Autumnal chocolate brown nails are seriously trending right now – just ask Lily James and Hailey Bieber

When it comes to makeup, brown is often considered a universally flattering, skin-friendly shade. The same is true of chocolate brown nails, which make the wearer look polished but never overdone in the way that a vampy wine-coloured manicure can. It also reads as warm and cosy against any skin tone, while adding more interest than a nude polish, making the shade a hit for neutral nail lovers. No wonder everyone from Hailey Bieber to Lily James is crushing on chocolate brown nails right now – and the internet is following suit.

Only a few weeks ago, Hailey debuted chocolate glazed donut nails where a rich chocolate base colour was paired with a glistening topcoat meant to resemble a freshly iced donut. Given the hashtag #glazeddonutnails currently has more than 97 million views on TikTok, it’s not surprising that the nail look went viral. “I know we’re tired of my constant color switch up but… the chocolate glazed donut nails are really hitting for me for fall,” Hailey said in her post. 

Then for this year’s Emmy Awards, nail supremo Betina Goldstein painted Lily’s nails a brown hue just shy of deep mocha. Impressively, it the sweet spot of making a red carpet statement while still feeling timeless. Betina detailed all the Chanel products she used in an Instagram post, including two thin coats of Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colour in 957 Impulsion – the standout shade from the brand’s Fall/Winter ’22 nail polish collection – and a fool-proof trick for sealing the tips.

Meanwhile, earlier this year, Harriet Westmoreland, who’s always ahead of the curve, painted TV presenter Rochelle Humes’ nails a shimmery brown, coining the look ‘Cocoa Sparkle’. Proof, surely, that this hue looks chic all year round.