If summer is the Elle Woods of nail-polish colors [1] — bright, fun, the perfect accoutrement to holding fuzzy pink pens — then fall is the Rachel Green. It's simple, understated, and cool as hell . . . and definitely more likely to travel to Central Perk than Harvard Law School for a man. (Winter is Wednesday Addams, if you were curious, for obvious reasons.)
Over the last year or so, we've seen the return of minimalist beauty [2], which is perfectly up Rachel's (and everyone else's, it seems) alley.
"While we love nail art, this fall we're seeing a shift to more muted looks and sophisticated solids," Michelle Nguyen, founder of Paris Lash Academy, says. If you aren't a fan of keeping things simple and instead like your nails to be a little more out-of-the-box and in-your-face, not to worry. There are plenty of maximalist options to keep on your radar over the coming months.
Ahead, we break down the best fall nail colors you're about to see everywhere. Keep scrolling to peep our predictions and shop the products needed to make your nails the envy of everyone in the room.
Experts Featured in This Article
Elle Gerstein [3] is a celebrity nail artist.
Sofia Mazur [4] is a nail artist and educator.
Michelle Nguyen is the founder of Paris Lash Academy [5].
Jan Arnold is the co-founder of CND [6].
Rachel Apfel Glass [7] is the founder of Glosslab [8].
Wax-Colored Neutrals
Essie Nail Polish in Charm to Stable [10] ($13)
This season, celebrity nail artist Elle Gerstein says we'll be seeing a lot of wax-colored neutrals. "Porcelain and parchment are redefining the idea of nude. Instead of translucence, we're seeing waxier finishes that feel like the new pastels," Gerstein says. "It's all about the contrast—light with heavy, soft with hard—and the way those elements interact and echo one another to set trends."
Frosted Neutrals
Mineral Rose All Day [11] ($9)
"I love how metallics shine for fall, especially paired with lighter fabrics like silk and chiffon that dominated the runways," Gerstein says. "The season's color story is all about texture—blending soft with structured. It's the perfect evolution from the summer "soap" trend of clean nails and glowy skin into a more polished fall aesthetic."
Merlot
Essie Nail Polish in Berry Naughty [12] ($11)
"While the merlot color is always trendy during fall, it's truly a classic color that never goes out of style," says nail artist and educator Sofiia Mazur. "It also works on all skin tones and looks great both glossy and matte."
Electric Blue
CND Denim Patch [13] ($11)
"Electric blue was one of our favorite trends this year, and I love to see that it's still going strong," Jan Arnold, cofounder of CND, says. She suggests a shade like CND Denim Patch [14] or CND Blue Eyeshadow [15] to get the look at home.
Olive Green
Duri Monkeying Around [16] ($10)
"Earth tones always transition beautifully into fall, and we love a good olive green, especially paired with a matte top coat," Nguyen says. This color from Duri fits the bill perfectly.
Charcoal Gray
Zoya Nail Polish [17] ($12)
"Charcoal gray is a brighter neutral, making it the perfect transitional shade from summer to fall. You can also go lighter or darker depending on your preference," says Rachel Apfel Glass, founder of Glosslab [18]. This Zoya nail polish is the perfect moody gray to add to your collection.
Renee Rodriguez [19] is a senior staff writer and social producer for PS. She writes across all verticals, but her main areas of expertise focus on fashion and beauty content with an emphasis on reviews and editor experiments. She also produces social content for the PS TikTok and Instagram accounts.