Katie Holmes is taking the naked nail trend quite literally. On Jan. 12, the actor was spotted in New York City on what appeared to be a quick coffee run, wearing a beige sweater, a flannel top, and baggy jeans—the epitome of chic, yet cozy. A forever beauty icon, Holmes was also wearing a sheer berry lip color and had gorgeous dewy skin, which is a feat in itself while braving a cold New York winter. That being said, it seems like Holmes has mastered the art of being low-maintenance to look high-maintenance, as her naked manicure still managed to be the star of this show in all it’s simplistic elegance.
Holmes’s nails were neatly cut and filed into a short square shape and she opted for a basic manicure with super clean nail beds. While the traditional naked manicure often uses a neutral nude, sheer pink or beige to mimic the look of the wearer’s natural nail beds, Holmes opted to forgo any lacquer at all, allowing her fingernails to breathe.
While it’s likely that Holmes is staying polish-free due to her role as Mrs. Webb in ‘Our Town’ on Broadway, her version of the naked manicure is a reminder that it’s good to let your nails breathe every once in a while. While I'm a lover of a good gel-x set of nails, I often have to force myself to take breaks after extended periods of wear because I find my nails becoming brittle and breaking extremely easily after a few manicures. The feeling of having your nails “done” can still be achieved while focusing on nail health—cut, buffed, and filed keeps the look clean and effortless—so if you’ve been thinking of taking a step back from your traditional extension manicures, consider this your sign to go all in. Should you still want a bit of added shine to your naked nails, we’ve gone ahead and rounded up some polishes, as well as nail treatments that also provide a hint of color for you to have on hand for your next set of nails.
Shop Polishes for Naked Nails
If you nails are super pliable, you may need a nail hardener. This one from Londontown also doubles as a strengthening treatment and provides a gorgeous sheer wash of color, meaning it will also look like you've gotten a simple manicure while treating your nails. A win-win if you ask us.
Chanel's Ballerina is one of the most iconic sheer polishes of all time. One coat of this cool-toned pink and you'll have the easiest naked manicure known to man.
No base or top coat is needed for this berry-tinted treatment polish. While it's strengthening your nails thanks to ingredients like blueberry extract and almond oil, you'll be left with a beautiful rosy hue on your nails that looks healthy and shiny.
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