Lizzo's Milky White Nails Are About To Be Everywhere In 2020
Your last manicure of December is arguably your most important nail appointment of the year. Whether you go to a salon or treat yourself by painting them at home, whatever hue you choose is the one in which you'll begin the new year. Pressure's on! Luckily, the milky nail trend is here to present you with a dreamy, creamy option that would go great with any New Year's Eve dress, not to mention whatever else you choose to wear in 2020. Plus, everyone's favorite singer-slash-goddess, Lizzo, has already given the trend her seal of approval, so you know it's good as hell.
What exactly are milky nails, you ask? They're a crisp, clean, cloud-white color with a high-shine finish that isn't fully opaque, hence the ~milky~ look. If, like me, you once used White-Out as nail polish while bored in middle school (Just me? Noted.), you know how blah white nails look when they're dull and matte. The key to nailing the pure color is an ever-so-slightly translucent shade and a glossy top coat, and if you need any convincing, let Lizzo's latest mani serve as nailspiration.
I first noticed her milky manicure before on the day of her KIIS FM 2019 Jingle Ball performance:
The cool hue really popped when she played her flute, if you ask me:
I won't be learning to play the flute anytime soon, but I will be copying this nail look. Unsure of exactly which polish to use, I decided to deep-stalk my nail crush, nail artist Katie Masters, to see if she had a good rec.
Of course, she did. Per her Instagram, Masters' favorite milky white is Presto Color Gel #003 ($15, Nail Labo), as seen below on the fingers of her client, celeb chef Giada De Laurentiis:
"Milky white is such a good background neutral color for any splash of design as well," Masters tells Elite Daily exclusively. There are other ways to dress the simple shade up, too. "Adding a white chrome on top makes it that much more classy and shiny," Masters says.
Masters is the queen of nail art, and these marvelous mountains overtop milky white tips are proof:
If you don't do at-home gels and your salon doesn't carry Presto gel polish, you can opt for the 10-free Gabriel Nail Polish in "Iceberg" ($9, Gabriel Cosmetics), which has a similar glossy sheen.
To maintain the look, you'll want to protect white nails from chipping or turning yellow, so a bomb top coat is essential. The Essie Gel Couture Top Coat ($9, Target) always gets the job done, and helps fake that gel-like finish. If you're into Masters' chrome idea, snag the OPI Chrome Effects Nail Lacquer in "Top Coat #CPT31" ($8, Walmart) instead.
Copying Lizzo's bold fashion sense on the daily isn't exactly doable, but her milky nails are one look you can wear anywhere and everywhere. Ring in the 2020 with this color and prepare for lots of compliments on your milky mani!
