
Black Accent
With the rise of trends like the micro French manicure, black nail polish is seeing a resurgence. Historically, black nail polish is a micro trend backstage at NYFW. But to make it more wearable, most pros recommend using black as your accent to a neutral nail look. Here, digital creator Andréa Barbet (@m.o.n.a.j) shows a minimalist manicure with a black stripe curved around the one side of each nail — a fun twist on the French tip, rotated to the side.
Vintage Silver
At Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour, head-to-toe silver was the fandom trend (even if you weren’t there, you saw it on Instagram). Now, tones of silver glitter have infiltrated the nail trend space. Here, Jin Soon Choi, nail artist and the founder of the eponymous salon brand, shows this “vintage silver” polish, which feels both antique and modern at the same time. You could also veer the trend towards a warmer metallic, like copper. But silver is really having a renaissance.
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