The 8 Biggest Manicure Trends to Expect in 2022

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 runway during New York Fashion Week at Ulla Johnson, Jason Wu, and Tory Burch. At the Ulla Johnson and Jason Wu shows, nail artist Deborah Lippman used her brand’s own Gel Lab Pro Polish in Brand New Way, which is a warm beige hue to create a minimalist look. Models at Tory Burch walked down the runway with Tenoverten’s light taupe Canal nail polish painted 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 it, whereas the grayer shades were a little bit more somber.” 

Try the trend out yourself with a shade like OPI Nail Lacquer in Put It In Neutral, a pink-toned 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. 

Time to DIY 

When nail salons were closed due to COVID-19, folks were forced to DIY at home, leading to a rise in press-on nails and other innovative products like nail polish strips and stickers to make it easy. Though many nail salons are now open and functional, these easy-to-apply at-home manicures have not lost their popularity. Beauty brands, including Olive & June, PaintLab, and Ace Beaute (and even non-beauty brands like PopSocket) have launched their own press-on sets to add to the increasing market.

If press-on nails aren’t your speed, nail wraps may be the better route. Brands like two-time Best of Beauty-winner ManiMe and Scratch Nail Wraps are helping to simplify the at-home manicure even more with their strips of nail polish. You stick them on the nail, file to fit your shape, and go. If you’re worried about how to apply them on shorter nails, don’t worry; we have this easy guide full of tips for you.