Kylie Jenner just made black nails trendy again

Revamping a classic

BEAUTYcrew Beauty Editor / May 24 2021

Black nail polish is always a classic choice in our opinion. But it’s especially a must-have hue in the nail wardrobes of the low-key among us, who love a minimal manicure but can’t get around a neutral or soft pink shade (we see you O.P.I Funny Bunny fans). The moody mani colour is a no-brainer in the cooler months but also adds an edge to any look no matter the time of year. 

And if you thought black nails were a bit too 2010, you’ll be pleased to know the versatile lacquer look has had a revamp lately thanks to a slew of celebrities reinterpreting the classic colour to meet modern means – just in time for winter no less.

The king of beauty trends herself, Miss Kylie Jenner, just debuted a jet-black, high-shine manicure with a pointed, almond shape and it’s reignited our love for the vampy nail colour.

Image credit: @kyliejenner

Image credit: @kyliejenner

Selena Gomez is on board with black nail polish, too. The ex-Disney star was recently seen rocking a stunning set of French tip nails designed by celeb manicurist Tom Bachik. The nail artist chose to decorate Gomez’s talons with a true black, white tip and red underbelly to mix things up.

Image credit: @tombachik

Image credit: @tombachik

Even Lil Yachty included a pretty swish shade of matte black nail varnish in his recent line of genderless nail paints, which sold out just two days after its launch date. The bullet-style nail paint can be lacquered all over the nail or used for detailing if you’re feeling fancy.

Image credit: @lilyachty

Image credit: @lilyachty

The only deterrent when it comes to black nails is probably the mess factor – there’s a real chance you could look like you’ve been playing in an inkwell if you’re not careful with your application. Luckily, we’ve got some tricks of our own for making manicures with darker nail polish a breeze. Simply select a shade and finish that suits your style and you’re on your way to being a trendsetter in your own right.


A few of our favourites for nailing the look pun intended) are: OPI Infinite Shine in ‘Black Onyx’ for a no-nonsense high-shine, long-lasting finish Essie Nail Colour in ‘Licorice’ for a classic creamy black, and SEPHORA COLLECTION Color Hit Nail Polish in ‘Black Lace’, which comes in at the uber-affordable price of $8 a bottle (hold up while we bulk buy several bottles).

OPI Infinite Shine in ‘Black Onyx’

Essie Nail Colour in ‘Licorice’

SEPHORA COLLECTION Color Hit Nail Polish in ‘Black Lace’

There's no point in having chic nails if you've got dry hands (at least in our opinion). These are the best hand creams to save your skin from post-hand sanitiser dryness.

Main image credit: @kyliejenner

Briar Clark got her start in the media industry in 2017, as an intern for Marie Claire and InStyle. Since then, her keen interest in fashion and beauty has landed her gigs as a Digital Content Producer and Beauty Editor with titles like Girlfriend, Refinery29, BEAUTYcrew and beautyheaven. She loves the way seemingly innocuous topics like skin care and style have the ability to put a smile on people’s faces or make them think about themselves a little differently. A big believer in self love and experimentation, Briar has made a point of becoming the Australian beauty industry’s unofficial guinea pig for unusual treatments and daring hair trends. When she’s not testing out the latest beauty launches, Briar is big on broadening her horizons, mostly in the form of food but she’s also partial to travelling to new destinations both near and far (and of course, allocating an extra bag to bring their best beauty offerings home with her).