Stars, Stripes, and Statement Tips Are Taking Over This Week’s Best Nail Looks

I’m pretty loyal to a solid manicure—give me a fiery red, and I’m usually set—but my saved folder has been making a very convincing argument for doing more. Lately, I can’t stop looking at nails with some kind of twist, whether it’s a pattern worked into the tip or a color combination I never would’ve thought to put together. And this week, nail artists clearly decided a good polish shade was only the starting point.

There’s a lot happening on the fingertips this week. Stars are stamped over rich brown polish while colorful stripes break up otherwise sheer manicures. French tips are getting especially creative, showing up as animal patterns, unexpected color combinations, and enough detail that they hardly feel like French manicures at all. Even the moodier sets have something going on beyond the shade itself, whether that’s a flash of chrome or tiny dotted nail art.

So, if you’ve been staring at your usual shade at the salon and feeling a little bored, this is a very good week to stray from the norm. Keep scrolling for the best nail looks I saved this week.

Cosmic Brown

Tortoiseshell is about as fall-coded as nail art gets, but the turquoise stars keep one foot firmly in summer. Consider it a very easy way to sneak the season’s official color into September.

Soft Focus Stripes

The blurred beauty trend isn’t going anywhere just yet. Here, washed-out stripes melt into one another over a sheer base for a hazy take on rainbow nails.

Bordeaux and Blue

Bordeaux and baby blue are suddenly everywhere together, and I completely understand why. On nails, the unexpected color combo looks especially good painted into thin lines on the French tip.

Sterling Stars

A metallic base already gives this manicure plenty of shine, but the crisp white stars are what make it feel graphic. It’s a much fresher take on celestial nail art.

Wild French

Animal print has taken over nail art lately, but you don’t have to commit to a full zebra manicure to get in on it. Keeping the stripes at the tips makes the look a little more subtle, while that punchy color pairing still gives it plenty of personality.

Silver Linings

Metallics are still going strong, and this manicure brings the trend into cooler-weather territory. Glossy, black polish gets outlined in silver chrome dots for a moodier way to wear the shine.

Turquoise Tortoise

Tortoiseshell makes another appearance this week, this time confined to the French tips. Tiny turquoise sequins give the classic fall print a much less expected finish.

In Orbit

These Japanese gel nails belong to Marie Claire Beauty Director Hannah Baxter, who got them done this week at MOÉNAIL in Brooklyn, and frankly, they deserve their own close-up. Tiny dotted sequins orbit across a warm brown base for one very fabulous manicure.

Plum Lines

Deep plum already feels right for the season, but the slim chrome stripes keep this make it a little more punchy. I particularly love how the lines run vertically down the nail instead of across it.

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