The Chicest People I Know Wear a Bespoke Nail Colour—7 Layering Combos That Always Look Expensive

Layering your nail colours is the chic way to claim a signature manicure, and these nail-polish layering combos are beloved by luxury nail techs.

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A collage of manicured nails with different nail polish layering combos
(Image credit: Who What Wear UK)
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As a beauty journalist who spots nail trends for a living and who spends a lot of time speaking to celebrity nail techs as part of my job, I'm always looking at the emerging nail colour trends. And in my quest to achieve my most expensive-looking nails yet, I've often noticed that top manicurists will rarely use just one shade of nail polish or gel polish for their manicures. In fact, they'll often combine nail colours to create a custom shade for their VIP clientele.

Nail polish layering means you can achieve a bespoke blend that perfectly suits your nails and your skin tone. And what could be more luxurious than a tailored combo? It also means you can experiment with different finishes, from sheer nail colours to shimmer nail polishes, meaning you can get endless results. I've previously written about the best OPI nail layering combos (such as the iconic Bubble Bunny combo), but thankfully, some of the best nail polish layering combinations come in both gel polish form and in at-home nail polish formulas, meaning you can easily try the combo if you can't make it to the salon.

So, if you're looking for your most expensive-looking manicure yet, scroll ahead. I've rounded up the best nail polish layering combos for you to try for your next mani. And if someone asks you what nail colour you're wearing, you can smugly reply "it's custom".

1. OPI Funny Bunny and Bubble Bath

OPI Bubble Bath and Funny Bunny nails

(Image credit: @iramshelton)

Arguably the most iconic and well-known nail polish layering combos of all time, OPI Bubble Bath and OPI Funny Bunny are one of our team's favourite duos for a pink milky manicure. It's even been coined its own name as Bubble Bunny, which recently inspired OPI to launch its own Bubble Bunny colour too. The combination of the milky white and sheer pink makes for a universally chic manicure that never misses. Most people like to paint two coats of Funny Bunny first before finishing with a coat of Bubble Bath for a glossy mani.

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2. OPI Bare My Soul and Put It In Neutral

OPI Bare my soul and Put it in neutral nails

(Image credit: @iramshelton)

OPI Put It In Neutral and Bare My Soul make a chic layering pair if you prefer your manicure sheer and neutral rather than overly opaque. As seen here on celebrity manicurist Iram Shelton, the combination of these two shades creates a soft, soapy finish.

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3. Manucurist Moon and Active Glow Blueberry

A manicure by Mateja with Manucurist Moon and Active Glow Blueberry nail polishes

(Image credit: @matejanova)

You'll often see manicurist Mateja Novakovik combining different Manucurist nail colours for a custom look, and this one stopped me in my tracks mid-scroll. Layering both the Active Glow Polish and Moon Nail Polish results in a satin-like finish and a pretty pink hue that instantly brightens the nails.

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4. Bio Sculpture French Rose and French Creme

A manicure by @polishedbylolo with Bio Sculpture French Creme and French Rose

(Image credit: @polishedbylolo)

French Rose and French Crème are two of Bio Sculpture's best nail colours if you love a milky pink manicure. Here, manicurist Lois Samantha has combined the two for this incredibly chic and understated manicure. Thankfully, the brand offers them both in gel polish and nail polish, so you can get the look at home if you can't make it to the salon.

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5. OPI Funny Bunny, Baby, Take a Vow and Put it in Neutral

OPI Funny Bunny, Baby, Take a Vow and Put it in Neutral nails

(Image credit: @raelondonnails)

Celebrity manicurist Georgia Rae’s mix of one coat of Funny Bunny, one coat of Baby, Take a Vow and one coat of Put It In Neutral might just be the ultimate formula for effortlessly classy nails "When I’m doing my own manicures I like to apply one super thin layer of Funny Bunny followed by a layer of Love Is In the Bare or Baby, Take A Vow," says Rae. "On a deeper skin tone, I’d layer it with Put It In Neutral, which has a more beige undertone. Both shades allow the sheer white to show through but warm it up slightly so it’s not so stark," she says.

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6. Manucurist Active Plump and Active Smooth 02

A manicure by @matejanova using manucurist active plump and active smooth 02

(Image credit: @matejanova)

Shimmery nail polishes have been trending, and I love this combo for a barely-there sparkle. The Manucurist Active Smooth base acts like a tinted moisturiser for the nails, whilst the hint of sparkle from the Active Plump nail polish adds a sheer sparkle that's so pretty.

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7. OPI Funny Bunny and Alpine Snow

OPI alpine snow and funny bunny nails

(Image credit: @iramshelton)

How stunning is this soft, milky French manicure? Shelton crafted the look using OPI Funny Bunny as the base colour and finished it with Alpine Snow on the tips. The combination of the sheer milky polish and crisp white tips creates one of the most stylish OPI nail pairings you can try if you want a French mani.

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Eleanor Vousden
Eleanor Vousden
Beauty Editor, Who What Wear UK

Eleanor Vousden is the beauty editor for Who What Wear UK. She was previously deputy editor at Hairdressers Journal, health writer at Woman & Home and junior beauty editor at Powder. She has also contributed to Wallpaper and Elle Collections.

With a degree in fashion journalism from the London College of Fashion, she has 10 years of industry experience and has been highly commended at the BSME Talent Awards for her work on Powder and also contributed to the title winning Website of the Year at the PPA Awards.

Eleanor’s journalistic focus is providing readers with honest and helpful beauty content. She has interviewed celebrity makeup artists, hairstylists and dermatologists throughout her career, as well as celebrities such as Hailey Bieber, Sarah Jessica Parker and Scarlett Johansson.