Milk Nails Are Everywhere—8 Designs We Love

last updated 22 February 2024

Here at Who What Wear UK, we love a timeless nail design. Sure, while colourful French tips and nail art are so fun to experiment with (we see you, spring nail trends) we're always on board with a classic nail trend. Whether it's neutral pinks or classic reds, there are some nail looks that are just incredibly timeless. They are the type of nail trends that will take you through work, weekends, weddings and everything in between. If there's one trend we've seen building momentum over the coming months, it's milky nails. And it's the chicest, suits-all nail trend we've seen for a while.

Much like the sheer 'clean girl' nails we saw last year, the milky nails trend features a semi-sheer wash of white or pinky-white polish, which instantly makes your nail beds look bright and healthy. It's like turning up the brightness on your nail beds to make them look smooth and even-toned. Nail ridges? We don't know her.

This trend suits everyone's hands, whether your nails are long or short. It instantly makes your nails look like you've had an expensive nail appointment. Ahead, you'll find more milk nail designs, as well as the best milky nail polishes to create the look.

I'm obsessed with how neat and pretty this mani looks.

Chanel have a range of pretty pinks. For a milky finish, we recommend La Base Camelia for a sheer finish.

Proof that the milky nail trend looks just as great on long nails as it does on short.

If you want to dial up your milky manicure, then it provides the perfect base for a French tip.

The milk nail trend looks best with immaculate cuticles and hydrated hands. These look super healthy.

Milk bath nails are also trending, which features a milky hue with flowers or petals encased within the polish. If that's a bit too much DIY, you could top your milk nails with a smattering of floral nail art instead, like this pretty mani.

Milky nails and icy, encrusted tips are a sparkling way to take your milky mani into the evening.

Shop milky nail polishes:

Dior

Diorlisse Abricot Smoothing Perfecting Nail Polish

Provides a perfect wash of milky pink to the nails.

Beauty Pie

Wondercolour Nail Polish in Le Milk

Price shown is member price.Beauty Pie have nailed the trend, with this milk-inspired hue.

Chanel

La Base Camelia Nail Polish

One of the best nail-perfecting bases around—it has a sheer pink that can be layered up for a milky finish.

OPI

Nail Lacquer in Funny Bunny

Funny Bunny has become one of OPI's most popular shades. This white polish is sheer, so one coat gives nails a milky wash in a flash.

Nails Inc

Time to Glow Glow-Enhancing Nail Perfector Polish

I have this sheer, milky polishes, and it has gotten me endless compliments whenever I wear it. It has a slight iridescent finish, which makes the nails look slightly luminous.

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Eleanor Vousden is the beauty editor for Who What Wear UK. She was previously deputy editor at Hairdressers Journal, health writer at Woman & Home and junior beauty editor at Powder. She has also contributed to Wallpaper and Elle Collections.With a degree in fashion journalism from the London College of Fashion, she has 10 years of industry experience and has been highly commended at the BSME Talent Awards for her work on Powder and also contributed to the title winning Website of the Year at the PPA Awards.Eleanor’s journalistic focus is providing readers with honest and helpful beauty content. She has interviewed celebrity makeup artists, hairstylists and dermatologists throughout her career, as well as celebrities such as Hailey Bieber, Sarah Jessica Parker and Scarlett Johansson.