Selena Gomez and Heidi Klum said: Vanilla chai nails are the official minimalist nail trend for fall 2024.
Beverage-inspired manicures are all the rage right now (see Selena’s latest apple manicure), and celebrities and beauty lovers are especially obsessed with vanilla chai nails this season. Almost naked, but not quite, vanilla chai proves that neutral shades don’t have to be boring.
Well-known nail stylist Tom Bachik, whose clients include: Selena, Heidi Klum and Jennifer Lopez tell GLAMOR that neutral shades are very popular this season. “People want their nails to look their best: clean, fresh, just polished, but subtle and chic,” says Tom. “Neutral shades are also so versatile that they go with any look.”
Another benefit? “When your schedule is tight and you have to wait between nail appointments, you don’t notice regrowth like you do with darker shades,” she explains. It’s no wonder so many busy A-listers are fans of the low-maintenance style.
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And what makes vanilla chai nails look so good? “I would describe vanilla chai nails as a high-shine, semi-opaque and beige beige shade,” says Tom. “The color should be a shade lighter than your skin tone and match your highlights, as this will make your nails stand out but be purposefully understated.”
It’s “perfectly subtle and chic,” Tom continues, calling it “the perfect nude.” It’s also editorially approved: “I just used this look on my most important client, my daughter, yesterday!” says. “She’s a model for another campaign.” Cute!
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Feeling inspired? Here’s how to get vanilla chai nails yourself. “The key to this look is three things,” she says. “A perfect manicure is number one: I use my favorite Tweezerman tools (…) to create a thorough manicure and highlight primer before applying color.”
Then add your chosen color. “The semi-opaque beige nude shade – not pink – makes it a suitable shade for fall,” says Tom. Think: OPI’s Samoan Sand and Essie’s Sand Tropez.
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And last but not least? High gloss. “A thick, high-gloss topcoat allows the intended subtle shade to shine and really catch the eye,” Tom concludes. For regular polish, try OPI Mirror Shine Top Coat. For gel, consider Vishine’s Top Coat Gelpolish.
See? I told you it’s easy to make your own. Start your vanilla chai nail journey today and shop the essentials below.
OPI Samoan Sand Nail Polish
OPI Mirror Shine Top Coat
Danielle Sinay is the deputy beauty editor at GLAMOR US. Follow her on Instagram @daniellesinay.
This feature originally appeared on GLAMOR US.