Some beauty products do more than just go viral—their existence creates entire trends. Like, the Dyson Airwrap kickstarted the coveted at-home bouncy blowout, Charlotte Tilbury’s Hollywood Flawless Filter changed the way we think about glowy makeup, and OPI’s Bubble Bath Nail Lacquer basically created an entire manicure trend with just one color.
Whether you’re a manicure minimalist through and through, or just need a reset from intricate nail art, a light pink shade is always an unfailing choice—which is exactly where bubble bath nails come in. Inspired by the eponymous OPI shade, it’s long been considered the gold standard for a barely-there pink. Bubble bath nails work across nail shapes, lengths, and skin tones for that ‘your nails but better’ finish.
Ahead, everything to know about the bubble bath nail trend, insight from a nail artist, plus plenty of inspo for your next manicure.
What are bubble bath nails?
“Bubble bath nails are a slightly sheer, pinky nude nail look made popular by OPI's famous color, Bubble Bath,” says manicurist Mazz Hanna. Yup, shockingly, bubble bath nails have nothing to do with actual soapy bubble baths, but it does give that ‘clean girl’ finish, similarly to a restorative bathing session. Basically, it's a light pink nail color for those who want their nails to look elevated while maintaining a natural finish. And you can customize it to be as sheer or as opaque as you like, depending on how many coats you use.
How to get bubble bath nails:
Bubble bath nails are easy to DIY at home or ask for at the salon, according to Hanna. “Once you finish giving yourself an at-home manicure by grooming your cuticles and filing and shaping your nails, simply apply two coats of your nail polish of choice and then seal it in with a top coat,” Hanna says.
The choice of color depends on your personal preference, but some popular options include the original OPI Bubble Bath, Dazzle Dry Livin’ La Vida Yoga, or Essie’s Ballet Slippers. None of these shades is streaky, which can be a common issue when using softer, light-colored shades.
Bubble bath nail inspo:
Meet the experts:
- Mazz Hanna is a nail artist with celebrity clients like Halsey, Constance Wu, and Julia Roberts. She's also the founder of her own line of skin and nail care.
Why trust Cosmopolitan?
Jasmine Hyman is the assistant beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with more than three years of experience. She works closely with the top nail celebrity nail artists, tests all the latest polish launches, and spends hours researching all the biggest manicure trends.
Jasmine Hyman is the Assistant Beauty Editor at Cosmopolitan, where she writes about the latest beauty trends and must-have products. Her most prized beauty possessions are a meticulous skincare routine and salon blowouts. You’ll also likely find her in bed reading a good book or endlessly scrolling TikTok (spoiler: it’s usually the latter) while listening to Harry Styles’ entire discography on repeat. Follow her on Insta to be inundated with pictures of her meals.
Iman Balagam is a freelance writer who has been in the beauty industry for nearly five years. She has written for and contributed to top women’s magazines and digital brands such as Harper's BAZAAR, Allure, Byrdie, Elle and more. She will try *nearly* anything and spends a lot of time looking for new ways to store her beauty products in a small New York apartment.
