Aesthetically, 2023 was a balanced scale, one side weighing quiet luxury and practiced minimalism, the other laden with cores, from Barbie to mermaid. And along the way, artists and creators alike dreamed up the manicures to match. From French revolutions and milky topcoats to surrealist art and tone-on-tone takes, nail trends found power through subtlety, even the most expressive of additions applied with an effective air of artistic restraint. And as for 2024? The year is slated to welcome all things light and bright.
“There’s an exciting shift happening in nail colors and finishes, moving toward a more vibrant and airy look, which is a departure from the deep, rich colors and opaque finishes that have dominated recent trends,” says nail artist Jin Soon Choi. This want extends from ethereal polishes to the primary colors sure to punctuate your forthcoming looks.
Access to enhanced methodologies will play a part, too. Nail artist Betina Goldstein expects to see more hyper-realistic nail art—3D, though applied with a minimalist slant—while Steph Stone anticipates an onslaught of new and improved approaches. “Most of my predictions come from seeing the technology of nails evolve,” says Stone, who cites new ilks of gel and new layering techniques as examples. “We’re getting more and more mediums to create nail art with and I think in 2024 we’re going to see a lot of curiosity around what can be done with them!”
