Style Skincare Hands and Feet Nail Care These Are the 10 Top Nail Trends of 2023, According to Experts The best looks at the tips of your fingers. By Hana Hong Hana Hong Hana Hong is the beauty & fashion editor at RealSimple.com. She has been a writer and editor in the beauty and fashion industry for more than six years, sharing her expansive knowledge on skincare, hair care, makeup, fashion, and more. In addition to her broad network of beauty experts, she uses her family's background and training in skin science and cosmetic chemistry to differentiate between effective skincare formulations and marketing jargon. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Published on December 15, 2022 Trending Videos Close this video player Photo: marigo20/Getty Images In my opinion, a woman’s hands are the ultimate form of self-expression (even more so if you’re a hand talker). From nail shape to hygiene to design of choice, the truth is you can tell a lot about a person based on their hands. It’s also one of the easiest ways to experiment with your look by playing with colors, textures, designs, and shapes—and unlike switching up your hair color or hairstyle, it doesn’t have to be too committal. The good thing about nail trends is that it’s fairly non-judgmental—there's no color or design that's ever deemed “out of style” because nail aesthetic is so subjective. However, #nailart inspo is easily spreadable thanks to the plethora of hand selfies on social media, sparking trends that nail artists get more requests to fulfill. From classic nail colors to more daring nail designs, we rounded up a slew of nail looks that are predicted to be extra trendy this coming year—and sure to spark inspiration for your next mani. 01 of 10 Chrome Nails Ever since Hailey Bieber wore glazed donut nails (the trendy beauty name for chrome nails) to the Met Gala, nail artists around the country have invested in chrome powder as chrome nails ranked as the top nail trend of 2022. (The hashtag has racked up almost 300 million views on TikTok and a search increase of 306%.) Lizzo, Zendaya, and Dua Lipa are just a few of the A-list celebrities that have been seen sporting the mirror effect nails, in a rainbow kaleidoscope of colors and styles. 02 of 10 Micronails As barely-there bobs and short miniskirts rise in popularity, Pinterest is predicting “microbeauty” to be the next big thing in beauty. What does this mean for nails? Millennials and Gen-Zers are trading in their long, coffin-shaped nails for mini French manis. Think simple designs, natural shapes, and neutral colors that embody minimalism. 03 of 10 Half-Moon Nails Speaking of minimalism, half-moon nails is the simple nail trend experiencing a recent resurgence. Like the name implies, it involves painting a single color (or an outline) over the lunula (the small rounded shadow at the bottom of each nail). “This trend is loved for its versatility,” says the experts at Spa Seekers. “It’s able to work across many nail lengths and shapes, and can be incorporated with many other nail trends, designs, and colors.” 04 of 10 Glass Nails Rounding out the bottom of the top festive nail trends this year (and continuing into 2023) is glass nails, a nail trend created by nail artist Eunkyung Park which uses finely-cut holographic foil to create the illusion of shards of glass. The magical end result looks like an expertly-crafted stain-glass window. 05 of 10 Tortoise Nails This layering technique using caramel, brown, and black shades is going to be a huge hit this year, with searches up by 1900% on Pinterest. “Tortoiseshell nails are back in full force,” agrees Nick Drewe, Trend Expert at Wethrift. “Animal prints seem to be one of the hottest trends of the year, but we’re stepping away from the bold prints and opting for a more toned-down design.” 06 of 10 Pop Art Pop art, i.e. cartoon nails, is the latest nail trend to take over social media, dominating our Instagram and TikTok feeds in a variety of styles. This fun design provides a three-dimensional effect with a one-dimensional finish. Experts agree that it’s better when painted with bright pops of color, with black and white nail polish as the black outline and white accents. 07 of 10 Cherry Red Considered a timeless shade, Drewe says that cherry red is becoming a firm favorite among manicurists next year. Go simple by creating a red French tip, get creative with a fun design, or play around with different colors to create a rainbow effect. If you want something that leans on the classy side, opt for a simple red gloss finish. 08 of 10 Galaxy Nails From moon silhouettes to starry details, it seems that our fascination with what’s happening in the sky is bleeding into nail art inspo. "We’re seeing the celestial nail trend everywhere,” says Drewe. “Not only is the astronomy-themed design versatile, it also pairs well with nails of all different lengths and shapes.” 09 of 10 Forest Green If you love earthy tones, a forest green mani is a must-try shade this season, with searches up by a whopping 115% on Pinterest. Drewe says the muted hue has just enough depth to make a statement, but is soft enough to go with literally anything. 10 of 10 ‘70s Swirls Fans of abstract art are fawning over swirl art, a design boasting twists, turns, spirals, and bends in various colors.“You can’t go wrong with a single color, but if you’re looking for something more unexpected, ‘70s swirls are on-trend,” says Drewe. “It’s a fresh way to embrace darker tones and give your traditional solid shade a break.” Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit