The Bare Nail Rebellion: Why All The Cool Girls Are Quietly Quitting Manicures

In case you hadn't noticed, we are in the midst of a quiet revolution. In an age of manicure excess, where any nail design you can imagine is on the table (whether velvety cat-eye nails or bejewelled 3D nail art) bare, polish-free nails are making a comeback.

I'm a bare nail loyalist 99% of the time, largely down to religious obligations. During the start of Ramadan, the bare nail look became widespread, with many in the global Muslim community seen gently buffing away their glossy gel manicures to the viral 'It's couture' sound as the hilal (new crescent moon) marked the start of the holy month.

And the bare nail revival exists outside of Ramadan, too. Sitting front row at the Saint Laurent show during Paris Fashion Week on Tuesday, Kate Moss was pictured with clean, natural, unpolished nails. Zoë Kravitz is a bare nail crusader too, seemingly going polish-free on various red carpets this year, nails filed and buffed camera-ready by go-to celebrity manicurist Betina R. Goldstein, who creates Kravitz's signature 'No Make-up Make-up' nail look.

Pamela Anderson is also a fan and accessorised bare nails at the Golden Globes in January. The trend has even had the royal seal of approval - The Princess of Wales swapped her signature understated glossy polish for a bare look during her most recent public outing in Wales. If that's not enough, look to the OG cool girl minimalist, Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, depicted by Sarah Pidgeon in FX’s Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. & Carolyn Bessette, who had a well-known penchant for bare nails.

Why are all the cool girls over gel manicures?

So, why are all the cool girls over manicures? The rebellion against traditional manicures can be put down to the rise of low-maintainence looks. Beauty booking platform Fresha reports 'minimal manicures' is the third top ranking spring nail trend to watch for 2026 with a 250% YOY increase in search.

Then, there's the health element. Margaret Dabbs OBE, CEO and founder of Margaret Dabbs London, explains, 'Nail damage has become increasingly common, particularly issues such as onycholysis, onychomycosis, and weakened or brittle nails. Gel manicures can contribute to nail weakening or separation, particularly if the products are applied too thickly or removed aggressively, or instruments are non-sterile.'

It's the reason why Margaret Dabbs London Clinics and Nail Spas are big on the natural nail look and have subsequently developed a host of at-home care products like the Nail Strengthening Treatment, £16, which keeps nails in check between manicures or can be worn on its own as a nail strengthener. 'Most importantly, take regular breaks from polish or gel applications to allow your nails time to recover and maintain their natural strength and health,' adds Dabbs.

#Naturalnails has amassed a whopping 459.8K videos on TikTok and bare nails have been creeping into vogue since last year, thanks to influencers like @kimberlybizu and @anastazia. In a video that has massed 2.7 million views, Kimberly says, 'Hear me out, the most confident women I know, like on this planet earth, are women with short, natural nails. Unpolished, unmanicured, just short as f***. Those b****es? What do you mean you don't need nails? If you don't need nails, you most definitely don't need approval or validation from any of us... What is it like to be in that psyche, where you don't need to get your nails done every other week? Yeah, you b****es are onto something.'

Similarly, talking to her 1.5 million TikTok followers, influencer Anastazia admits, 'call me crazy but I've never felt chicer than with my short bare nails ... it kind of reminds me of the Olsen twins.' Commenters were quick to criticise: 'Recession indicator,' says one, while another wrote, 'It’s giving POOR.'

There's no denying cutting back on regular manicure appointments will save you money, but it could be argued that the bare nail look requires greater daily maintenance. If you're ready to join the rebellion, these are the products to add to your new nail routine.

Shop: The bare nail tool kit

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).