Clean Girl Nails Explained
Clean girl nails are fresh, minimalist manicures inspired by TikTok’s clean girl aesthetic.They feature subtle nail polish colors like pale pink, beige, and cream that resemble a glossier version of your natural nail—so, your nails, but better. Clean girl manicures are short or medium in length and typically rounded or almond-shaped. Like clean girl makeup, clean girl nails emphasize healthiness and impeccable grooming via cuticle care and neat, even polish application. Clean girl nails are also known as supermodel nails. Some nail artists add a French-style tip or nail art to give a clean girl nail look more detail. You can go for bolder base colors like black and red—as long as your manicure still has the glossy, minimalist appearance central to the clean girl aesthetic.
How to Do Clean Girl Nails at Home
Gather your materials. To do DIY clean girl nails, you’ll need nail-care supplies to prep your nails, as well as materials to paint and maintain your manicure. “You want to have your own set of manicuring tools, which you can buy online in a kit: your clippers, your nippers, [...] a cuticle pusher, a file, nail polish remover, cotton, and then a good selection of polishes,” says nail artist Mia Rubie. For nail prep: nail polish remover, cotton pads, cuticle remover, cuticle pusher, nail clipper, nail buffer, nail file, and cotton swabs or pads. For painting: base coat, nail polish or polishes, clear top coat, nail polish remover and a cleanup brush—“It's a fine-tipped, flat-headed brush that you can dip in polish remover and just clean up around your cuticles,” Rubie explains. For maintenance: cuticle oil, hand lotion.
Prep and shape your nails. Remove any old nail polish using nail polish remover and cotton swabs or pads. Use a nail clipper to cut your nails to your desired length before shaping them—clean girl nails are usually short or medium in length. Use a file to shape them into either a round or almond shape, depending on your preference. Trim any hangnails with your nail clipper as well. When filing, move the file in one direction, typically up toward the nail’s tip, instead of sawing back and forth or up and down. Lift the file away from the nail between each little filing motion to prevent filing in both directions. This will prevent damage to your nails. To file your nails into a rounded shape, hold your nail file at one of your nail’s two corners at a 45-degree angle to the nail bed (the bottom of the nail where the cuticle is). Gently file the corner of the nail, rounding as you go. Stop when both corners are rounded and smooth with no sharp edges remaining. To file your nails into an almond shape, start with a longer nail. Visualize the center of the tip of the nail: This will be the ‘point’ of your almond shape. File the upper corners of the nail to round them, alternating back and forth so the shape you create is even. Stop when the rounded shape resembles the point of an almond—your nail should be widest at the cuticle and taper to a rounded point at its tip.
Prep your cuticles. Soak your cuticles in a bowl of warm water with a small amount of gentle face cleanser or shampoo for 2-3 minutes. Apply a drop of cuticle remover to the cuticle of each nail. Massage the oil from the cuticle to the nail bed for about 1 minute. Then, use a cuticle pusher to gently push back cuticles. Use a cotton ball or wipe to remove any remaining remover or dead skin. If you have excess cuticle at the base of your nail, use a nipper to cut the dead tissue. “You want to just take a nipper and clip at [the cuticle edge] straight and pull it [...] as if you're going straight up so you clip it.” Rubie says, emphasizing to avoid tugging on the cuticle.
Buff your nails with a nail buffer. Place the gritty side of the buffer parallel with the surface of your nail and move it down your nail in an X-shape (first stroke down toward the left, then stroke down toward the right). Buff each nail for 6 to 8 strokes. After you buff, wipe the nails once more with a cotton swab or pad to get rid of remaining nail debris. Buffering smooths your nails so the polish will apply evenly to the surface. Be careful not to buffer too much, or nail polish may slip off your nail.
Apply a nourishing hand lotion to your hands and nails. This will ensure your skin is moisturized and supple—so dry or rough skin doesn’t distract from your glamorous manicure. Once applied, wipe the nails a final time with a cotton swab or pad to absorb any excess lotion.
Apply a base coat. Wipe off excess base coat on the lip of the bottle. Then, beginning at the middle of the nail, swipe the base coat up toward the tip. Repeat your swipe on either side until the coat covers the nail completely. Let it dry (usually it takes 1-2 minutes) before moving on to your nail polish application. Base coat will help prevent your polish from chipping and staining. You only need one coat of base coat. Use a ridge-filling base coat if your nails are cracked or brittle to create a smoother surface for the polish to adhere to.
Apply two coats of the nail polish of your choice. After you polish on a thin layer, let the nails dry completely before applying the second coat. Wait at least 2 minutes between coats to ensure the first layer has adequate time to dry. Nail artist Kristin Pulaski starts by polishing with her non-dominant hand so her dominant hand doesn’t have wet polish on it yet—that way, it’s easier to clean up mistakes as she goes.
Add subtle nail art if desired. Swipe on a thin layer of white polish for a French-style tip. Alternatively, add nail stickers or create small, delicate designs. Just keep details to a minimum—the clean girl aesthetic is all about less-is-more details.
Seal your polish with a clear top coat. This will give your nails the luxurious glossy finish associated with clean girl nails. Top coat also provides resistance from chipping and smudging.
Maintain a clean-girl look by regularly grooming your nails. Nail artist Marta Nagorska emphasizes the importance of regularly applying cuticle oil because “you keep washing your hands throughout the day, so you keep washing out all the natural oils that your nail has,” which are needed to maintain the nail’s health. Clean under your nails on a daily basis. Wash your hands with hand soap or dish soap to remove stubborn buildup, and follow with moisturizing hand cream or lotion. Or, consider using a special product like an orange stick, a wooden stick meant for cleaning under nails. ”A manicure brush is a great tool to clean the underside of your nails, especially once the debris has softened during a shower or a bath. Alternatively, you can use a wet wipe wrapped around a manicure stick or an eyelash spoolie,” Nagorska tells wikiHow.
How to Ask for Clean Girl Nails at the Salon
Find a reference photo of a nail look you want on Instagram or Pinterest. If you just ask for clean girl nails, the manicurist may not know what you’re talking about. Save a reference photo on your phone to show the nail artist before your appointment begins. This will ensure you and your nail artist know what look you’re aiming for and can achieve your vision. Search phrases like “clean girl nails,” “clean girl manicure,” and “clean girl nail art” on Pinterest and Instagram to discover reference photos. You might even stumble upon a nail artist near you who can recreate one of their past clean girl looks on your nails!
Ask for short, rounded nails. This shape is popular within the clean girl aesthetic because it looks natural and effortless. If you’re getting an acrylic or gel set instead of having your natural nails done, request a rounded or almond shape.
Choose the right polish shade. Even if you have a reference photo, you may prefer a nail polish color different from the one in the picture. Look at the nail salon’s polish options and pick a sheer or subtle shade in a neutral, beige, or pink color. If you opt for nail art, stick to minimalist designs like a French tip or small stars. Don’t forget to request a glossy finish to complete your clean girl nail look!
The Best Clean Girl Nail Polishes
Besides nail care, your choice of polish is an important step to getting clean girl nails. No matter what design you opt for, picking the right glossy pink, neutral, white, or gray hue is paramount. Below are 6 highly rated polishes to consider. OPI’s Bubble Bath. essie’s Ballet Slippers. Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Polish in White On. essie’s Cloudy White Marshmallow. Revlon’s 020 Pure Pearl wet n wild’s Wild Shine polish in French White Crème
15 Cute Clean Girl Nail Looks to Try
Glossy nude nails. The quintessential clean-girl nail look: a sheer, nude shade emphasizing your natural nail color. Use just one coat of a nude polish to prevent it from becoming opaque. Don’t forget to swipe on your top coat for that elegant glossy finish! Consider sheer nude shades like OPI’s Bubble Bath or essie’s Centerpiece Of Attention to achieve this low-key look.
Milky white nails. Milk nails offer a pop of color without branching too far from the clean girl aesthetic. Their glassy finish is sure to dazzle. Use a milky white, semi-opaque shade to achieve this look—or apply it over a bright color for a milky finish. Two popular nail polishes in milky white shades are essie’s Cloudy White Marshmallow and Sally Hansen’s Silk is….
Pearlescent nails. Channel the beauty of pearls under the sea with this subtle, shimmering take on clean girl nails. Hailey Bieber is a fan thanks to its similarity to glazed-donut nails. Simply paint a sheer, shimmering polish over a clean nail (or a solid off-white shade) for a glam pearlescent finish. Get the shimmery look with a nail polish that feels plucked from the sea, like Revlon’s 020 Pure Pearl or OPI’s Switch to Portrait Mode.
White swirl nails. Get artsy with this abstract swirl look that infuses a glossy nude base with a creative white swirl. To DIY a swirl nail, start by applying a base coat and nude polish to the entire nail. Once your nails are completely dry, add a swirl by carefully curving a thin striping brush over the nail in the direction you want your stripes to be. For ease of applications (and to keep the mani minimalist), aim for 1-2 swirls per finger. Seal your design with a glossy top coat. Any beige or nude shade should work as the base of this look. Opt for opaque white polishes like Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear Nail Polish in White On for the stripes, and find thin, yet flexible striping brushes like this set from TEOYALL.
Classic French tips. You can’t go wrong with a classic French manicure to embody the simple elegance of the clean girl aesthetic. Start with a dry base layer of sheer pink polish. Use nail stencils or nail-safe tape to cover the nail below where the French tip will be. Apply a thin stripe of white polish along the end of the nail, and let it dry before removing the tape. Once dry, seal your tips with a shiny top coat. Get this simple, elegant look using your favorite white polish—such as wet n wild’s Wild Shine polish in French White Crème—and nail tape or stickers like Orly’s Half Moon Guides.
Micro French nails. Update the classic French tip with a more subtle manicure that offers a wisp of color to an otherwise plain look. Start with short nails—you don’t need as much space as you would for a French tip. Apply a base coat and let it dry. Then, use nail tape to cover up all but the top sliver of your nails. Stripe on the colorful polish of your choice, let dry, and seal with a glossy top coat. Nail stickers like Orly’s Half Moon Guides are the easiest way to get a clean, consistent tip on all your nails.
Gold-tipped nails. Channel the luxurious vibes of the clean girl nail aesthetic while adding some extra shimmer to your manicure. Start with a base coat and sheer pink polish for the base. Once your nails are done drying, apply nail tape to section off the tip and apply your gold polish. A metallic polish with a thin brush, like this silver and bronze gel liner duo, will make application easier than using a regular gold polish.
Sheer pink nails. Let your impeccable nail care be the star of the show with this low-key, feminine clean girl nail style. After applying your base coat and letting it dry, add one or two coats of a sheer pink polish to achieve this chic manicure. A popular pink polish within the clean girl community: essie’s Ballet Slippers.
Cherry-print nails. Add a subtle detail that will become your summertime go-to mani: mini cherries. This look works on a plain nail or over a sheer nude base polish—you can even have a nail artist apply cherry nail art over fresh French tips. Just make sure the cherries are extra tiny to maintain those minimalist clean girl nail vibes.
Logo mani. Leave logomania behind—almost. To incorporate a fun detail on a neutral clean girl manicure, have a nail artist add a simple luxury logo to your pointer finger’s nail. Ideas include the Chanel C motif or the Dior CD logo.
Inverted French tips. Subvert expectations with a clean girl nail look that puts a pop of color at the nail bed instead of the tip. Start with a base coat and sheer pink polish. Use nail tape or sticker guides placed upside down to create a ‘tip’ at the bottom of the nail plate. Apply a bright pastel or neon shade and let dry completely before sealing with a top coat. Nail tip guide stickers like Orly’s Half Moon Guides, placed upside down, will help you achieve a clean, inverted swipe of color.
Pearl nails. Clean girls nails with a 3D element are sure to stand out. Add a touch of subtle bling by applying miniature pearl charms to a plain base polish using nail glue and a clean, thin brush or dotting tool. You can match your makeup to this mani by applying subtle pearl gems to a white eye look. Pearl nail charms are often sold in kits with multiple sizes, like this set from VOTACOS which includes micro and mini pearl charms along with rhinestones.
Polka dot nails. Turn a basic base polish into a polka-dot party with a cute polka-dot pattern on top. Once your nude or sheer pink base coat has dried, use a dotting tool to apply small dots of color, evenly spaced around the nail. Dot one color at a time—so, add one to two yellow dots on each nail, then a couple blue dots, and so on until you’re satisfied with the final pattern. Use a thin dotting tool like the ones in this SAVILAND set.
Gem nails. Put a little bling at the base of your nails to infuse a basic look with some sparkle. After applying a base coat and a nude polish of your choice, use nail glue and a dotting tool or toothpick to set miniature nail gems at the center of each nail. The gem should sit right above your cuticle. Nail gems or rhinestones come in large sets or smaller packs. Look for a set that includes a tweezer and picker tool, like this one from Canvalite.
Ombre glitter nails. An ombre nail look can offer you a bold manicure without straying too far from the simple glamour of the clean girl aesthetic. To get the look, gather nail-safe glitter, a thin striping brush, clear nail polish, and a paper plate, napkin, or piece of aluminum foil that can serve as your working surface. Pour a quarter-size dollop of clear nail polish on your surface and pour a small pile of glitter nearby. Load the brush up with clear polish and a small amount of the glitter. Coat each nail with one coat, letting the glitter spread around. After this coat dries completely, repeat the brush-loading steps but only add more glitter to the tips of your nails to create an ombre or gradient effect.
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