Rianna Basurto, the director of marketing and brand development at Bellacures nail salon, said neutrals and earthy tones will be a popular color palette in 2025.

Think sandy beiges, soft greens, and even terracotta.

“People are shifting their style,” she told BI. “While they want it to be bold, they also want it to be a refined minimalism. They don’t want to do too much. They want it to be chic. Something that can go with everything but also makes a statement.”

If you’re looking for something to make your mani pop, Basutro suggested incorporating metallic design elements.

Although color preferences may shift with the seasons, she told BI that metallics will be an overarching trend for 2025. The shiny shades offer an elevated look to jazz up neutral palettes and minimalistic nail designs.

Similar to the Barbie-pink craze in 2023, pink and green are still riding a wave of popularity due to the release of the “Wicked” film.

Julie Kandalec, a celebrity manicurist and educator who has worked with stars like Jessica Chastain and Camila Cabello, said she expects this trend to continue into the New Year.

Experiment with green chrome or pink-green metallics before the trend dies down.

Although some may lean into the neutral trend in 2025, bright and bold colors will still have a place on your nails.

Lauren Ortega, an independent nail artist based in New York, said she expects to see a lot of blues, greens, reds, oranges, magenta, and fuchsia.

“It’s either you go bold, or you go very subtle,” she told BI.

As more brands create longer-lasting press-ons with diverse designs, Kandalec suggests giving them a try.

“Press-ons are trending because people love that instant gratification and changing their nails a lot,” the nail artist said.

Brands like Kiss often launch seasonal designs, offering different shades and designs that can be switched out every few weeks.

If you’re not into applying them yourself, some nail salons even offer professional press-on services that are faster and typically cheaper than a full gel manicure.

Basurto sees cat-eye nails becoming even more popular in the New Year, especially as the glass-nail look with pink and gray tones continues to trend.

Cat-eye polish utilizes a magnet to move small pieces of metal and create a shimmering effect.

“The fact that you can do it with different colors makes it universal throughout the year,” she said.

Kandalec also said that cat eye is relatively DIY-friendly. She recommends having fun with the gradient by making shapes like hearts or pumpkins with the magnetic polish.

All three of the nail experts expect short, rounded square (squoval) and medium-to-long almond nail shapes to trend in 2025.

The short squoval offers practicality, while a longer almond or oval shape is elegant and timeless.

“Almond is always going to be around because it’s such a classic,” Kandalec told BI. “People take their nails shorter because it looks good to have a dark color on a shorter nail.”

It’s OK to get a little wild with animal print, like leopard, zebra, or tortoiseshell.

The trend has been popular throughout the fashion and beauty worlds for a while, and Ortega told BI that she expects it to continue dominating until next summer.

Whether you decide to keep it simple with a neutral-toned base or explore with cat eye, animal prints will be trending well into the New Year.

Basurto has seen a shift from big and bold nails to more minimal looks for everyday manis.

Although intricate sets with a different design on each nail were popular in 2024, the simpler look has more staying power — and there’s a better chance it will match your whole ensemble.

“A lot of people are shifting toward something that is timeless,” she said. “They want something that is beautiful over time, not something that just goes along with the trends.”

One example of this is the playful and classy micro-French design with a metallic tip.

Rather than adding chunky charms to your manicure, Ortega said choosing either a fun color, shape, or texture will be the trend for 2025.

“For the last year or two, it’s been a lot of everything at once,” she told BI. In the New Year, she predicts to see more simple nail designs.

“You want your nails to go with everything the same way your black coat would,” Ortega said.

Stiletto-shaped nails (long nails with a sharp, pointed tip) can look very cool when done properly.

Unfortunately, Kandalec said, they’re complicated to get right. A poorly shaped stiletto can throw the nail structure off and give the set a wonky look.

The long, dramatic shape also goes against the current trend toward shorter, simpler nails.