From Cosmopolitan · Jasmine Hyman · · 1m 40s
Fall Nails 2026: What Nail Artists Say Is Next
Two celebrity nail artists call the colors, finishes, and prints you'll see on every hand this fall.
In brief
Two celebrity nail artists call the colors, finishes, and prints you'll see on every hand this fall. Fall nails are going moody and textured: olive with plum, chrome cat-eye pumpkin spice, and animal print layered over a French tip. Originally reported by Cosmopolitan.
Time to go moodier
Bright summer manicures are done. The fall shift is toward richer polish and seasonal designs, and none of it needs long extensions to work.
“These designs work across every nail length and shape”
Who called it
Cosmo's assistant beauty editor Jasmine Hyman asked LA nail artist Sigourney Nuñez and Miami artist John Thomas what they expect to see everywhere this season.
Sweater weather nails
Cozy knitwear translated to fingertips: plaid, argyle, colorful stripes, cable-knit texture. Mix prints across nails or tuck one into a French tip.
Bambi print is here
Fawn print has spread from loafers to handbags, and now to nails. Do it as a French tip, as colorblocking, or go full doe-spotted set.
Olive meets plum
Deep olive green paired with a moody burgundy is the season's freshest color duo. Both artists named it independently.
“it's like wearing an entire fall color palette on your nails”
Rewrite the French
Keep the French shape, swap the white tip. Thomas likes powder blue with burgundy, or several complementary fall shades spread across the hand.
“Instead of a traditional white tip, I love powder blue with burgundy”
Pumpkin spice, but chrome
Warm fall shades get a dimensional finish. A chrome cat-eye reads as velvet, satin, or gemstone depending on how the light hits it.
“The chrome cat-eye craze is the biggest trend I'm seeing right now”
Animal print on the tips
Leopard, zebra, or fawn layered over a French tip and anchored by one bold shade. Red with cheetah is the combo to copy.
“My favorite trend is when the animal pattern is layered over a French tip”
The one thing
Fall nails are going moody and textured: olive with plum, chrome cat-eye pumpkin spice, and animal print layered over a French tip.
