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Forget the runway, this year, the best summer beauty inspo is coming straight from fruits and veggies—and the latest manicure trend is no different. What were calling "blueberry milk nails" are popping up left and right on our favorite celebs, as if there was some secret hot-girl conference no one knew about. Brands are following suit with baby blue launches, and were betting that the color will be this summers biggest nail trend. Ahead, everything you need to know about blueberry milk nails, as well as how to get the look.
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The Trend
Much like how the "strawberry" and "chocolate" milk nail trends are, respectively, pink and brown manicures that riff off the well-loved milk bath trend, blueberry milk nails have the same creamy base as a milk bath mani, just in a fun blue hue. This is not the minty shade that reigned supreme in the early 2010s, its more of a sky blue with a grey or cream base, not a green one.
“Fruit milk shades trend stemmed from South Korean nail artists as strawberry milk, banana milk, and blueberry milk are actually really popular beverages there,” says celebrity nail artist Sonya Meesh. “Unlike a plain pastel blue that can look flat, the blueberry milk trend has a creamier tone to it.”
And it can be worn sheer, too. Celebrity manicurist and founder of Nails of LA, Brittney Boyce, tells buuk.top: “It’s a chic sheer color that’s fun but not crazy. I think this looks good on all skin tones as well.”
The aforementioned milk-flavored nail trends rose to popularity this past spring, which begs the question: Why are blueberry milk nails trending now? Meesh has the answer. “Creamy, milky shades are always fun for warm weather," they say. "A light creamy blue works well, especially in the summer when our skin is naturally more tanned.”
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Where Youve Seen It
Meesh explains that blueberry nails also play right into the girly coquette trend that’s all over TikTok, as well as the influx of blue beauty looks on the red carpet. Just last month, both Sydney Sweeney and Elsa Hosk wore baby blue eyeshadow and matching gowns to the Cannes Film Festival, and Megan Thee Stallion just wore “blueberry ice lips” to the Louis Vuitton Spring/Summer 2024 show in Paris.
Zendaya was spotted at the same fashion show wearing a blueberry milk manicure, and stars like Sofia Richie Grainge, Dua Lipa, and Sabrina Carpenter recently revealed their takes on the nail trend. To solidify the trend, every model on the runway for Lipa and Versaces Vacanza collection wore powder blue nails.
Plus, baby blue is all the rage with brands, too—Emi Jay’s new hair accessory collection includes plenty of light blue floral motifs, and It-girl approved swimwear brand Frankies Bikinis just launched fun baby blue swimsuits for the summer.
How to Get the Look
If you’re in the market for a blueberry milk manicure, you can choose any light blue nail polish to get the look. Meesh recommends Orly Nail Polish ($11) in Morning Mantra for a true blueberry milk manicure, Manucurist Nail Polish ($14) in Lilas for a cool-toned blueberry milk manicure, or the Chanel Le Vernis Longwear Nail Color ($32) in 125 Muse for a muted “quiet luxury” spin on the trend. If you’re going for an at-home gel manicure, the Aprés Gel Couleur ($15) in Sky High should do the trick.
If you’re going the sheer route, Boyce has the perfect trick for landing your perfect blueberry milk shade: “If you can’t find a sheer white-based blue tinted polish, then you can mix a milky sheer white with a baby blue polish to get the look.”
And don’t be afraid to get fun with it: nails are temporary, after all, so experiment with designs. Boyce says that a design like the ghost flame mani she created would “look really cool and chic” in a blueberry milk shade.
“Ive been really into adding 3D embellishments to manicures to make them fun, like googly eyes or metallic clusters,” says Meesh. “For at-home, an abstract French tip with two different shades of blueberry milk colors and a white base coat instead of a sheer neutral can look really groovy.”