Trust Me: You’re Gonna See These Nail Looks Everywhere in 2025
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One of my new year's beauty resolutions is to step up my nail game. I usually opt for a simple pink or nude polish (just like Selena Gomez's engagement mani), but after asking nail artists Karirenize Guerrero and Sigourney Nuñez to share their predictions on 2025's biggest nail trends, I'm feeling seriously inspired to experiment with something new. So if you're in need of fresh nail inspo and don't know what to try at your next mani appointment, I've got you covered with all the best looks, including 3D nail art, tortoise shell designs, new takes on chrome polish, and more.
2025 Nail Trend: Monochrome 3D Nail Art
"The vibe in 2025 is all about personalization and creativity, so there will be a rise in 3D elements as well as custom nail art," says Guerrero. There's obviously no *wrong* way to execute nail art, but we're especially loving these monochrome looks that gives the nail an added sculptural effect. It's like the mature, older sister to kitschy nail art, and your fingertips will be like real-life art sculptures, fit for a museum.
2025 Nail Trend: Tortoise Nails
The tortoise shell manicure has been taking over nail salons and Pinterest boards alike. The nail design is super chic, like a pair of tortoise shell sunglasses, and it's an elevated deviation from our basic animal print patterns (no shade to the cheetah lovers out there).
To achieve the marble-effect design, coat the nails with a light orange or caramel polish. Next, dot on some scattered brown blotches, followed by layers of black ones across the nails. The beauty of this design lies in its irregular shapes, so don't stress about making the spots even and symmetric.
2025 Nail Trend: Velvet Nails
We loved chrome in 2024, and now we're taking shine to the next level with velvet nails. This design gives a jelly-esque and holographic finish, and it works with any color of your choosing. So futuristic!
"I think we are definitely going to keep seeing a rise in magnetic polishes, also known as cat eye polishes" says Nuñez. "They have tiny metallic pigments in the formula that are moved around with a magnet before curing for a mesmerizing finish. The result is velvet or glass nails (depending on how the pigments are magnetized)."
2025 Nail Trend: Bejeweled Nails
There's no such thing as *too* many embellishments, and in 2025 we're going to see a lotttt more gem-studded designs topping off our manicures. You can use some nail glue to hold the jewels down, or snag a pack of adhesive-back rhinestones. It requires very little skill and the design options are quite literally endless—spice it up with different shapes and colors or go with a matchy-matchy vibe.
Salon Effects Nail Art Decal
2025 Nail Trend: Deep French Tips
If you're into a thick French tip, did you know that you can take the design even further? "I personally will always be obsessed with a deep French tip," says Nuñez. "The look exaggerates the smile line by painting the sidewalls, and it just gives the nails a flattering finish." Try it with a French pink and white colorway, or even spice it up with some contrasting color blocks.
2025 Nail Trend: Mocha Mousse
"In 2024, espresso nails were all the rage and in 2025 it’s going to be all about the mocha mani," explains Nuñez. Mocha mousse is basically a creamier, lighter version of the coffee-esque colorway. "Thanks to Pantone’s 2025 color of the year, that mocha mousse color is now a foundational neutral and statement-making shade," she adds.
Nail Lacquer in Crochet Away
2025 Nail Trend: Olive Green
Literally every nail expert I've chatted with lately is predicting olive green domination in the new year. "I think we’ll see more muted earthy tones such as olive greens in 2025," says Guerrero. And as an olive and dirty martini girl through and through, I'm here for the warm green nails for year-round wear.
Nail Lacquer in Win Me Over
Meet the Experts:
Sigourney Nuñez is a Los Angeles-based nail artist who is known for her viral nail art designs. She led the North American education strategy at OPI and was the first-ever manicurist for Harry Styles' beauty brand, Pleasing.
Karirenize Guerrero is a digital creator and nail artist based in New York, NY. She has worked as a manicurist for some of the biggest NYFW shows.
Why Trust Cosmopolitan?
Jasmine Hyman is the assistant beauty editor at Cosmopolitan where she covers the best beauty products, trends, and brands. You'll never catch her without a gel set, so she knows a thing or two about manicures. For this story, she spoke with nail artists Sigourney Nuñez and Karirenize Guerrero for their expert insight and tips on the best nail trends for 2025.
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