With the sun beaming and temperatures still in 'do I need a jacket' territory, you'd be forgiven for not having a hold on what season we are in. But, while it may not feel it, autumn is finally upon us. If the weather has thrown you off, you can always rely on fashion and beauty's seasonal playbooks to steer the course. Right now, soft suedes, high-shine leather, and bold prints are back on the agenda, and you'll find each of them translated into the way we are wearing our nails, too.
The arrival of September brought with it the resurgence of fawn-core, made viral by runway-ready deer print jackets, pants, and scarves, but our favourite ode to the enchanting print came byway of Bambi nails, of course. Elsewhere, the merlot mani has fast-become a favourite on the Grazia beauty desk and apparently Hailey Bieber is just as obsessed, having swapped her signature glazed doughnut nails while attending the Saint Laurent Spring/Summer 2027 show at Paris Fashion Week for something far deeper, darker, and quintessentially autumnal. After something more dazzling? Look to Taylor Swift who is already looking ahead to festive season with a set of dazzling twinkle tips, which she wore to the 2026 MTV VMAs.
'This season, we’re seeing nails move away from summery softer, more pared-back shades that have dominated and into something richer, warmer, and a little more playful. Think deep, juicy tones like merlot and jammy reds, earthy greens, warm neutrals, and unexpected pops of colour - essentially, a continuation of that toasted summer palette before we move into a much bigger colour moment,' explains Vicky Hanna, founder of Luna & Wilde Salon.
While colour is certainly back across the board from make-up to nails, that doesn’t necessarily mean bright hues. 'This season’s palette feels warm, moody, and slightly nostalgic, with earthy tones and deep reds sitting alongside more playful finishes like twinkle tips and statement details. And looking ahead, we’re already seeing the beginnings of a bigger pink moment – suggesting that this return to colour is only going to get stronger,' adds Hanna.
With that in mind, allow these autumn-ready trendy manicures to inspire your next salon visit.
The very best autumn nail trends 2026
Bambi nails
'Deer print taps into the wider animal print trend we've seen across fashion for the past few seasons,' explains Daisy Kalnina, CEO and founder of The Gel Bottle. 'It's softer and more wearable than leopard and cow print, but pulling from that same countryside, hunting lodge aesthetic that's been all over the runways.'
More geared towards mid-century elegance, enchantment, and naturalism, the whimsy print 'ticks every box for the season because it's warm, textural, and feels luxury with a bit of personality without being too try hard,' Kalnina adds.
The merlot mani
Manicurist and The GelBottle Inc's brand ambassador, Bryony Howell, describes the merlot manicure as, ‘a deep, rich red tone inspired by merlot wine'. Why is it so popular? 'It’s elegant and slightly dramatic without being loud, which is also why it’s a go-to for the neutral nail girls,’ Howell adds. AKA it is dark, glossy, and unexpected – everything you want from an autumn-ready look.
‘Closely described as a burgundy, it isn’t as harsh as a dark brown or black, which makes it more wearable day-to-day,’ says Howell. Luxuriously rich tones? Tick.
Juicy jammy nails
In the last three months, searches for 'jammy nails' have increased 24,650%, according to beauty booking platform Fresha, making it one of the hottest trends to watch this season. It's not hard to see the appeal. 'Jammy nails are glossy, rich, jewel-toned manicures – the shade and finish is reminiscent of that high- shine jam finish,' explains Kalnina. 'For autumn, jammy nails will appear in deep berry, plum, and wine shades with a wet, high-shine finish. It's all about that juicy colour that catches the light.'
'The glossy finish adds a warmth and richness that feels cosy rather than cold, while feeling unique and special. Someone will always comment on a jammy nail – they’re just cool-girl chic,' adds Kalnina.
Twinkle tips
For the 2026 MTV VMAs, Swift swerved autumn's nail rulebook and looked ahead with a set that oozed quiet luxury's restraint and festive season's dazzlement in equal measures. Restraint came courtesy of a barely-there nude base, which subtly nods to the rise of the bare nail rebellion, while dazzlement was achieved with the scattering of tiny rhinestones and twinkly tips.
'With quiet luxury shaping everything from fashion to beauty, people are choosing quality over statement, and a flawless nude is the nail equivalent of a perfectly cut cashmere coat. Swift's gems act like fine jewellery, adding sparkle without breaking that understated feel,' says Kalnina. Crucially, her twinkly tips aren't overdone nor do they overwhelm the nude base that anchors the look. 'It's a grown-up take on sparkle,' she adds.
Tinted sunglasses nails
Brown, tinted, subtly transparent nails were caught on the runway for Diane Von Furstenberg's SS27 show at New York Fashion week. 'Sunglasses nails are shimmering, completely sheer brown nails, just like the lenses of your favourite pair of sunglasses,’ says head manicurist at the DVF show who goes by Miss Pop. The trend emerged from the brief given by DVF's creative director Henry Zankov and stylist Stella Greenspan. ‘They wanted a neutral nail that was completely see-through and celebrated the models’ natural beauty,’ she added.
Key to nailing the look is getting that sheer colour right. Miss Pop did just that by blending Essie’s Baby Carats, a shimmering chestnut brown, with the Stay Longer Longwear Top Coat to create a base coat. ‘The ratio is 25% brown, 75% top coat,’ she says. For an added ‘polarised effect’ she went over the nails with two coats of the polish before applying Essie’s Liquid Sunrise, an iridescent glowy varnish, over some of the nails.
Sameeha Shaikh is Grazia's beauty writer, working across all categories to bring you insights on the latest trends, industry news and the products you need to know about, viral or not (most probably viral).
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