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Lip Gloss Nails. Naked Glitter Nails. The Latest Mani Trends Are All About Subtle Shine

If 2022 was all about Glazed Donut nails (popularized by Hailey Bieber), 2023 is set to become the year of Lip Gloss nails. Fans of glazed donut nails will be delighted to know that lip gloss nails still deliver plenty of luster. And for anyone who thought the former look was a tad too flashy for their liking, lip gloss nails might be just right.

What Are Lip Gloss Nails?

Lip gloss nails are basically a nude manicure lover’s dream come true. (We’re looking at you, Essie “Ballet Slippers” and OPI “Bubble Bath” fans.) Using a neutral base color and an ultra-glossy topcoat, the look is meant to mimic freshly glossed lips.

To get the look, you can use a tonal nude that matches your skin, opt for a sheer pink tone (as shown in the first image) or go for a subtle shimmer, if that’s more your speed. No matter what color you choose as your base, you’ll need a glossy top coat to complete the look.

If you’re getting Lip Gloss nails done at a salon, you can ask your technician to add a light dusting of white chrome powder on the nails as an add-on. This will give your mani a more pearlescent effect.

As for us, we’re sticking to more neutral, milky tones for this look. Tip: The sheerer the nude polish, the better. Ideally, you want a hint of your natural nail peeking through. But if your polish is more on the opaque side, scale back to just one coat and add two layers of top coat (with plenty of dry time in-between) to ensure you get a lustrous finish.



Jenny Jin Headshot Vertical 2023

Beauty Director

Jenny Jin is PureWow’s Beauty Director and is currently based in Los Angeles. Since beginning her journalism career at Real Simple magazine, she has become a human encyclopedia of...