2026 Nail Trend Predictions: The 10 Colors, Designs, and Shapes You’ll Be Seeing Everywhere in the New Year

Cat eye manicures were everywhere in 2025, and we can expect to see more of them in 2026, but with a bit of a shift. “It’s more of a ‘liquid light’—it's a finer metallic particle in the gel, so it creates an illusion of it being more liquid as opposed to a chunky kind of cat eye,” says Humphrey. She adds that the surge in popularity is likely due to the better availability of Japanese and Korean nail products that specialize in these types of manicures.

Aura nails are another trend that is sticking (albeit with a slight makeover) for 2026. We're loving this "Northern Lights" effect. “It's not just one color in the middle of the nail; now the aura nail has leveled up so that it's several colors on a nail,” Humphrey says. “Whatever background you choose, you would have, say, three complementary colors all sprayed on with an airbrush or your chosen method. You create this effect that’s similar to a thermographic image; they all tie in nicely together. Think diffused halos, that sort of ambient glow within an aura nail.”

If you love a liquid chrome or molten gold moment on your nails, you’re in luck, as those will absolutely be trending in 2026. “I think there's definitely going to be a continuation of these gold or silver, molten metallic finishes,” says Humphrey. “I did this 3D golden bauble mani on Dua in the summer, so I definitely feel that molten finishes—whether that's a touch of it, whether it's maximal or minimal—will play a part in next year’s trends. “There's a product called embossing gel that creates a texture, then you can put chrome powder onto that gel, which almost looks like a gilded picture frame on the nail,” she continues. “Things like that are very luxurious and are definitely going to be prevalent next year.”

You’ve probably seen this K-beauty nail trend doing the rounds this year, and Humphrey says it’s set to stay for the year ahead. Think of them as the next iteration of jelly nails. The runny, translucent amber shade looks just like maple syrup. It's a great base for chrome details or accent nails. Humphrey loves this example of syrup-meets-plaid nails for 2026.

Intentionally short nails are also seeing a bit of a comeback that’ll continue into 2026. (Not for me though: I’m just a millennial clinging to her almond nails.) “You've really got this resurgence of people going really short, getting rid of that almond nail and going cleaner and shorter—that’s having a major moment,” Humphrey says. “I'd say it's a petite length, but it's intentionally short. It feels very modern, wearable, and maybe a bit editorial, so to speak.”

Loved for their cuteness and minimalism, polka dots sprang back onto the nail scene this year and will continue to dominate well into the New Year. “It's a fun trend that anyone can recreate at home,” says Humphrey's. “There's a bit of skill in getting it correct in the placement and sizing, but it's not actually the hardest thing to do, so it's quite nice that everyone can give it a go, whether you're DIYing or seeing a nail tech.”

And what goes hand in hand with spots? Stripes! For 2026, it’s all about vertical stripes. “Another trend that I'm seeing moving into 2026 is linear nail art, so stripes on a nail,” says Humphrey. “We're talking literal duvet set, clean stripes on the nail. That, once again, can feed into other trends, like the cat eye trend—so a cat eye underneath with linear stripes on top.”

Another key nail color trend will be earth tones, like browns, slate, mushroom, stone, and other neutrals, says Humphrey. “Brown seems to be really prevalent in fashion at the moment, so I think anything within that sort of earthy palette is really nice. Think of a lovely khaki green, an earthy gray, all different tones of browns; they're just very cool, neutral colors—and they go with most outfits too, adds Humphrey.