The year 2022 was a big one for nail trends, with celebrity manicures going viral and the most in-demand manicurists becoming fully-fledged influencers. So what does this year have in store? From low-maintenance styles to elevated nail accessories, these are the five nail trends set to take over your Instagram feed in 2023.
Subtle Chrome
Chrome doesn’t automatically mean bling. OPI global ambassador Harriet Westmoreland predicts that chrome, but not as you know it, will be big for 2023, pointing to the shade’s grown-up evolution. Westmoreland will be using chrome but over opaque and sheer base shades, giving nails a glossy, healthy appearance. National nail studio Townhouse has created Dazzling Disco, a chrome-topped opaque design that’s a new take on the summer’s glazed doughnut nail trend, which was inspired by Hayley Bieber’s ultra-shiny manicure. Try a milky shade topped with chrome for a glazed, glossy finish.
Clean, Simple Nails
The trend for healthy-looking hair followed a period of intense grooming and maintenance in lockdown. Now, nails are following suit: expect to see minimal manicures that show off healthy, pristine nails buffed to perfection everywhere you look in 2023. “Shades like OPI’s Bubble Bath and Love Is In The Bare are perfect for clean, simple nails,” explains manicurist Iram Shelton. These colours hide any imperfections while enhancing the nails for a look that is clean, well-manicured, and healthy. Low-maintenance everyday nails, sorted.
Barely-There French
French manicures had a mini comeback last year, but for 2023, they’re even more desirable. “French manicures will be barely there and very thin and natural for 2023,” says Westmoreland of the updated classic. Think hardly noticeable, fine white tips that make hands and nails look chic and expensive. You’ll also see these fine lines applied in a reverse French—just as simple and impactful.
Nail Accents
From rhinestones to glitter to playing with matte and gloss topcoats, textured accents will continue to be popular in 2023, with an emphasis on playful designs. Whether it’s a reverse French with a line of glitter hugging the cuticle or a simple crystal as a dot accent on each nail, these simple, subtle additions are an easy way into the trend if nail art isn’t for you.
Nail Jewelry and Metallics
Nail piercings and other jewelry-inspired materials will be big in 2023. Longer nails will replace the shorter styles that reigned in 2022—perfect for piercing with dangling diamante add-ons to really make a statement. They should be combined with a clean, simple manicure to keep the focus on those accessories. Practical? Not really. Attention-grabbing? Absolutely.
This article was originally published on Vogue UK.
