Forget high-shine chrome nails and milky white manicures. “Sunglass nails” is the new, sheer nail trend giving this autumn’s manicure a colourful update. New York Fashion Week isn’t just the place where upcoming fashion trends are born. On the beauty front, too, fashion week offers a range of looks we’re guaranteed to see more of going forward.
One of the trends that has already caught our attention is “sunglass nails”.
The name describes the sheer, lightly tinted finish, which can resemble the lenses of a pair of sunglasses. Think muted shades of caramel, pink, green and golden brown, topped with plenty of shine.
Inspired by sunglass lenses
The nail trend appeared at Diane von Furstenberg’s first New York Fashion Week show in nine years.
Manicurist Miss Pop was behind the nails and took inspiration from Harry Zankov’s first collection for the fashion house. The deep brown tones, clear green shades and sheer fabrics from the collection were carried over into the models’ manicures.The result was gossamer-thin layers of nail polish and a glossy, pearlescent finish. Rather than covering the nail completely, the colour is meant to give just a hint of tint, much like a pair of lightly tinted sunglasses.
According to Allure, several variations were created for the show. Some models got a golden-brown manicure with lots of shine, while others wore a blend of pink and caramel tones. A sheer green variant gave the nails a look inspired by sea glass.
A continuation of “jelly nails”
“Sunglass nails” build on the popular “glass nails” and “jelly nails”, both characterised by sheer colours and an almost jelly-like shine.
The difference lies primarily in the choice of colours. While earlier versions have often come in clear pink or peach tones, the new trend takes its inspiration from smoked and tinted sunglass lenses.
That also makes the manicure perfect for the transition between summer and autumn. The sheer layers keep the look light and playful, while caramel, jade green and golden brown add warmer autumn tones.
How to get “sunglass nails”
Fortunately, you need neither a nail artist nor backstage access at fashion week to copy the trend.
Choose a sheer nail polish in a pink, brown, green or golden tone. Apply one or two very thin coats so that the natural nail still shows through. Finish with a glossy top coat to get the glass-like finish.
In other words, this isn’t about a perfect, full-coverage manicure. The lighter and more sheer the colour, the more your nails will resemble a pair of tinted sunglass lenses. Simple, glossy and nostalgic. We predict that “sunglass nails” will be autumn’s next big nail trend.