It may still be August, but for those looking for a jumpstart on the autumn nail trends, we asked our favourite nail artists to spill the deets on their top trend predictions for the nail art and nail shades we’ll be wearing all autumn season – whether you’re more of a mani minimalist, or you want something super statement.

So, if you want to jump into cosy season nails first, here’s the autumn nail trends to have on your radar…

Animal print
Animal print is as eponymous for autumn as florals are for spring – and they’re going nowhere. “Animal prints are definitely here to stay. I’ve seen lots of zebra prints on the runway and leopard print is still massive so I reckon we’ll be seeing more variations of animal prints,” insists pro nail artist and OPI ambassador, Iram Shelton. It follows that searches for “cheetah print” are up by 209% on Google and animal print is forecast to rise by 33% heading into autumn.

Deep red
We’ve seen red nail polish begin to steal the mani top-spot from glazed pinks, and heading into autumn the classic shade is heading in an equally classic, darker direction. “Burgundy will be a big hit this year. We saw lots of reds last year but this deep shade is staying. It’s so sophisticated and anyone can rock this colour. [Chanel’s] Rouge Noir is an icon for a reason,” says Iram. The pros are all in agreement. “We will definitely see the return of merlot and cherry reds this autumn,” concurs manicurist, Ella Vivii, while celebrity nail artist, Robbie Tomkins notes: “AW24 shows were flooded with gorgeous dark shades of black cherry and merlot.” Likewise, luxury manicurist, Georgia Rae, muses: “I’m envisioning ultra dark, glossy nails. I’m thinking almost black reds like OPI’s ‘Black Cherry Chutney’.”

Metallics
Another trend that’s gained major consensus is metallics and chromes. “We’ll be seeing more metallics,” Georgia advises, while Robbie agrees: “all shades of chrome will be a key trend this coming season,” and Ella adds: “we will continue to see the rise of metallic and pearl colours follow through to autumn.” Plus, they can be used all over or as an accent. “Metallics and mirror nails are fun, interesting and can be as simple or as complex as you want them to be. I love a solid silver nail. It’s so chic,” says Iram. You can even level things up by mixing in another trend (like the aforementioned animal print).

Espresso
Latte nails kicked off our obsession with the brown colour palette last summer with a warm, transitional colour palette that was sunkissed and cosy in equal measure. But, Sabrina Carpenter put Espresso on our map and as the season gets colder and darker, expect brown shades to return in richer, snuggly shades of mocha, conker and hot chocolate. “I think this autumn we will see a lot of rich brown shades. I can see lots of caramel, toffee, chocolate and cream shades trending,” says luxury nail artist and educator Jess White. “The warm and inviting tones exude a sense of cosiness and sophistication,” she adds.“There has been a huge trend around manicures being inspired by our favourite seasonal drinks this year which I think will continue into Autumn. I’m leaning toward chocolatey browns,” agrees Georgia. And there’s plenty of movement within the gradient, whether you want to go lighter or darker. “Expect lots of neutral tones like beige, brown, and tan nails,” says Iram.

Sheer shades
Sheer shades and jelly finishes may feel more like summer territory, but they’re going to continue to keep things delicate (and interesting) heading into next season. “Sheer shades will continue to be big as we move into autumn/winter, but they’ll move away from the peach and pink shades of the lip gloss mani trend that was huge last year. Instead, expect to see more sheer, smoky grey, moss green and coffee ‘jelly’ shades,” predicts Robbie. Neutrals like white and cream are very much on trend, too, see: coconut milk nails. “Sheer, milky-white nails have been a huge request amongst my A-list clientele of late,” notes celebrity manicurist, Michelle Humphrey, who counts Dua Lipa and Adele as clients. “Get the look using Essie Allure or Arctic Jelly Gloss. The sheer white nail looks super clean and contemporary,” she says.

Autumn Frenchies
“Dark French tips on a sheer natural base, like a black tip, are big,” confirms top nail artist Harriet Westmoreland. “They’re delicate with a bit of an edge,” she explains. “I think the ‘cool girl’ shape will be a long almond, with a nod to the grunge trend. So a deep french in colours like Lady in Black and Malaga Wine by OPI,” Harriet says. Although, if you prefer a shorter shape, squoval micro Frenchies are the way forward. “Everyone will be asking for deep coloured Frenchies,” agrees luxury manicurist, Julia Diogo. “Olive green frenchies will be very cool,” she adds, or try rouge noir, black, brow or deep forest greens. “I think we’ll see neutral bases with variations on classic designs such as chocolate or pistachio French tips,” reckons Georgia.

And the Frenchie style will be getting a little remix, too. “As autumn approaches, it’s no surprise that we will witness exciting twists on the classic French tip manicure,” says Jess. “Side French tips and reverse French tips have gained popularity as they offer a playful and refreshing take on the traditional style,” she says.

Monochrome
If you sit somewhere between a minimalist and a maximalist, monochrome nails may be the way to go. The black and white colour palette keeps things simple, but the opportunity to introduce pattern is endless. “I think we’ll be seeing lots of monochromatic nail looks,” confirms Iram. “As winter approaches, it’s evident that dark nails will take centre stage in terms of popularity,” agrees Jess, who also predicts “striking monochromatic” nails will be big.

Moody tones
Moody tones will have their moment. “I think we’ll see trends moving towards the moodier tones and incorporating an accent of these colours whether all over, as a french tip, or nail art,” says Harriet. “Subdued tones and earthy colours like browns, taupes, off whites, forest greens, grey toned blues, and burnt oranges will be popular,” says Michelle. “We’re seeing lots of the colours of nature for autumn-winter: the deep reds, taupes, browns, blacks and dark blues. The classic autumn shades are just forever chic,” Harriet adds. “I think more muted baby blues and grey hues will be popular through the transitional season,”agrees Ella.