Red nail polish has nine lives. The dynamic, stereotypically sexy hue coats fingertips everywhere from the hands of runway models and celebrities (Selena Gomez and Zendaya sported muted red and maroon manicures this month) to fashionable civilians on TikTok, transforming ever so slightly in any setting.
Cherry Cola nails remain one of the biggest nail trends in 2024, no matter where. Deeper shades of rose inspired a handful of New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2024 runway manicures and graced the hands of models at Retrofête, Prabal Gurung and more. Cheerful hues went viral under the TikTok trope “Red Nail Theory,” which claims that red nails exude power and draw the male gaze. Whether true or false, the hashtag garnered 102 million TikTok posts dedicated to establishing the accuracy of the theory.
Left: moody red nails at Prabal Gurung F/W 24. Left: crimson nails at Retrofete F/W 24.
(Image credit: Launchmetrics)
However, with summer in full swing, I was honestly expecting a return to the glossy apple tones of an early August farmers market. Unfortunately, my instincts were wrong. The red edition of this summer’s nail trends was anything but summery.
Instead, a moody red nail trend has taken a maroon and brick red twist rooted in a 1990s winter landscape. “The reds we’re seeing everywhere now are Reality bites Red. That’s what Winona Ryder and Jeanine Garofalo wore in 1994,” famous nail artist Miss Pop tells me.
Winona Ryder in a promotional portrait for the film “Reality Bites”, 1994.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
A deep, warm and cozy red may be a bold and quite unexpected choice given the time of year, but it has both sex appeal and staying power. “There’s an elegance and unexpected coolness to this red that was likely influenced by runway trends and early fall previews and has undeniably attracted attention,” explains celebrity nail artist Jin Soon Choi.
The key to turning a winter shade into a summer shade is to choose a more pigmented undertone. “You want a nail polish that has a deep color but still lets you see the red tone instead of just seeing darkness,” says celebrity artist Tom Bachik, the mastermind behind Selena Gomez’s take on the shade. Instead of Essie Wicked or OPI In the Cable Car, you want Chanel’s Rouge Nior or imPRESS’s Cherry Up.
If you haven’t jumped on the moody red nail bandwagon yet, I’m happy to report that you can pull off the look quite easily. Read on for the full scoop on summer’s most notable anti-summer manicure trend, then shop the best moody red nail polish shades. Unlike other warm-weather polishes, these are shades you can easily wear into fall.
How to implement the moody red nail trend
This off-season red manicure trend has a wide range. Actual shades can vary from maroon and scarlet to purple and brick red. The key is to choose a color that complements your complexion. Here, Choi explains what to look for.
Warm undertones
If you have a warm undertone, your veins are probably a little greenish and you gravitate toward gold jewelry trends. Sound familiar? “Choose classic reds, brick reds and orangey reds to accentuate your undertone,” says Choi. “These shades will blend with the warmth of your skin and create a harmonious look.”
Cool undertones
Those with blue veins and an inexplicable penchant for silver jewelry fall into the “cool” category, meaning they want a red with a blue undertone — like a deep cherry red or crimson. According to Choi, “these cool shades can accentuate the coolness of your complexion and add a vibrant contrast.”
Neutral undertones
If you don’t fall into any of the above categories, the world of red nail polish is your oyster. “Most shades of red will look great,” says Choi, “but you might particularly like dark or muted tones like burgundy.”
The best moody red nail polishes
Trying out the moody red nail trend isn’t as complicated as Zendaya’s floral French mani or J.Lo’s Bridgerton Nails. Shop for your undertone—or just grab the shade that suits you. “Wearing red is more about matching your personality than the season,” says Miss Pop. “Red is about getting what you want and getting noticed.” That said, go ahead and get yourself seen.
Essie Salon Quality Nail Polish, 8-Free, Vegan, Rich Cherry Red, No Red-Y for Bed, 0.46 Fl Oz
Essie Bubbles Only Gel Couture Nail Polish
