Bella Hadid Just Gave The Latte Nails Trend A Huge Upgrade For Summer 2024
If there were any big takeaways from 2023, it was that the latte nail trend was all the rage. Even as 2024 entered the picture, latte nails were still riding high, this time with a textured twist. But as much as the nail looks in 2023 and later were fantastic, Bella Hadid just breathed new life into the trend when she upgraded from latte to café au lait.
As a neutral, latte nails go with everything, and can be as fancy as they are casual. Hadid proved that in May 2024, when she asked her manicurist to match her nails perfectly to her sheer brown YSL gown that she rocked on the red carpet at Cannes. Her manicurist, Emi Kudo, combined three colors to create the custom shade — and nailed it.
"The thing about latte nails is that they really are a timeless nail look," editorial manicurist Steph Stone tells Byrdie. "People have been requesting this look — in other words — for as long as I can remember. The look has been [around] forever, but the name is what's trending." Regardless, if you're thinking you need some café au lait nails in your life, now is the time to make it happen.
How you can achieve this look at home
According to Kudo's Instagram post where she divulged the secrets behind the color, after buffing and preparing the nail, she "custom mixed three colors: 'Twin Flame,' 'This Lifetime,' and 'Cardinal' from Apres' 'Valentine Palette' to make a perfect Cafe Au Lait color."
While that might seem like a relatively easy thing to do, the company's Valentine's Day Chocolate Palette has since sold out, according to Glamour, causing a bit of a stir among those wanting this look. So if you want to get this color — or at least as close to it as possible — you're going to have to tap into your resourceful side and find colors that are similar to the three Kudo mentioned in her post and get to mixing. This is definitely going to involve some trial and error, but when you nail the perfect shade, all your hard work will have been worth it.
Once your nails are painted, apply a high-shine top coat to lock it all in and prevent chipping. Then, because nail health should always be on your radar, finish up with cuticle oil just as Kudo did when completing Hadid's manicure.
Other ways to switch up Bella Hadid's take on this look
If Bella Hadid's café au lait nails just aren't spicy enough for you and your personal style, don't be afraid to switch things up a bit. You can take this neutral, goes-with-everything color and add a top coat, making them ultra-glamorous iridescent nails. If that's still too boring for you, then give 3D charms nails a try or lean into jelly floral manicures. With so many nail trends and classic manicures to choose from, the sky really is the limit when creating your café au lait look, so don't be afraid to take chances and get creative.
Not feeling like up to such a task? Then making an appointment with your favorite manicurist and having them do all the work is your next best option. You might even get lucky and find they've procured the three essential colors from the Apres Valentine's palette before they sold out. If that's the case, then you'll be able to rock the café au lait mani just as hard as Hadid.