15 Best 2023 Fall Nail Trends to Try Now, According to Nail Experts

Lemme introduce you to probably the biggest fall beauty trend of 2023, gothcore (ahem, it was all over runways, from Maison Margiela to Dior to Proenza Schouler). It’s giving Wednesday with a hint of early ‘00s emo era. Try all-over matte-black nails for a simplistic take, top it with a matte top coat for a bit more edginess, or do a mix of both like the above with a shiny French tip.

After I saw celebrity nail artist Julie Kandalec create these truly stunning studded nails for The Blonds fall/winter 2023 runway show, I started stalking Valentino rockstud heels on Fashionphile. Because, yup, studs are back. I, personally, will be following suit by covering my entire nail in studs (or, ya know, sticking on studded press-ons), but I’m sure I’ll stick on a few stud accents to my otherwise neutral nails this fall too.

Yup, we’re going back to 2010, the year of mustaches and galaxy print. Except this fall nail trend is majorly upgraded from backpacks at Hot Topic and nyan cat to multi-chrome, shimmery finishes with deep, jewel-toned shades. Paint on a few different shades and mix them together with a nail brush to get a blended, watercolor look.

I know, dark-red nail colors for fall are ~groundbreaking~, but consider it a slightly toned-down version of stark-black, gothcore nails. Plus, there are so many depths and dimensions to choose from here, like the rusty, deep-brownish red above, or a violet, berry-toned merlot shade.

Mark my words: This will be the new “glazed donut” manicure of fall 2023. Coined “lip gloss” nails by celebrity nail artist Tom Bachik, this mani involves the same shiny gold finish as Bieber’s famous nails, but with a nude nail polish underneath that matches your skin tone. It’s basically like the nail version of outlining your lips with a neutral lip liner and topping it with lip gloss.

Ultra-thin lines make a classic French mani look way cooler, IMO, especially when paired with short, squared-off nails, says Green. Why? Because of their matching angles and lines. “We’ve seen a rise in micro-French manis on square nail shapes, because they look much more seamless on square tips,” she says. If you need a little ~guidance~ to DIY a straight line, paint your polish on a silicone manicure sponge, push the tip of your nail into it to get a thin line, then clean up any excess with a nail polish remover pen.

I, personally, will never give up my long gel extensions, but I am having fun playing around with short, natural lengths for fall. It’s a cool dichotomy if you’re used to long nails and looks timeless with a simple neutral shade or even a micro design. I invested in a full manicure set so I could clip, file, and buff my nails at home. I’ve also been layering up cuticle oil every time I think about it to keep my nail beds moisturized and smooth. Which reminds me… lemme do that rn.

I predicted a few months ago this would be a trendy af summer nail color, and it’ll continue to be everywhere this fall. Bright-red nails have been all over TikTok, thanks to the “red nail theory” (which I personally tested on my last date, and it works). I did an all-over red with Mischo Beauty’s Good Kisser, but I’ll def be implementing two trends in one by trying a French tip with red polish next.

“Thanks to the glazed-donut nail trend, we’re thinking that shimmer shades will definitely make a major comeback in fall 2023,” Green says. And the coolest way to wear shimmer on your nails rn? With a magnetic nail polish that “activates” the shimmer flecks to result in this fuzzy, velvet-esque texture. Top it off with a shiny top coat and rhinestones for an extra-blinding finish.

Because fall 2023 will be all about opposing trends (i.e., Tiktok’s “ballerina sleaze” aesthetic), expect a major resurgence in matte nails, especially when they’re combined with chrome elements or embellishments. To DIY, just paint a matte top coat over any of your polishes, then, add adhesive rhinestones for some contrast and visual interest.

This trend can go so many ways depending on your ~vibes~. Nail artist Holly Falcone did neon, fun flowers for Susan Alexandra during New York Fashion Week (shown above). But it can also look romantic and demure, à la a scene out of Bridgerton. Whichever you choose, skip the tedious nail art and go for an all-over nail wrap or a few little flower stickers on each nail.

If you’ve also been wearing leg warmers, ballet flats, and ribbons the last few months, you should def bring those “balletcore” vibes into your next fall nail look with a blush-toned light-pink polish. Essie’s Ballet Slippers and Olive and June’s Pointe are my faves because they don’t get streaky or need a bajillion coats to build up (and obviously, the names totally fit the vibe).

Nail jewelry, nail piercings—whatever you call it, metallic accents like chains, hoops, and charms are an extra-cool way to accessorize your nails. Celebrity nail artist (and my favorite person to follow on Instagram ever) Betina Goldstein kept her look super fresh by painting a shiny top coat on bare nails before adding chains and pearls. If you’re looking to try this trend at your nail salon, make sure to bring the embellishments you want with you, just in case your artist doesn’t have them on hand.

If you’ve spent the last year trying gemstones, pearls, and confetti on your nails, you’ll probably be down to try these lil bubbles next. Your nail artist will likely mix hard gel and whatever polish shades you choose to create this raised, aura-like effect. Celeb nail artist Naomi Yasuda tried it on Solange Knowles, pictured above, by using a cocktail of shades—like a bright white, deep blue, and gold—on top of bare nails, though you can also try it with chrome underneath for hella contrast, as Yasuda did here).

It’s all love for our nails this fall <3. Expect to see tons of heart details, whether they’re charms, decals, or drawn-on. You can also try a monochromatic look, or combine it with French tips, as seen here. Worried about it looking too cutesy? Play around with the shades (I’m a fan of blacks and blues), and feel free to skip the pink and red altogether.

• Thea Green is a nail expert based in London, UK. She is the founder of Nails.Inc., a full line of nail polish and nail care products.

Beth Gillette is the beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with five years of experience researching, writing, and editing nail stories that range from New Year’s nail ideas and Christmas nail ideas. She’s an authority in all nail categories but is an expert when it comes to 2023 nail trends after interviewing multiple of the industry’s top nail artists.