Here’s the thing about nails, and why we love talking about them: they’re personal. We each have unique preferences when it comes to our favourite nail colour of the moment or how we like our nails shaped. Then there’s the biggest question: gel polish or regular polish?
We support both teams. Some people choose regular polish to avoid nail lamps and a cumbersome and sometimes-damaging gel removal process. Others opt for services that keep their nails “done” for a full month choosing dip powder gels and builder-in-a-bottle gels. But this year, we’re interested in the nail trends — both in niche designs we’ll see and more general movements in nail health — that will take place in 2024. Here, we spoke to a few nail experts to glean insights into the
Nail experts and artists alike are in agreement that nail health will be a priority in 2024. This doesn’t necessarily mean bare nails, but a focus on products that help strengthen nails so they feel healthy, not thin or sensitive. “A well-shaped and glowing nail feels good and makes us feel well cared for,” explains nail expert Jan Arnold, the cofounder of CND. “Plus, there are so many new, incredible breakthroughs in the nail industry to achieve beautiful nails.”
Not sure where to start? A nail-repair serum is great: our editors named OPI Repair Mode Bond Building Serum, £29, one of the best beauty products of 2023. We’d recommend a gentle, non-acetone polish remover, like Revlon Cutex Non-Acetone Nail Polish Remover, £2.50. Then, every nail pro worth their salt extols the benefits of cuticle oil. Something like CND SolarOil, £13.95, or Leighton Denny Nail & Cuticle Oil, £14, will ward off dryness, which may lead to hangnails, and keep the nail and nail bed hydrated.
