The 2026 Nail Trends Moms Can Easily DIY (Or Just Use As Inspo)

Pantone’s 2026 Color of the Year caused quite the stink for being literally white, but nail trends were already headed that direction, so the announcement only cemented milky white nails into the trend predictions. Many a fall runway model wore a shade like this, and it’s a super simple trend to replicate at home.

Glass nails usually have a neutral base color that is close to your skin tone, with a super high-shine finish. Sometimes they have a chrome finish, but I love the clean simplicity of this semi-sheer polish with multiple layers of top coat for the perfect glassy finish.

How good are these?! You’ll need a sheer black polish and an opaque one, and yes, a steady hand. You’ll need a thin nail art brush and dotting tool as well. But with a little practice and patience, you could definitely pull off these lace nails at home. Or... you could just show this photo to your beloved nail tech at your next appointment.

These nails also look like glass, don’t they? But here we’re talking about nail shape. So many fall and winter runway models had short, sqouval nails — square nails with gently rounded corners — instead of the long almond nails that have dominated the space for the last few years. So, even if you’re not big on nail art or changing up your polish shades, you could try a new shape in 2026.

OK, trying to pull off tortoiseshell nails is not for beginners, but if you have the right sheer shades, it could be a very satisfying set to try. These can be mixed and matched beautifully with other colors, or go full tortoise on every nail. It’s up to you.

Rich cabernet shades are the cool girl nail polish uniform in the winter, but if you’re tired of the same old same, consider a brick-y terracotta shade. This is a gorgeous example of the color, which will look beautiful on any skin tone and length or shape of nail.

Polka dot nails have been all over Instagram the past few weeks (mine, at least), and I think they’ll be the pattern du jour of early 2026. They’re actually really easy to do yourself if you have a dotting tool at home. Just put on a good podcast and take your sweet time.

The brown-and-blue color palette has mostly been seen in polka-dot form so far, but I think it will extend to French manis and other patterns as the year wears on. It’s yet another harkening back to the early aughts — we millennials remember well the trend of combining baby blue or baby pink with brown.

The beauty of nail art today is that you really don’t have to choose one pattern or color. A curated mix-and-match set screams cool girl, and they add so much to every outfit you wear. Choose a color palette you like and practice your polka dots, stripes, and borders.