Riding high on the return of Y2K fashion and beauty, nail-art has never been more intricate — or cute. And while we've seen the rise of plaid nails and pastel nails, the newest one to join the bandwagon is candy nail-art. And yes, it looks just like it sounds. We're not talking about putting actual candy on your nails BTW — just nail-art that's inspired by candy, and okay, yes, sometimes has chunks that look like candy, à la Megan Thee Stallion.
The rapper's insanely long digits are the talk of the town. By combining the cutesy vibes of the Y2K era (shoutout to the Hello Kitty nail!), pastel shades, and of course, tiny little elements including donuts and waffles that make the nails look oh-so-delish, this is the sweetest nail-art trend around. But if you think showing Megan's image to your manicurist isn't going to yield you the results you desire, or if your style just isn't as OTT, we've got you covered. Read on to see how you can make candy nail-art your own, without the frills.
1. Cotton candy dreamin'
Image courtesy:@adoreluxenails
This one had to top our list because these are just so simple and beautiful! Reminiscent of cotton candy skies, and of course, our childhood favourite treat, pale pinks, purples and reds coincide to create an almost marble-like texture. Yum!
2. Sweet like candy cane
Image courtesy:@weheartit
Who said you have to wait till Christmas for candy cane nails? Here's a super cute way to accomplish them — make the stripes all swirly! This is a fun, friendly look that'll help you fit in with the candy nail-art trend perfectly, while also being simple and elegant. It really is the best of both worlds!
3. Colour-matching
Image courtesy:@lukart.productions
Don't want to go OTT with your claws? Why not use your favourite candy as a colour palette for your nails? If you're all about chocolate, dark, milk and white, create a neutral look using those shades. If you're a candy cane girl, red and white all the way! You get the idea. Seek inspiration from whatever candy you have lying around, and we promise, you won't be disappointed.
4. Nails so good...
Image courtesy:@beautyhigh
... You'll wanna eat them! While we don't condone biting the nails, we'll agree that nail paint patterns that look exactly like your favourite candy are a little hard to resist. While this image is of giant lollipop-inspired nails, remember — when it comes to candy and nail art, the sky (or your nail length) is the limit!
5. Extra AF!
Image courtesy:@dazeddigital
The only way to truly do justice to the candy nail-art trend? Go all out, baby! Take some 3D, nail-friendly charms to your manicurist that are all about your fave sweet treats, and polish away to get the yummiest looking nails in town. Just don't mistake them for actual candy, though!
Psst... Now that you've got these ideas sorted out, maybe it's time to actually execute them? Once you've picked the one you're most obsessed with, we recommend you try it yourself with the Lakmé Absolute Gel Stylist Nail Polish. The polish will give you gel-like nails at home with a high gloss finish, and is available in 50 options — so you know you're spoilt for choice!
Main image courtesy:@theestallion
Written by Nishtha Bhalla on Aug 13, 2021
Nishtha is a freelance writer who loves all things beauty, fashion, culture, and lifestyle. With content covering a variety of topics, she brings a holistic, nuanced perspective to her writing. In her free time, she can be found watching reruns of The Office, reading anything she can get her hands on, and experimenting with astrology.