Practicality isn’t the only reason for that, according to manicurist Georgia Rae, who did a naked manicure on Sofia Richie for her wedding day last spring. “I think we’re seeing a shift in every aspect to embracing and enhancing your natural beauty, and that’s what this nearly naked nail trend embodies,” she says.
Achieving the naked manicure can be as low- or as high-maintenance as you prefer, whether it involves a bare-bones buff on your natural nails, adding extensions, or doing something in-between. But what all naked manicures share is an emphasis on hand care and preparation.
Because the naked manicure leaves nothing to the imagination, keeping the nails spick, span, and hydrated is essential. Rae recommends establishing a hand-care routine when going this route. Weekly exfoliation with a scrub, using cuticle oil several times a day, and applying hand cream at night and during the day “will keep your hands looking nourished and keep your nails hydrated,” she explains. “If your nails have little white marks, this is often a sign of dehydration, and for the nearly naked manicure you want your natural nails to be in peak condition.”
Cleaning, shaping, and buffing your nails before applying polish (if you’re using any) is non-negotiable for a well executed naked manicure. “A true naked manicure is about creating a healthy, well-groomed base that allows the natural beauty of the sheer polish to shine through,” Choi explains. She recommends softening cuticles with a cuticle remover or oil before gently pushing them back with a cuticle pusher. “Avoid cutting or trimming excessively to prevent infection,” she advises. “Just snip visible hang nails only.”
Clean your nail beds with a non-acetone wipe, then buff the nail for natural shine. “Buffing and shining your nails before applying any polish, not just sheer polish, is a professional trick,” says Choi. “It smooths the nail surface, enhances shine, and allows for better polish adhesion.” (Try her Effortless Nail Buffer & Shiner or Dr. Dana’s Priming Wand.) Most buffing tools are double-sided with an abrasive side for smoothing and a softer side for shining; be careful not to overdo it with the abrasive side, which can damage your nails. Buff in an X shape, then flip the tool to the shine side and work in small, circular motions until your nails are gleaming and gorgeous.
To take the naked manicure beyond actually naked, try a sheer, tinted base coat like JINSoon’s HyperRepair, which has a hint of color; add a top coat for shine. If you’d like a little more color, try one or two coats of sheer polish atop the base coat. Choi’s picks include Essie’s beloved sheer pink Sugar Daddy and Chanel’s luxe Ballerina. Nail artist Mazz Hanna loves Manucurist’s Active Range, a line of polishes designed to enhance and treat natural nails with a barely there finish. Rae recommends Bio Sculpture’s Gemini Nourishing Nail Polish in the glowing sheer pink Sheer Admiration and Essie’s Gel Couture in Sheer Fantasy.
Though trends continue to cycle faster than you can say “quiet luxury” or “tomato girl,” many people have embraced a lower-maintenance approach to beauty, like investing in brow tinting, contouring with self-tanner to avoid wearing makeup, or opting for balayage highlights to brighten their hair color without bimonthly trips to the salon. “We have been seeing a broader trend toward minimalism, not only with nails but also in fashion and makeup,” Hanna says. “There is an emphasis on quality over quantity with timeless pieces and makeup looks that subtly enhance natural features.” On the flip side, there’s been a recent uptick of maximalist looks in other beauty departments, like the Mob Wife aesthetic with its thick black eyeliner, and the resurgence of sky-high ‘80s-inspired hairstyles. Sure, that could be due in part to people’s never-ending quest to go viral and spark microtrends on TikTok, but it also proves the point that there are just too many trends, so it’s inevitable that people would eventually desire a way to opt out.
