Looking to switch up your winter mani? Consider lace nail art, the latest trending design for the cozy season. Similar to the sheer tights trend, lace nail art evokes the same dainty and sexy vibes of a lace pattern—perfect to pair with matching undergarments.
In years past, it’s been easy to go for the traditional wintry manis, using colors like forest green and crimson red, but textural nails are what everyone seems to want to lean into this season. Even Kylie Jenner has embraced the trend with sheer plaid nails that channel a comfy oversized flannel. But between all the different holiday looks, lace nail art has really taken off as a super popular, but unexpected, seasonal fave.
“A big trend we are seeing this winter is textures—think tortoiseshell, leopard, or sweater nails,” says Evelyn Lim, chief educator at MiniLuxe’s Paintbox studio in New York City. “But this season’s standout is lace nails!”
Get ready to trade in your classic winter manicure and level up to dreamy lace nail art. Keep scrolling to learn all you need to know about lace nails, how to create the look at home, what colors to use, and more. Oh, and prepare to screenshot ahead of your next appointment.
What are lace nails?
Lace nail art creates a lace effect, from lingerie-esque patterns to gray and black tips that look just like sheer tights. The art can be painted on or applied with stamps. There are also convenient press-ons, which will look great in an instant. Where did the newfound obsession come from? “People are drawn to this design because of the matte and shiny effect,” says Lim. “It’s a texture you can see and feel, and this design is also sleek, sexy, and sophisticated.” They also have a vintage vibe, and we all love a nostalgic moment lately.
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How do you create lace nail art at home?
There’s no sugarcoating it—more intricate lace nail art can be tricky to nail (pun intended) for beginners. If you’re just starting out or want to keep things quick and easy, there are tons of great lace nail art stickers and stamps you can find on Amazon. But if you do want to dive into some DIY nail art, Lim has a guide for you to follow to create a polka-dot sheer lace manicure that’s way more beginner-friendly than other, more detailed looks. Follow along with her recommendations below:
- Start by applying your favorite base coat.
- Depending on opacity, apply one or two coats of a sheer black/black-glass color. You can also mix equal parts black polish and topcoat to create a black-jelly color.
- Apply a matte topcoat.
- With black nail polish and topcoat, create a three-to-one mixture and then, with a detail brush, outline the entire perimeter of the nail.
- With the same mixture and a small dotting tool, place four dots down the center of the nail, and then place three more on each side. If you don’t have a dotting tool, you can create dots with the tip of a toothpick.
And with that, you’ll have a sexy, mysterious nail art design that’ll match your tights this winter. Aside from her directions above, Lim also leaves us with one last insider tip: “Allow polish to dry for two minutes after each coat for smooth, even application,” she advises.
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What colors look best with lace nail art?
Lace nail art’s beauty is in its subtlety, so while you can go with a pop of color, most of the trendiest looks right now lean more quiet and moody. The best colors to create lace nails with “are black, chocolate brown, navy blue, royal purple, and bordeaux red,” says Lim.