Aura nails have been all over TikTok the past couple of months – so much so that even Drake has tried them on for size – and they seem to be going nowhere in 2024.

“A trend that has been floating around the internet which still hasn’t had a mass moment is aura nails,” says KimKimNails (AKA, Kim Truong, Lottie London’s Artist in Residence and Kim Kardashian and Dua Lipa’s go-to nail guru).

“The fun part of this trend is the option to layer a few different colours in your aura so you could for a 70s psychedelic effect or you could go for a cohesive monochromatic aura such as various shades of pink,” she continues.

Celeb nail artist Analysee Hernandez, whose clients include the likes of Rita Ora, also predicts aura nails to be everywhere next year:

“Something we saw this year was the simple aura nails. I believe nail techs will continue to show their artistic abilities through these mismatched designs,” she says.

Forget about Balletcore and Cottagecore, 2024 is going to be all about Coquettecore. Similar to the two, this aesthetic is all about flirty, cutesy, girly vibes.

“A trend that as a nail tech I believe was huge was the ‘coquette nails’,” says Hernandez. “The dainty addition of a simple hand-drawn bow or checkered French really took over the sets this year!”

Pastels? For spring? Not groundbreaking, but what about the pale hues all year round? That is.

“I think pastels will make a huge appearance through early 2024, a lot of block & single colour sets in pastel shades,” says nail artist and educator, Leanne Haycock.

“Probably with a glazed finish on them, as I don’t think that’s going anywhere anytime soon. I also think bolder colours will be big, reds and blues especially!” she says.

2D is *so* 2023, the New Year is all about stepping outside the box (or the nail in this case).

“I believe we will bring back encapsulated nails as well as incorporate 3D nails! I’ve noticed an uprise in my clients loving a 3D addition on their sets. I’m hoping that we start to see the girlies add a little something into their 3D manis,” says Hernandez.

“While it’s true that some salons may have been limited in offering 3D nail designs due to the necessary equipment and less common techniques, I expect that this year most salons will be investing in the tools and skills needed to meet the growing demand,” believes Truong.

Think of it as amping up your mani, no matter what the shade or style, there’s a way to make 3D work for your mani.

“3D nail art introduces a captivating dimension to your manicure, featuring intricate designs, tactile textures, and eye-catching embellishments,” says Truong

“I’ve drawn inspiration for 3D nail designs from the enchanting world of Japanese ‘Kawaii’ aesthetics. This style incorporates ultra-feminine colour palettes and incorporates playful charms with characters, hearts, gems, and ribbons, adding an element of whimsy and individuality to your nail art. On the flip side, I’ve seen some interesting nail designs featuring blobby, unstructured shapes crafted with Moulding Gels that once painted can appear almost alien,” she adds.

Square nails arguably defined the noughties, but we learned the hard way that the box shape was hard to maintain and led to a lot of breakages and snagging. Twenty-odd years later we’ve learnt from our mistakes and are embracing the “soft square”; the same classic shape but with fewer broken nails. A win-win.

“I think soft square nails are the most popular shapes and I reckon it’s going to stay this way. They’re the most flattering nail shapes and most people can pull off one or the other,” says celebrity nail artist Iram Shelton.

“My personal preference is short because it’s more practical and gives that clean, old-money look. They’re also so much easier to maintain and more achievable for those who don’t like nail enhancements,” she adds.

You heard it hear first, glazed nails are staying put for 2024. Are we surprised? Not in the slightest, although, a new year brings a new version of the trend.

“The glazed trend I think will continue to carry through into 2024. I also think glitter will become much bigger, whether that is full-coverage glitter sets, frenchies or fades. I think sparkle season will last so much longer than the festive period this year!” says Haycock.

The sky is the limit when it comes to nail length in 2024 (or for as long as you can grow them without breaking them, that is).

“I predict that in 2024 nails will be longer than the tame, sensible length we’ve been seeing them this year. A year post the height of the ‘clean girl’ trend will see nail lovers rebelling against this simpler look and instead go ‘all out’ with length, designs and colours, too,” says Truong.

Spend hours trying to achieve a perfectly even French mani? Our experts say those days are long gone. As Beyoncé would say, it’s time to “release your wiggle”.

“Our classic nail arts such as the French Tip will be getting a bit of an exciting makeover, too. Rather than just the classic arch, double or triple arches will become more common alongside hearts and wavy edges. These designs challenge our ideas of beauty as the reason a French tip is so loved is how feminine the shape is,” says Truong.

We’re so over airbrushed filters eradicating our skin texture on social media apps, however, for our nails, we can make an exception.

“Towards the end of the year, I’ve noticed many of my girls loving a solid colour, and simple airbrush aura on top. I feel as though this is the perfect touch to a simple mani, regardless of the colour! Add a chrome design on top and it’s perfect for the “clean girl look” with an edge. For this reason, I think the airbrush trend will become bigger in 2024,” says Hernandez.

An old kid on the block, a solid wash of colour is back and better than ever.

“I think 2024 will be super stripped back in terms of nail art, having seen a surge in more block colour manis recently. I think the all-out hand-painted nail art is on its way out to make space for more classy and simple looks. Fashion has leapt back to the early 2000’s so I think the nail world might follow suit and we may even start to see a resurgence of corner flicks and abstract lines and maybe even a crackle finish – although I’m not sure how much I want to see that come back,” says Haycock.

Let’s face it, we can’t all be blessed with nail skills, so everything from press-ons to stickers is going to make all our lives easier. Why make your life stressful if you don’t have to? That’s our 2024 mantra.

“People returning to nail lacquer and press-on nails – with the cost of living crisis people are choosing to do their own nails and with so many gel-like manicures available to purchase in a box (press ons) why wouldn’t you?” says Shelton.

“There’s been a resurgence of Dark Academia inspirations in fashion and makeup, so in 2024 I expect this to trickle down into nails. Deepest reds, matte blacks and grungy purples will rise to popularity in the colder months,” believes Truong.

The 90s called, they want their grunge back. Be prepared for some Nirvana-worthy nail art, people.

We’re taking a leaf out of Shania Twain’s book for this one and embracing the leopard print in all formats of life.

“Who doesn’t love an animal print? Nail prints will be in and the new go-to. Celebs are already rocking these looks,” says Shelton.

We’ve seen Hailey Bieber and her crocodile mani (c)rock up recently, so the whole animal kingdom is up for grabs when it comes to nail inspo.

Pantone has named ‘Peach Fuzz’ the colour of 2024 already, so be prepared to see some coral tones all over your feeds.

“For 2023 we saw ‘strawberry girl’, ‘tomato girl’, ‘cherry girl’, ‘latte girl’ and ‘espresso girl’ as micro trends across the year. In 2024, our first ‘girl’ trend will be a fruity one with ‘apricot girl’. To match your orangey blush, go for apricot nails with a range of different finishes. I think that colour will look gorgeous with a pearlescent topcoat of a light layer of chrome to add dimension,” says Truong.