This ‘Boring’ Nail Trend Is Poised To Become The It Girl Mani Of 2022

In Pinterest's annual beauty report outlining its trend forecasts for 2022, the social media platform's team of experts predicts maximalist manicures will soon be all over your feed. More specifically, they expect intricate, landscape-style designs to reign supreme at the nail salon (think geode, desert, and constellation-inspired creations). While some trendsetting stars like Dua Lipa are already leading the way in this trend, with 3D nail art, other stars are actually going against the grain to introduce a completely different trend. Fear not: bold designs surely will surely make waves in 2022, but it sure seems like nude nails are the It girl manicure of the moment — and thus continues the age-old feud between minimalists and maximalists.

In just the first few days of the new year, celebrities and nail artists alike have taken to the 'gram to fawn over barely-there polish shades. For instance, this week, Kourtney Kardashian debuted a “clean” design courtesy of the Poosh founder’s go-to celebrity manicurist Lisa Kon (whose clients also include Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber, and Miranda Kerr, among others). The Instagram photo showcases the reality star’s almond-shaped talons dressed in pale pink polish reminiscent of the base polish used for a traditional French manicure.

And last week, Zendaya was photographed sporting a similar neutral nail polish to Kardashian. The perfect fusion of low-key and sophisticated, the nail polish shade appears to be the slightest bit lighter than the mom of four’s: a semi-sheer milky white shade. Kon was responsible for the actress's glossy talons, too, proving she’s clearly *the* manicurist of the moment.

In the accompanying caption of the nail pro's post, she dubbed the finished look "the perfect nude manicure" — and that it is. The neutral-colored polish perfectly epitomizes the idea of a timeless manicure.

The same day Kon posted about Zendaya’s mani, celebrity manicurist Tom Bachik re-posted a photo of one of the nude nail looks he created for Margot Robbie. Unlike Zendaya’s, the Suicide Squad star’s appear to be her natural nails dressed up with a few coats of clear, glossy polish. "First #ManiMonday of the year!" the expert wrote in the caption. "Loving the 90s Supermodel nude on Margot Robbie for the spring ❤️‍🔥 #nailsbytombachik #throwback.”

“Classic nude nails never go out of style!” co-Founder and head of nail care brand TenoverTen, Nadine Abramcyk tells TZR. “We’ve seen a lot of our customers going back to basics with their nail care recently, opting for lower maintenance nude polishes over bolder shades.

This is reflected in the brand’s most recent popular polishes: Eldridge, a sheer nail enhancer, Anne, a semi-sheer, universally flattering pink, and Canal, a buildable, toasted cream shade. “If you’re opting for a nude or sheer nail, you can still make a statement by mixing and matching your mani and pedi,” says Abramcyk.

Whether you decide on a maximalist design for the new year, or just a simple coat of clear polish, both are trending for 2022. In other words, it’s near-impossible to go wrong, so do as you please! But know that Zendaya would definitely approve of a your-nails-but-better look.