This fall, nail art takes center stage with sumptuous textures, moody French tips, and a touch of bling, offering a plethora of options to elevate your seasonal style.
Fall 2024’s nail art trends deliver exactly what we crave for autumn: warmth, decadence, and rich textures - ALOT of texture! Think faux croc, tortoiseshell, glitzy glitter, and 3D gels transforming nails into delicate pearls or chunky cable-knit designs. Inspired by fall fashion and accessories, these trends perfectly complement the season’s cozy vibes, from cooler air to pumpkin spice lattes back at Starbucks.
Here's a breakdown of the top nail looks you won't want to miss this autumn.
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Fall 2024’s Nail Trends: Sumptuous Textures
3D textures
This fall, expect a surge in 3D-textured nails, Fall 2024 is a tactile feast in nail art! 3D textures and innovative materials will have their moment. Leading industry experts like Rita Pinto and Sarah Chue point to new 3D gels from brands such as The Gel Bottle and Function of Vex driving this trend. These gels enable creative expressions ranging from delicate pearls to chunky cable-knit prints, ideal for embracing the cozy vibes of autumn or adding a futuristic flair to your look.
Versatility of 3D Gels: These gels can be layered over gel colors or chrome polishes, offering limitless possibilities for customization.
Texture Inspiration: Consider faux croc, tortoiseshell, and glittery finishes, echoing current fashion trends.
“You can leave them clear over a gel color, go over them with a chrome polish, or on top of any other color to give it a fun pop to its overall look.” says Sarah
Boosted by new building gels hitting the market. Rita Pinto, founder of Vanity Projects nail art salons in NYC and Miami, highlights brands like The Gel Bottle and Function of Vex for their versatile 3D gel options. According to Sarah Chue, an LA-based editorial nail artist, these gels can enhance any design, whether layered over gel colors, chrome polish, or other shades, for a playful twist on nail aesthetics.
Pearl Finishes
If you're still embracing the coquette aesthetic, infuse those frilly, feminine vibes into your fall look with a pearly manicure—one of Pinto’s top trends for the season.
How to Recreate This Look
The simplest way to achieve this look is by painting your nails a shimmering opalescent white. For a more elevated effect, consider adding 3D elements using flat-back pearls (available on Amazon or at craft stores) or crafting them with pearlescent 3D gel, which offers a more advanced technique for achieving this stylish trend.
Conceptual Camo
It looks like Pharrell Williams’s spring 2024 line for Louis Vuitton sparked a trend in conceptual camouflage," notes Jordan, foreseeing an increase in abstract camouflage patterns. Jordan's manicure interpretation of this trend features a blended design with three or four shades of green and brown, using vertical dry brushstrokes.
How to Recreate This Look
Start with a dark green base and let that dry or cure, depending on the type of polish you’re using. Next, use a dotting tool to randomly place small spots of different green and brown lacquers across the nail, and then take a dry ombré nail brush and blend the colors together, before locking the design in place with a topcoat.
Tortoiseshell Tips
Los Angeles-based nail artist Bana Jarjour highlights the autumnal vibes of a warm palette featuring browns and oranges, emphasizing the trend of tortoiseshell prints. Designer Marc Jacobs, entered the chat this year. In June, Jacobs elevated the trend by embellishing his extra-long tortoise-print nails with Swarovski crystals.
“The base color is a combination of chocolate brown and yellow, but the yellow has to be a jelly finish, You can transform any cream polish into jelly by mixing it with clear polish." Says Jarjour.
This print is surprisingly easy to pull off at home, regardless of your nail art skills.
How to Recreate This Look
Start by mixing a brown and jelly-yellow polish onto a palette (Jarjour suggests a drop of brown into a brush’s worth of jelly-yellow).
After it’s thoroughly blended, apply two coats of this new polish onto your nail. Let that dry completely,
Next, use the same brown polish to “paint random blobs all over your nail,” says Jarjour.
Then blend the edges of the polish blobs by tapping them with your finger. (You can use a brush, but Jarjour finds fingers faster and easier.) “It’s important for the edges to be completely blended out to get that true tortoiseshell effect,” says Jarjour.
Let this dry, then repeat the step using smaller blobs placed slightly lower than your first set.
Finally, go in with small touches of black, and then blend it all together with one last allover layer of the jelly-yellow color followed by a topcoat to seal your design.
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Moody French Tips and Colored Polishes
For those preferring a classic aesthetic, moody French tips and richly colored polishes dominate this fall. Shades like inky black, espresso, and deep, vampy reds evoke sophistication and mystery, perfect for both everyday wear and special occasions.
French Manicure Reimagined: Explore alternatives to classic white tips with dark hues that complement fall wardrobes.
Colored Polish Palette: Embrace fiery oranges, creamy chocolates, and other warm tones that reflect the autumnal landscapes.
Croc Print
Creating a luxe faux-croc texture on your nails in warm, autumnal shades like pumpkin orange can really elevate your look for the season. To achieve this stylish effect, gel polish is recommended for its durability and glossy finish. It's a versatile trend that adds a touch of luxury to your manicure while embracing the rich colors of autumn.
“I go in a little thick with the polish, but the trick is that before you cure it, you take a clear acrylic powder and pour it on top of the dots, which creates that 3D-textured effect,” says Jarjour.
How to Recreate This Look
You got options!
Begin by covering your entire nail with a croc print for a bold statement, or focus on just the tips for a chic twist, or mix both styles for a unique and sophisticated appearance.
Lock in and cure your base layer with a top coat.
Next, use a very fine brush to draw your print in the same color. Paint wide ovals down the center, circles along the sides, and fill them in.
After curing, dust off any excess powder with a fluffy brush
Ombré Cherry Nails
Red manicures for fall are as classic as floral patterns for spring. However, for autumn 2024, nail artists are opting for a more abstract and surprising take on this seasonal shade. “Red and wine colors are always a staple in the fall,” notes Lolly Koon, a New York City-based editorial nail artist, “but this season, I’m leaving the cuticle area nude and introducing a splash of color at the tips of the nails.”
How to Recreate This Look
For Jason Wu’s fall 2024 show, Jin Soon Choi took a different approach by inverting the ombré, applying a black cherry hue near the cuticle and leaving the tips bare. Ultimately, there are no strict rules with this style. You can opt for a flawlessly blended finish or a deliberately deconstructed effect. Whether you prefer a gentle mix of pink and crimson like Koon or the deep, moody crimson that Choi showcased, there’s a way to embrace this look that suits every aesthetic.
Gothic French
The mini French manicure is a trend that endures, evolving with each season. For fall 2024, nail artists are putting a bold twist on this classic style by giving the classic a dark edge—literally.
I Just Love a good juxtaposition! This timeless design with edgy black or brown tones - is chef's kiss! This look was showcased at shows such as Luar and PatBO, perfectly embodies the soft-goth trend. BOLO for this trend that's sure to make waves on Pinterest and TikTok.
How to Create this Look
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Rave Nails
This fall, the routine is all about eat, sleep, and visit the salon for a vibrant, rave-inspired manicure— and REPEAT . Pinto has noticed an increase in requests at Vanity Projects for eye-catching, bold nail art that’s perfect for late-night dancing. Designs can range from a straightforward neon French manicure to striking black and green aura nails, reminiscent of the fall 2024 Private Policy show in New York. For those seeking something more adventurous, the options are limitless, featuring 3D gel and a unique color combination on each nail.
How to Create this Look
A Touch of Glitter
"Glitter isn't reserved for New Year's Eve. This design offers an opportunity to incorporate sparkly nails into your fall aesthetic without it feeling overly festive." Explains Jarjour,
The key lies in the color selection. Jarjour opted for a timeless sheer pink, such as OPI Bubble Bath, and layered a clear polish infused with silver and gold glitter chunks on top.
How to Recreate This Look
If you're using traditional polish instead of gel, allow the base shade to completely dry before applying the glitter. To do this, paint the glitter polish onto a latex-free makeup sponge and gently dab it onto your nails. Jarjour explains, “This method allows the sponge to soak up the clear polish in the glitter, so you won't need to apply multiple coats for adequate coverage.” If the glitter doesn’t appear exactly as you’d like, she suggests using a small brush to pick out individual sparkles from the bottle and fill in any gaps.
Sparkly Muted Pastels
“Muted pastels offer a subtle alternative to the typical dark shades we often see on nails during this season,” explains Koon.
This trend also aligns with the cool-toned makeup styles that dominated the fall 2024 runway shows.
How to Recreate This Look
These soft hues look stunning whether matte or glossy, but Koon favors adding a layer of silvery glitter on top for added dimension. She then applies a thin layer of the soft grey base polish over the glitter to “tint the sparkles and achieve a more understated overall effect.”
All-Gold Everything
The fall runways showcased a dazzling array of gold nails, thanks to designers like Di Petsa in London and The Blonds in New York. The styles ranged from minimalist to ornate, and from shimmering to sheer.
Koon is also enamored with gilded tips this season, drawing inspiration from the neutral and gold hues presented at Christian Dior's fall 2024 couture show for the abstract design she crafted above.
How to Recreate This Look
Beginning with a matte off-white base, she added swoops of gold down the the center of each nail. Koon chose a polish layered with gold powder, but you can also achieve a genuine surrealist effect—similar to Schiaparelli—by using metallic 3D gel.
Find Your Fall Nail Inspiration
Fall 2024’s nail art trends cater to everyone, from the daring trendsetter to the classic minimalist. Embrace the season’s rich palette and tactile textures to express your unique style effortlessly
Tips for your Tips
Esteemed nail artists such as Sadie Jordan and Bana Jarjour stress the significance of experimentation and using high-quality products to achieve professional-looking results. Whether opting for 3D textures or moody French tips, investing in superior tools and products ensures durability and style.
Mani Maintenance: Keep Your Nails in Top Condition
With all the stunning nail trends this fall, it's important to keep your hands and nails well-maintained. A key part of achieving a flawless manicure is ensuring that your hands and cuticles are properly cared for. The Mary Kay Satin Hands® Pampering Set is an excellent choice for keeping your skin soft, smooth, and hydrated. This set includes a hand softener, a satin smoothie scrub, and a nourishing hand cream, providing everything you need for at-home pampering.
For your cuticles, the Mary Kay Naturally® Nourishing Oil is a must-have. This lightweight oil is packed with moisture-rich ingredients that help soften and condition your cuticles, promoting healthy nail growth and preventing hangnails. Simply massage a small amount into your cuticles daily to keep them looking their best.
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