Summery temperatures beg for low-maintenance beauty looks. Bobs rule supreme, fingers work just as well as a brush for blusher and now ‘princess nails’ are emerging as the latest manicure trend to go viral on TikTok.
While we've seen the rise in popularity of the Japanese and Italian manicure, ‘it girls’ such as Daisy Edgar Jones and Alexa Chung are cosigning princess nails as the cool Brit-girl version. And it's hardly surprising, says celebrity nail pro Julia Diogo (a.k.a @paintedbyjools), “because who doesn’t want the perfect pinky nude manicure?”
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What are ‘princess nails’?
We're definitely in our buff nail era right now. We've had soap nails, BB cream nails and even glass nails, so how do princess nails differ? Put simply, the princess nail manicure uses the hallmarks of all of these styles and combines them together, cherry-picking the best of what each has to offer.
Princess nails are the milkier equivalent of soap nails. They take the same minimalist approach as glass nails. And while they use the same hushed hues as a BB cream nail, they lean more towards pinky nudes.
But the key difference is the nail shape and length. Princess nails are typically short and squoval-shaped before being topped with a neutral polish.
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Its moniker also refers to Kate Middleton, who often wears short square nails and barely noticeable polish for her royal duties. “It really is a princess’ nail dream - elegant, chic and timeless,” says Julia.
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How to get princess nails
While princess nails look deceptively simple, they're actually a very pulled-together style, proving that even going minimalist involves prep work.
First, trim your nails by clipping straight across to create short tips. Then file the top edge of the nail into a straight line before rounding the edges to create that part square and part oval nail shape.
Impeccably pushed back cuticles is a step not to be missed, notes Julia. "It gives the nails that extra wow factor,” she says, adding that if you're doing DIY princess nails, it's best to use an orange stick to gently push back the overgrown skin around the nail.
“Buffing away any dry, dead skin on the nail’s surface gets you that perfect canvas, too,” she adds.
Then it's time to apply a base coat and one or two coats of nude or soft pink polish to create an elevated ‘faux naturel’ finish.
In terms of nail shades, Julia loves Essie Nail Polish in 13 Mademoiselle and Dior's Diorlisse Abricot Smoothing Perfecting Nail Polish in Snow Pink, while other popular options include OPI's Nail Polish in Bubble Bath and Chanel's Nail Colour in 111 Ballerina.
Your princess nails kit:
Why you should try princess nails
While princess nails scream quiet luxury, TikTokers have started referring to them as budget-friendly ‘recession indicator nails’. One content creator on the platform, Susan Dao, describes princess nails as “short natural non noticable grow-out low maintenance nails for the ✨recession”.
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In other words, princess nails are a great, low-maintenance manicure for those who want expensive-looking nails without having to fork out for multiple salon visits.
For starters, princess nails can extend the time between salon appointments as they grow out almost invisibly. They are also an easy DIY nail style if you're having a break from gels.
That said, if you do want to recreate the look with a gel manicure, Julia recommends asking your nail tech for Bio Sculpture's gel polish in No.168 Anthea, a translucent pale pink. Content creator Aaliyah Jay, whose video on princess nails has had over half a million views, caveats this by saying it should only involve “one layer of builder gel”.
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But it's biggest selling point? The pink afterglow from princess nails makes you look put together in the same way as ‘no makeup’ makeup for the sunny days ahead.
Princess nails to add to your moodboard
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For more from Fiona Embleton, GLAMOUR's Associate Beauty Director, follow her on @fiembleton.
