Vanilla chai nails are the cozy manicure trend to try this fall

Selena Gomez and Heidi Klum have spoken: Vanilla Chai Nails are the official minimalist nail trend for fall 2024.

Drinks-inspired manicures are trending right now (see: Selena’s recent apple cider manicure), and celebrities and beauty lovers are particularly obsessed with vanilla chai nails this season. Almost naked, but not quite: Vanilla Chai proves that neutrals don’t have to be boring.

Celebrity nail artist Tom Bachik, whose clients include Selena, Heidi Klum and Jennifer Lopez, tells GLAMOR that neutrals are back in style this season. “People want their nails to look their best: clean, fresh, just polished, but subtle and chic,” says Tom. “Neutral tones are also so versatile that they can complement any look.”

Another advantage? “If your schedule is busy and you have to wait between nail appointments, you won’t notice the outgrowth like you would with darker shades,” he explains. It’s no wonder so many busy celebs are fans of the low-maintenance style.

What makes vanilla chai nails look so good? “I would describe vanilla chai nails as a high-gloss, semi-opaque beige nude,” says Tom. “The color should be a shade lighter than your skin tone and match the highlights so the nails stand out but remain deliberately understated.”

It’s “perfectly subtle and chic,” Tom continues, calling it “the perfect nude.” It is also confirmed by the editorial team: “I just used the look yesterday on my most important customer, my daughter!” he says. “She’s modeling for another campaign.” Cute!

Are you feeling inspired? Here’s how to make your own vanilla chai nails. “The key to this look is three things,” he says. “A perfect manicure is the most important thing: I use my favorite Tweezerman tools […] to create a careful manicure and [the] Basis for improvements before applying paint.”

Next, add the color you want. “A semi-opaque beige nude shade – not pink – makes it the right shade for fall,” says Tom. Think: Samoan Sand from OPI and Sand Tropez from Essie.

Last but not least? High gloss. “A thick, high-gloss top coat allows the deliberately subtle color to sparkle and really catch the eye,” concludes Tom. For a regular polish, try OPI Mirror Shine Top Coat. For gel, consider Gelpolish Vishine Top Coat.

See? I told you it was easy to craft. Start your vanilla chai nails journey today and shop the essentials below.

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Danielle Sinay is Associate Beauty Editor at GLAMOR US. Follow her on Instagram @daniellesinay.

This feature originally appeared on GLAMOR US.