5 nail trends set to dominate the rest of 2023, according to Kylie Jenner’s nail artist

Nothing makes us feel like we have our lives together more than a fresh set of nails. Truly, the power of a coat of pink nail polish or statement nail art is nothing short of incredible. And with so much celebrity manicure inspo readily available thanks to Instagram, we’re never short of design ideas or trends to show our nail techs.

But it’s always a treat when a celebrity nail artist lets us in on the insider goss of nail trends. Enter Kylie Jenner’s go-to nail tech Zola Ganzorigt AKA @nailsbyzola. Boasting an impressive celebrity client base including Sydney Sweeney, Kendall and Kylie Jenner, and, of course, Hailey Bieber, Ganzorigt is the artist to follow. After all, she is responsible for creating the glazed donut nail trend that literally took over our feeds in 2022.

Ganzorigt recently sat down with Who What Wear to dish on the nail trends that will dominate the rest of 2023. And, as per usual, we took notes… 

The biggest nail trends of 2023

Aura nails

The comeback of aura nails is almost as exciting as the comeback of Marc Jacobs Beauty in our books. "Every single client of mine is asking for aura nails, even Christina Aguilera,” Ganzorigt says. “She was like, 'you need to find more airbrushed nail designs for me because I love it.' It's not only Christina. So many of my clients are asking for airbrushed nails. I think that's going to be big." 

Aura nails for spring? Groundbreaking (no, truly). Because who doesn’t love a statement mix of vibrant pinks, blues and greens to ring in the new season? Keep it soft and low-key with watercolour pastels, or go big and bold with black or diamond aura nails.

Almond-shaped nails

Almond nails are without a doubt one of the most flattering nail shapes. They’re simple, chic and make for the perfect canvas for nail art. "The shape that people request the most is a medium almond shape," explains Ganzorigt. "You see it everywhere. It's personally my favorite nail shape. It's the most natural-friendly nail shape because it doesn't break as easily as other nail shapes. It also makes your fingers look longer.”

The only catch? The almond shape requires longer nails to achieve the perfect finish – but don’t stress. If your natural claws are a touch too short, you can always opt for gel extensions (a BIAB staple) or stick to good old acrylics.

Dark shades

It may be warming up here in Aus, but the other half of the world is heading into fall. Cue the autumnal hues and latte makeup looks – and, of course, this includes nail colours. 

"Every fall, it's a darker color, like rusty brown or rusty orange – that kind of color gets really popular," Ganzorigt says. Her most in-demand autumn nail colour just happens to be one of our favourites, too: OPI’s Malaga Wine ($14.99 at Chemist Warehouse). Finish your mani with the OPI Matte Top Coat Nail Polish ($20.95 at Myer) to nail the vampy goth glam vibe.

Neutrals

Wedding season is fast approaching, so it’s no surprise that neutral nails are set to reign supreme. Think milky whites, pale pinks and sheer nudes. "I really love Funny Bunny, which is a milky white colour," Ganzorigt says. "It's really subtle and pretty, and it's the original glazed donut nails under-shade colour.” 

And don’t worry – glazed donut nails aren’t going anywhere just yet. In fact, Ganzorigt has pegged them as the biggest bridal nail trend for 2023. "They're like the new French manicure," she says. "It's the new signature wedding nails for brides.” 

Her secret? She mixes three shades of pinks to create a custom base for each client’s skin tone then tops with chrome for a perfectly glazed finish.

Short, square nails

Not a fan of long nails? We hear you. And thankfully short nails are officially back on trend. “I'm also seeing a lot of my clients switch to short, square nails. I did that shape on Kylie [Jenner]," says Ganzorigt.

Oh, and coffin nails are officially (and ironically) dead.  "That's really outdated to me," she says. "When my clients ask me, I'm like, 'No, you're not doing this. You can make it short and square, but no coffin."

Main image credit: @nailsbyzola

Want more celeb nail inspo? Dua Lipa’s nails are the perfect place to start…