These are the coolest nail art trends for 2024

We’ll say it: nothing feels as good as a fresh manicure. Whether you love treating yourself to a trip to the nail salon or are a DIY icon, the ritual of a manicure is arguably the best part of the month for many of us, and funky nail art is the icing on the cake.

While 2023 was the year of muted, minimalist, and abstract nail art, 2024 is all about bright colours and bold statements. Here are our fave nail art trends for 2024 (courtesy of the experts at Vogue and Cosmopolitan) to show your nail tech at the next appointment.

Dubbed “syrup nails” by Jin Soon Choi, editorial manicurist and founder of JINsoon Nail Laquers, this trend exploded in 2023 and is set to remain popular this year as well. Using one coat of the colour of your choice and a high-gloss top coat, you can achieve a minimalist, glossy look with a stained glass feel.

After breaking the internet in 2023, aura nails are still set to be one of the biggest nail art trends of 2024. Their Y2K vibe will be updated this year with unexpected colour combos, new shades, and 3D elements like rhinestones.

This trend has very little to do with cats or velvet, but it’s guaranteed to be an eye-catcher. Cat-eye or velvet nails are reflective and dimensional, and have an almost 5D effect. This effect is achieved by the magnetised particles in the gel polish when they’re stimulated by a magnet. Beauty meets STEM!

The viral “glazed donut nails” from 2022 got a shimmery update: enter oyster nails. The dewy look is achieved with duo-chrome shades in sheer and glossy textures, and it’s meant to mimic oysters and mother of pearl. Whether you go for a pearlescent look or a straight-up oyster replica, that’s up to you.

With metallic shades being such a big trend in fashion, it only makes sense that the hype would trickle down into beauty as well. Chrome French tips, accents, squiggly designs, and even full-on chrome nails are a great way to add some razzle dazzle to your mani.

Like cat-eye gel and chrome accents, the 3D trend originated in Korea and Japan years ago and finally made its way over to the West. Using builder gel the nail tech creates 3D shapes which mimic gemstones set in a ring (like in this case), but also glass beads, water droplets, and decorative elements like bows and hearts. Unlike all the other trends, celebrity nail artist Julie Kandalec doesn’t recommend attempting this trend at home, and instead go to a professional: “This is a new trend, and is definitely a speciality technique that I’d recommend to ask your nail tech for to make sure the gel is layered and formed properly,” she says.