This Fall’s Nail Art Trends Are All About Touchable Textures

Fall is a textural season. Close your eyes and think about it: dry, crunchy leaves strewn all over the sidewalks; plush, cozy sweaters; fuzzy socks we wear to shuffle around the house; the knobby gourds and stringy fake cobwebs we use to decorate our front porches. This fall’s biggest nail trends seem to capture this abundance of texture, says Marnae Orton, nail artist and educator at The Nailsaloon in Washington, DC. “Velvet nails, 3D embellishments, and abstract designs using chrome will have their moment as a fashion accessory,” she says.

Rita Pinto, founder of Vanity Project salons, has a similar prediction across her client base in New York City and Miami: “We’ll continue to see a trend toward a more textured, 3D chrome look with jewel tones and cat-eye gel this fall.”

And speaking of cat-eye nails, magnetic polish will remain a favorite among nail art lovers, says San Diego-based nail artist Alora Reyes. “It’s a design we incorporate into ‘crazier’ sets as a pop of something interesting,” she explains, “but I also have clients that are obsessed with it as one color.”

But telling you cat-eye nails are “in” is no news flash, especially if you’re someone with a standing salon appointment. What is fresh for fall, though, is taking some of the year’s biggest trends and giving them a sumptuous, autumnal twist. Nail artists are using chrome finishes and builder gel to create bespoke, mixed-metal manicures that flout old-school fashion rules and echo what’s happening in the jewelry space. They’re breaking out the biggest, flashiest crystals for dazzling designs that border on the baroque. They’re using animal prints on the tips of nails and dreaming up aura designs in rich fall shades like mauve, plum, and apricot.

But it’s not all bold bling and flashing metallics. On the other side of the nail art spectrum are a growing number of trends that rely on subtle, neutral tones while still managing to capture that textural element we’re loving this fall. Expect to see tiny, flat-back studs on nude nails, nail art designs done entirely in luxe neutral tones, and sheer textile prints layered over a pale nail that look as delicate and diaphanous as expensive lingerie. When it comes to nail art, there’s so much beauty to choose from; you just have to know where to look.

Mixed metals

This fall, nail artists are tossing out the old-school fashion rule that says you shouldn’t wear silver and gold at the same time. “Mixed-metal nail art has been my latest obsession,” says nail artist Hang Nguyen. “I used to think they’d clash, but turns out they look amazing together. I mean, why choose one when you can have both?”

Nguyen finishes her mixed-metal designs with a no-wipe topcoat (her favorite is the Kupa Gelfinity Gel Top), which eliminates the step of having to remove the sticky layer that’s typical with traditional gel finishes. This makes a no-wipe gel topcoat an ideal option when using builder gels and gems—both often used in mixed-metal designs—as it keeps you from disturbing those 3D elements underneath.

There’s no right or wrong way to try the mixed-metal trend. “You can keep it minimal or add more 3D designs for a more dramatic look,” says nail artist Bana Jarjour. Both Nguyen and Jarjour use builder gel and chrome powders to create unique and maximalist mixed-metal manicures. Nguyen considers OPI to have some of the best chrome powders for this type of manicure, while Jarjour gives a shout-out to The Gel Bottle Mirror Chrome Studio Gel.