I Could Have a PhD in Predicting Nail Trends—8 Manicures I'm Expecting to Soar in 2026

Quick humble brag: I have a special knack for forecasting nail trends. It truly brings me joy to dive into the season's most fashion-forward manicures and speculate on what we'll see next (good thing it's my job, right?), and I've been right on the money on more than a few occasions. Case in point: jelly bean nails for summer, rum raisin nails for fall, and nail crowns for whenever you want to exude a bit of elegance. If you're in the market for a design that feels chic, up-to-date, and non-basic, trust me—you've come to the right place.

As you can probably guess, I've had 2026 nail trends on the brain way before we entered the new year, and after saving a zillion IG photos, screenshotting under-the-radar Pinterest finds, and, of course, consulting trusted experts on their current obsessions, I'm finally ready to share my predictions. Scroll ahead for the eight trends we're bound to see crop up in the next few months. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Milk Bath Nails

"I think we will see a lot of milk bath nails (replacing the crowd favorite soap nails)," declares nail artist Fariha Ali. "I am definitely of the mind that milky white will be the new soft pink." You heard it here first! Both hues are undoubtedly classic, of course, but Ali predicts an oat or almond milk situation to be more popular than ever—namely, thanks to Pantone's Color of the Year, Cloud Dancer.

"People are pining for the soft life now more than ever, and with that, we'll probably see a lot of soft whites," she adds. Not to mention, sheer gel polishes are becoming increasingly more sophisticated with streak-free finishes that have the perfect amount of opacity. "This will be the reason why [the] 2026 sheer-white mani will look so much better than their 2019 sheer-white mani and match literally any outfit or vibe," Ali notes.

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Y2K Mauve

That's not to say pink is "out." Rather, "I think the Y2K mauve pinks are making a comeback," Ali notes. I'm inclined to agree, as we saw rum raisin shades (aka, cool-toned berry mauves) dominate this fall. It's certainly a cozy choice for the cooler months, but it's actually pretty versatile for year-round manis. Just take it from nail artist Coca Michelle, who relied on a rum raisin shade for one of the nail looks for Grace Ling’s spring/summer 2026 show. "It can give grunge but also chic and mysterious," she previously told WWW about the trend.

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Built-In Pearl

I know, I know—a pearlescent, glazed-donut mani doesn't seem too groundbreaking. But according to Ali, you no longer need chrome powder to achieve the viral, Hailey Bieber-approved manicure. "I see more of it built into the polish as opposed to a chrome layer or glitter topper," she shares. Virality breeds innovation, it seems, and the updated iridescent polishes prove that this design isn't slowing down in the slightest.

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Waterdrop Manis

Speaking of product innovations, Ali shares that cat-eye technology (aka, polish with magnetic pigments) has also come a long way. "The latest iterations are made with the smallest pigment size and, when activated, look like a drop of light trapped under your nails," she describes. Enter, waterdrop manicures. According to celebrity nail artist Julie Kandalec, who recently attended the 2025 Tokyo Nail Expo (one of the largest nail festivals in the world), these magnetic nails with no visible glitter particles are poised to rise in popularity.

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Back to Nature

When it comes to nail art, both Kandalec and Ali expect natural elements to shine through, especially stones like marble, opal, and geodes. By subtly layering different tones and/or glitters, you can create designs that are "less flashy but total conversation starters," notes Ali. She's also seen an uptick in tone-on-tone color parings (think white-on-white marble looks), which give more of a quiet luxury feel, as well as a "back to nature" color theme with soft neutrals and muted pinks.

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3D Gummy Nails

Textured nail art was one of the biggest trends Kandalec noticed from the Tokyo Nail Expo, namely a gummy-like, 3D finish. "3D gummy nails have been trying to emerge the past few years, but I think this will really stick around," she shares, noting that sheer, jelly neon shades will be incredibly popular as we head into spring and summer. If 2025 was defined by molten manicures (think 3D chrome layers), then 2026 will have more of a fun, candy-like feel. I personally can't wait to play.

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Rich Brown

A rich, chocolate brown is arguably the most elegant winter shade, both in the fashion and beauty space. Think suede coats, cashmere sweaters, expensive-looking hair colors, and, of course, deep, moody manis. While it's an undoubtedly chic choice for the colder months, Kandalec predicts brown polishes to stick around much longer, especially because there are so many iterations to experiment with—mix-and-match tones, marble swirls, gradient sets, etc.

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Plaid

"I think plaid will stick around for a while too," Kandalec declares. See, you might associate the classic checked pattern with fall and winter (very "Ralph Lauren Christmas," no?), but swap the moody hues for a spring- or summer-coded colorway, and the manicure instantly adheres to any season. Take Kylie Jenner's jelly plaid manicure (pictured above), for example. Celebrity nail artist Zola Ganzorigt used a variety of sheer polishes for the multicolored look, including a creamy lilac and deep blue that adds a fresh, modern edge to the preppy design. Just make sure to mix your polish of choice with a top coat, like Ganzorigt, to achieve that milky finish.

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