The 8 Biggest Manicure Trends to Expect in 2022

Posted on Jan 24, 2022

It looks like creativity in the nail world hasn't stopped, with cute 3D decals and charms, multicolor manicures, and innovations to use in at-home manicures in the new year.

Your manicures can say a lot about you and the things you love, whether you're into minimalist designs or want dramatically long nails with sparkly gems. Your nails are like tiny art canvases and you and your manicurist are the painters controlling the brush.

Though the COVID-19 pandemic changed how we do nails as we were forced to figure out alternatives to the nail salon, the creativity and fun of the magical world of nail art never stopped. Heading into 2022, most nail salons are fully functional and folks now have the ability to experiment with new designs or stay loyal to the styles they love.

As always, we are here to share the nail-art trends we predict we'll see in 2022. Manicures look promising, with mismatched colors, remixes on old trends, and an increase in DIY product options. Here are the biggest nail trends to look for, according to the experts, upcoming launches, and our favorites here at Allure.

Multicolor Digits

Nail artist Sigourney Nuñez says that creative self-expression is a big theme for nails in the new year. That's why she predicts that multicolor manicures will remain popular. "While single-color manicures always reflect a polished appearance, manicures will continue to get more playful with color," she shares with Allure. "Mix and match shades can boost mood confidence."

Colorful manicures like Skittle nails have been popular in recent years, but Nuñez says these new manicures will involve more than a simple gradient effect. She envisions the color palette for the new manicures will better reflect the time and season with oranges and browns for the fall, a range of blues, grays, and whites for winter, or pretty pastels for spring. And multicolor manicures don't have to be simply solid colors. Folks can also play around with nail designs in complementing or contrasting shades on a solid base. She likes creating a color palette using two to five shades for her clients. She recommends tapping into the wonderful world of Pinterest for inspiration and you can also use color theory to play around with different hues.

French vs. American Manicures

If you thought the French manicure was over, well, think again. Although the French manicure never really left, colorful remixes on the traditional art, which some are calling the American manicure, will still be going strong in 2022. We saw them on the runway at Prabal Gurung's NYFW fall/winter 2020 show, where nail artist Miss Pop added dark red, arched tips to models' hands.

Celebrities have also worn creative versions of the design, like the monochromatic French mani Megan Thee Stallion wore with a baby-blue base and sheer blue tips. Beyoncé hopped on the trend as well in November with an emerald green, oval-shaped manicure with gold metallic tips.

Manicurist Gina Edwards agrees the French manicure is not going anywhere and we will continue to see colorful versions. She likes to take the trend a step further from using beige, pink, or one solid color on every nail. "I would do a different color base on each finger to make it more interesting and colorful with the coordinating tip color," she says.

To create her C-shaped tips, she likes using a fine striping brush. But if you're struggling at home, she recommends using a nail-art guide, like Orly's Half Moon Guides, to paint an impeccable tip.

Neutrals, Neutrals, and More Neutrals

Some would argue that neutral nail polishes have never gone out of style, but it seems that in the new year, people's love of nude shades will only become stronger. Toned-down shades of beige and light pink were all over the spring/summer 2022 runways during New York Fashion Week at Ulla Johnson, Jason Wu, and Tory Burch. At the Ulla Johnson and Jason Wu shows, nail artist Deborah Lippmann used her brand's Gel Lab Pro Polish in Brand New Day, a warm beige that creates a minimalist look. Models at Tory Burch walked the runway with Tenoverten's light taupe Canal on their fingertips.

Neutral polishes with warm berry undertones will also be on-trend this year, as Rebecca Isa, creative director of Zoya, predicts. "A couple of seasons ago, [Zoya's nudes] were very gray. For 2022, it still has that neutral effect but pinker," she shares. "It almost has a bloom of happiness coming through, where the grayer shades were a little bit more somber."

Try the trend yourself with a shade like OPI Nail Lacquer in Put It In Neutral, a pink-tone nude that looks great on fair skin. Chanel's Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colour in Organdi is a warm nude that works well for those in the medium skin tone range. For those with darker skin, reach for Orly's Lacquer in Dreamweaver, which gives a mauve-colored tint.

3D Decals

Manicured hands full of tiny teddy bear charms, multicolor gems, and fluffy pom-poms were all over Instagram this year. These 3D decals take manicures to the next level with interesting textures, sizes, and heights. Whether you're simply adorning your nails in a bunch of pearls or opting for colorful charms like hearts and flowers, adding decals can elevate your manicure — and they are just so cute.

One of our favorite celebrity inspirations for nail art, Megan Thee Stallion, has hopped on this trend before with her Kawaii-inspired nails that had tiny flowers, bows, and Hello Kitty charms in yellow, purple, blue, and green. Three-dimensional shapes and figures in transparent or colorful jelly colors have also made their way from Korea and Japan. Tennis player Naomi Osaka tested out the trend with a multicolor manicure featuring three-dimensional bears in matching shades on each finger.

Ride the Waves

Edwards predicts a rise in multicolor swirl designs on negative space or a nude base. She's seen people become more interested in "creative and freeform" nail art and has spotted the wavy designs on editorial shoots and folks on the street. "The trend is going to be [popular] because you still have that negative space, but [the waves] allow you to have color, depth, and fun at the same time," she says.

When she creates a swirled manicure on clients or herself, she likes to start with an opaque nude polish as the base color. Then she'll use a fine striper brush to paint on her swirls, starting with the lighter color and then using the darker shade. "Whatever dominant color I use on one hand, I try to do the design on the other hand in the opposite way, so [the nails] are not all the same," she explains.

You may have already noticed this trend on your Instagram feed or seen hashtags like #swirlnails or #wavynails, and we're sure the number of posts will only increase as more and more people tap into the style.

Mixed Textures

A good topcoat is a necessity to preserve any manicure, but Nuñez recommends reaching for matte or pearlescent ones in 2022. "While a glossy top typically reigns supreme, next year people will want to transform their shades with a matte or pearlescent topcoat to give their tried-and-true colors a revived vibe," she shares.

She loves to use the Pleasing Pearly Tops Polish (she worked on the photo shoot for the brand's launch) to add a matte and slightly pearlescent effect to her manicures. If you prefer just a matte finish, OPI Matte Topcoat works well.

We won't know for sure what the next year will look like, but we're sure that with these creative nail art ideas, all of our manicures will look fabulous.

Here Original article: https://www.allure.com/story/nail-art-manicure-trends-2022