Fall manicures are getting a serious glow-up this year. From glossy gemstone finishes to intricate Fabergé-inspired artistry, October 2026 nail trends are all about texture, dimension and a little drama.
Here, celebrity nail artists share the looks worth booking your next appointment for, whether you’re drawn to the playful bubble nails straight from Tokyo or the cozy soft plaid manicure.
Cat-eye nails had their big breakthrough a couple of years back, but the trend never totally faded. Celebrity manicurist Julie Kandalec predicts cat-eye looks are going to come back in a big way in October, but with a fresh take. She points to these two manicures as perfect examples—one with multicolored cat-eye French nails and the other with each nail in a different shade of cat-eye polish.
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Gemstone Glass Nails
Kandalec says she’s been seeing gemstone glass nails all over, and she predicts there’s much more to come in October. We’ve also noticed an uptick of this trend on our For You Page, and we’re eager to try the look with a variety of rich fall shades.
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Soft Plaid Nails
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Fall is undoubtedly the season of plaid, so it’s the best time to try the style out in manicure form. Kandalec says we’ll specifically be seeing a lot of “dimensional, layered soft plaid” manicures in October.
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Precious Metals Nails
Celebrity nail artist Marisa Carmichael predicts an uptick in solid silver and gold chrome polishes across both hands and toes. When done well, “they look like jewels,” she says. Don’t just take our word for it—Vanessa Hudgens just proved this to be true with a stunning silver chrome mani.
Marisa Carmichael
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Squoval Shapes
Carmichael predicts a return to more natural nail shapes. She points to squoval nails, somewhere between square and oval, as the biggest shape we’ll see next month. Personally, I plan to transition from rounded nails to squoval at my next appointment.
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Fabergé Egg Manicure
Kandalec predicts we’ll soon see manicures taking cues from the iconic Imperial art of Fabergé eggs. She created this transitional Fabergé egg manicure with 3D gold accents, and they’re truly a work of art.
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Soft French Manicure
Eternally on trend, Carmichael says the French manicure will still hold a special place in people’s go-to styles in October, even among all the chic new trends. Carmichael predicts this season’s trendiest French manicure will look like your natural nails, but perfected: “Milky sheer white tips or a sheer light gray, covered with a sheer neutral or pink.”
Marisa Carmichael
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Bubble Nails
“I was just in Tokyo (again) two weeks ago, and bubble nails were EVERYWHERE,” Kandalec tells us. And if this past year has taught us anything, it’s that once a trend catches on in Korea, it’s a safe bet it’ll make its way to the U.S. next.
