7 mins
TOP TRENDS: AW24 editon
Stay ahead of the nail game by exploring shapes, shades & styles set to dominate the autumn/winter season
Image courtesy of OPI, featuring the Metallic Mega Mix nail colour collection, available via
www.opi.com
It’s time to wave goodbye to the bright hues of summer and plan for a new season of nail potential for your clients. Autumn/winter welcomes an abundance of fresh nail trends and colour collections, and social media is alight with innovative and artistic delights. Let’s take a look at the classic and incoming trends your clients are set to request in the coming months…
SEASONAL STAPLES
Certain nail trends attach themselves to seasons, and autumn/winter marks the return of some nail design trademarks, which offer sophisticated finishes that never go out of style.
1. Timeless tortoiseshell
Tortoiseshell, or ‘tortie’, print is a trend that hasn’t waned, characterised by blooming black spots atop a caramel-coloured base. The stylish look complements most outfits, and shades can be adapted to suit all skin tones.
Katie Turner
“I don’t think many pros get through autumn/winter bookings without creating a tortoiseshell nail design,” shares Glitterbels ambassador, Katie Turner of @_radiant_nails_. “It’s a popular and versatile style.”
Hayley McColm creates sophisticated tortoiseshell nail art for a client.
Artistic Colour Gloss in Take Me Anywhere
& Wander With Me £9.95 + VAT each www.sweetsquared.com
Hayley McColm
Hayley McColm, Mii Pro ambassador, adds: “Tortie print is a great trend for all nail lengths and shapes, and a chic design option for a feature nail, as well as a full coverage finish. Its typically rich shades complement the autumn season well.”
Scan to view Hayley’s tortie print step-by-step
Artistic Nail Design brand ambassador, Lily Moore, showcases a tortie manicure on feature nails using Artistic Colour Gloss shades.
Gelish Soak-Off Gel Polish in Artwork In Progress
£16.99 + VAT www.gelishmorgantaylor.co.ukwww.salon-services.com
2. Black cherry
While you may expect this trend to boast nails decorated with hand-painted or 3D fruits, the autumnal twist on the fruity look welcomes rich, red-purple hues. The deep tones offer a chic alternative to a jet-black mani or pedi. Be dramatic with stiletto nail shapes, or choose short, square styles for an everyday finish.
Glitterbels Coloured Acrylic Powder in Mulled Wine
£8.95 inc VAT www.glitterbels.com
Nailchemy FX Gel Polish in Blackened Embers
£8.99 +VAT www.nailchemy.co.uk
OPI GelColor in Complimentary Wine
£19.90 +VAT www.opi.com
Katie Turner comments: “The key shades my clients gravitate towards during autumn/winter are berry hues. You may notice clients swapping a cherry red summery shade for a wine or berry colour.”
Nail pro, Ewa of Spitalfields nail salon, Selfish, creates a bold ombré look using black cherry shades. It’s a perfect fit for the season and a striking option for Halloween.
Zero Gel Polish in Power Move
£11.39 inc VAT www.themanicurecompany.com
Nailchemy ambassador, Amy Emmerman, shares a stylish black cherry manicure using the brand’s FX Gel Polish shade, Blackened Embers.
French nail artist, @mere_limtiek, overlays Aprés Gel-X Nail Extensions with a deep purple hue, adding cherry details to ring fingers.
Natural nail expert & Artistic Nail Design brand ambassador, Kay Cooper, uses Artistic Colour Gloss in Attitude Adjustment as the core shade for this mani.
INK London iLac Gel Polish in Corset
£10 +VAT www.inknails.com
Artistic Colour Gloss in Altitude Adjustment
£9.95 +VAT www.sweetsquared.com
Salon System Gellux Mini Gel Polish in Black Cherry £7.25 +VAT. Available via wholesalers nationwide.
The Manicure Company Gel Polish in Dark Amethyst
£8.71 +VAT www.themanicurecompany.com
Nails for design house, Brandon Maxwell, at New York Fashion Week AW24, courtesy of team JINsoon using JINsoon Nail Polish in Risqué.
Light Elegance Glitter Gel in Part-Time Pessimist
£14.95 +VAT www.lightelegance.co.uk
Oxfordshire pro, Hannah Flanagan, uses The GelBottle Inc products to create this stunning berry and tortie mix manicure.
The GelBottle Inc Tortie Kit in collaboration with @beautyworksbyamy
£70 +VAT www.thegelbottle.com
CND™ Take Root in Vinylux™
£5.95 + VAT & Shellac™ £14.95 + VAT www.sweetsquared.com
Amy Emmerman
HYBRID TREND
Amy Emmerman of @nineteen.nailsandbeauty combines two autumn/winter nail trends: tortie and a berry shade, to showcase a luxe nail effect.
3. Fireside styles
‘Tis the season of warm, spicy hues, including classic reds, oranges and browns. This year sees no deviation from the beloved colour palette, so mix up looks with texture, artistic elements or a matte or sparkly finish for party-friendly looks.
This glimmering, cat-eye nail style by @sunbeamnails catches the autumn light, and is the perfect accompaniment to the nail artist’s mustard-coloured jumper.
Add an eye-catching shine to seasonal styles with
The GelBottle Inc’s Rouge Chrome Pigment £12 + VAT www.thegelbottle.com
HD Pro Nails DESIGN IT! Colour Gel in Metallic Spice
£13.49 + VAT www.hazeldixonnails.com
Hara Professional HEMA-free Gel Polish in Poison Red
£6.95 + VAT www.astonandfincher.co.uk
NailKind Nail Lacquer in Double Trouble
£POA/RRP £8.95 www.nailkind.com
Nail stylist, Marie-Louise Coster, led the nail looks for design house, Edward Crutchley, for its AW24 London Fashion Week showcase. Nails were long and dazzling, in red, gold and bronze hues, crafted using Orly products.
Create a statement-making manicure with
Peacci Nail Polish in Orange Flambé £7.49 + VAT www.thegelbottle.com
We love this fiery nail finish from the Harris Reed X CND™ AW24 London Fashion Week collaboration, under the creative direction of lead nail artist, Simone Cummings (@manicuredbysimone).
Image courtesy of CND™ (Creative Nail Design, Inc.)
Halo Create Glitter in #BeAdored
£1.69 + VAT www.purenails.co.uk
Adelina Walker of @hellobeautifulnailbar, Stoke-on-Trent, combines a classic red hue with gold foil and chrome dust for a striking seasonal finish. The home salon owner used Magpie Beauty products to create the look.
OPI Nail Lacquer in Liquid Fire
£7.50 + VAT/RRP £14.90 www.opi.com
Belinda Price
The power of choice
“Trend-led nail designs tend to be adored by a particular demographic,” shares Belinda Price, OPI UK&I education manager. “If you want to attract more of these clients, you need to not only produce the nail looks they’re interested in, but showcase them in the nail space, on your website and via social media.”
Katie Turner adds: “I’ve noticed many techs posting seasonal nail styles and adding them to the ‘Highlights’ section on their Instagram pages. This is a great way to showcase designs that clients may not have seen before, and to keep inspirational styles for each season in one place, so clients can easily refer to them.”
Daisy Needham
Banish weather woes
“In the autumn/winter months, the cold and low humidity levels can cause skin and nails to become dry and brittle,” shares Daisy Needham, The GelBottle Inc content creator & nail technician. “Elevate treatments with an exfoliation, massage and/or mask to combat dryness. I recommend the TGB Spa Mineral Scrub, H2O Cream and Therapy Mask.”
TOP RETAIL TIP
Katie Turner suggests utilising the weather shift to sell certain products: “It’s a great time to educate clients on why cuticle oil and hand cream should be used, and the benefits these products will offer to their skin and nails.”
TGB Spa Mineral Scrub
& H2O Cream £29.50 + VAT each www.thegelbottle.com
4. Fall-ing to earth
Paying homage to trees shedding their leaves, this trend draws inspiration from the earthy browns, oranges and greens of the autumn season. “Nature-inspired designs are quick to create and a popular way to mark the season,” shares Katie Turner. Choose solid hues with a rounded nail shape for a versatile style, or add intrigue with leafy nail art.
Light Elegance P+ Gel Polish in Green With Envy
£14.95 + VAT www.lightelegance.co.uk
This olive green overlay comes courtesy of the GelJunkie team, created using
GelJunkie Gel Polish in Enchanted Ivy £7.95 inc VAT www.geljunkie.co.uk
Katie Turner shares an autumnal mani with a red-brown tip and leaf-shaped additions, created using Glitterbels products.
The GelBottle Inc brand ambassador, Learnah Starbuck, seeks woodland inspiration for the feature nails in this seasonal design.
Halo Gel Polish in Clay
£6.35 + VAT www.purenails.co.uk
Morgan Taylor Nail Lacquer in Fifteen Minutes of Frame
£5.50 + VAT/RRP £11.95 www.gelishmorgantaylor.co.uk
Glitterbels Glittered Acrylic Powder in Crunchy Leaves
£9.95 inc VAT www.glitterbels.com
Glasgow’s Kirsty McGeoch (aka @jessicarose_nails), uses Lecenté’s Poppy Red Leaf to elevate this nail style.
Lecenté Poppy Red Leaf
£4.49 + VAT www.lecente.comwww.sweetsquared.com
HD Pro Nails DESIGN IT! Colour Gel in Autumn Blaze
£12.49 + VAT www.hazeldixonnails.com
California nail pro, @handjobsbyallison, combines deep green with gold glitter and hand-painted leaf details for an oh-so autumnal nail finish.
Nails by Ama Quashie for Simone Rocha’s AW24 showcase at London Fashion Week.
CND™ Plantbound in Vinylux™
(£5.95 +VAT & Shellac™ £14.95 +VAT www.sweetsquared.com
CND™ UK ambassador, Alice Knight, comments: “Earthy olive greens, such as Plantbound from CND™’s Dynamic Duality collection, will be popular this season.”
Alice Knight
Occasion-led pointers
Belinda Price believes that seasonal trends shouldn’t just dictate nail styles. Consider incorporating elements of autumn and winter and into the wider salon experience. She shares: “Include seasonal décor in your treatment areas, such as rustic decorations, pumpkins, leafy flower displays and autumnal-coloured plants and planters.
“Add fragrance in the form of a diffuser that will remind your clients of a cosy winter night. For a final sensory touch, enhance your drinks menu with luxury hot chocolate, pumpkin spice-flavoured syrups for coffees and cinnamon herbal teas.”
Home Bargains Fall Reed Diffuser in Leaf £3.99 inc VAT www.home.bargains