Four nail art and manicure trends to watch in 2026, according to experts
image via @trophywifenailart/instagram
words by lara daly
Australia’s top nail artists give their predictions.
If the ‘clean girl’ manicure has reigned supreme over the last few years, 2026 is shaping up to be its thoughtful undoing. Across Melbourne and Sydney’s most influential nail studios, artists are describing a shift away from perfection and polish, and a move toward nail art that feels bespoke, personal and experimental.
As far as fast-moving trends go, nails are a relatively low-stakes way to experiment. You can commit to an almond-shaped, glazed donut mani one month and switch to a square French tip the next. You can even chop and change between artistic 3D press-ons every day, if you wish.
Want to snoop inside the beauty regimes of other creatives? Head here.
Of all the nail trends that went viral in 2025, polkadots were the most contagious, with Dua Lipa, Sabrina Carpenter and Hailey Bieber all sporting variations of the design. Another memorable nail moment came in spring, when the internet lost it over Phoebe Philo’s sheer, multi-coloured ‘Geode like’ manicure.
So, what do the next 12 months have in store for us? According to five of Australia’s top nail artists, less sweeping trends and more individualism.
Craft is the new luxury
In 2026, aspirational nail art is no longer about perfection or uniformity, it’s about artistry. Across studios, pre-made charms and flat finishes are being replaced with sculptural, hand-built elements and layered techniques. This will mean a combination of airbrushing, chrome, cat-eye gels, inks and flocking with 3D sculptural details like piercings and moulded forms.
“There’s a strong shift toward valuing craftsmanship, originality and fully customised details,” says Valentina Dall’Acqua of Gothica, who specialises in maximalist nails. “I treat each set like art direction — wearable art that feels considered, not disposable.”
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Roberta Beilharz runs Snack Nails in Melbourne and describes her own work as “very textured and layered,” adding that she’s less interested in traditional prettiness than designs that are “fascinating.”
While smooth and glossy nails will always be a classic, signs of imperfection and human touch are becoming the new markers of luxury. “I think a lot of inspiration with come from the natural world, [with] flowers, shells etc, but they will be abstracted and slightly weird,” Roberta says.
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This will also be seen in simpler sets featuring small, intentional moments: a textured metallic accent, a subtle cat-eye shimmer, a raised gel detail.
Mood-inspired nails
We might finally be seeing the end of the glazed donut era. Now, viral nail trends are being used more as a gateway rather than an endpoint. Rather than copying a single viral look, clients are now combining references (like pastel grunge, fairy-core, abstract nature, casino symbolism or cybersigilism) to create something bespoke.
As Caitlyn Iskra of Horni Nails puts it, “nails are shifting from ‘look at this’ to ‘feel this’. I think we’ll see nail art treated more like design or jewellery — something curated, personal and meaningful rather than trend-driven.”
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Caitlyn has also noticed people becoming less interested in what’s ‘in’ and more interested in what felt emotionally resonant or identity-driven. Alisa Kah, a nail artist at Trophy Wife echoes this, describing 2026 as “a rebellion against the clean-girl aesthetic — less perfection, more personality and a bit of edge.”
Valentina believes Melbourne’s tattoo-influenced aesthetic is also pushing nails towards futuristic, coded designs “that feel more niche and artistic rather than mainstream [and] trend-driven.”
Trophy Wife nail artist Tanya Farrant also predicts that inspiration will become more abstract, with clients requesting “vibes and emotions” rather than literal references. “[I’m] excited to see how season three of Euphoria will affect this too,” she adds.
Negative space
Rather than full-coverage colour, there’s a strong move toward clear, sheer and milky bases paired with intricate detail. Tanya of Trophy Wife is predicting a rise of experimental French tips.
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“Polka dots evolved [to] encapsulate sequins and gems towards the end of 2025, and I think French tips will have the same evolution, [with] deeper French and ornate details within it, but only on the tip, leaving the negative space bare,” she explains. It’s the nail equivalent of restraint with intention.
Personalised colours
A common thread across all the nail artists was a move towards colour palettes that felt less prescribed and slightly ‘off’. It’s the Phoebe Philo effect in full swing. Think washed-out pastels, muted blues and greens, tarnished silvers, mauves, bruised pinks, matcha and moss tones.
“I think colour is moving into tones that feel lived-in and sensual,” says Caitlyn. “Less seasonal colour cycles, more warmth, imperfection and clashy palettes.”
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Clients are also becoming more informed about what colours suits them, or emotionally resonate. As Tanya notes, “Lots of people [are] choosing colours based on their ‘seasons’ [and] colour matching.”
Nail health as status, length as liveable
A quieter but important shift is that nail health is becoming part of the luxury experience, with nail artists offering more education and tailored services. According to Tanya, this looks like “inclusivity regarding nail habits like picking and biting, by offering routines to help negate sore cuticles and nails.
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Further to this, there’s a continued move toward practical, wearable shapes that support having-a-life-core. “My clients don’t want to be restricted by the length of their nails,” says Roberta. Alisa agrees, noting that short and rounded nails are “practical, low-maintenance, but still hot.”
Rather than dramatic length, Caitlyn says the focus is on proportion, balance and how well the nails integrate into someone’s lifestyle. She’s predicting nails that feel “strong, grounded and considered rather than excessive.”
For more on nail trends in 2026, try this.
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