Princess Nails Are the Royalty-Inspired Nail Trend You're Seeing Everywhere

Picture a “clean girl,” and you would see someone who is minimalist, neat, and simple. This doesn’t only apply to her daily habits, but also to her beauty routine—from sleek hair and barely-there makeup, all the way to polished nails.

Pared-back and classic manicures have been rising amid a multitude of maximalist styles, as trends like soap nails have dominated the first half of the year. Now, a new your-nails-but-better style has entered the scene, and it announces its arrival with a curtsy: princess nails.

The new nail trend has been taking over TikTok, and more and more people are wanting in on the graceful and sophisticated look.

Elegant and understated, princess nails come in sheer and subtle shades of pink, which is primarily what differentiates them from their neutral predecessors. They’re made to look even cleaner by keeping a short length, and the top shape choices are almond, oval, or slightly tapered square. This style doesn’t shy away from a glossy, refined, and feminine look that appeals to the soft glam aesthetic.

Princess nails, given its name, were inspired by the signature manicures of royalty. The late Queen Elizabeth’s go-to shade of pink was reminiscent of ballet slippers, and the late Princess Diana always sported the classic French manicure. Proving to be timeless, the less-is-more approach is also embodied by Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle, who usually gravitate towards sheer and muted tones.

Princess nails are beautiful, confident, and expressive, but not loud, flashy or aggressive—much like royalty.

With princess nails going well with anything and everything, it’s only natural to want to try the polished and classy look. Achieve them by adding these blushing shades of pink to your manicure kit.