The Tamesis
Some people are craving bold colors as the weather warms up (it’s one of the biggest spring 2026 nail trends, after all), but “clean girls” needn’t worry. Here’s a more subtle take on the classic French manicure, called the “cloudy” French manicure. Zoe Kravitz first debuted her look at the Golden Globes (painted by artistically gifted Chanel manicurist Betina Goldstein), and now the subtle look is taking nail salons by storm.
“A muddy French manicure doesn’t have those sharp white lines,” manicurist Naomi Yasuda tells me when I visit her studio. She recently collaborated with Magnum Ice Cream to create custom Coachella-themed sets, which are now available. “It’s softer, more feminine.”
She goes on to say that to get a somber French manicure, you should flip the typical application steps. For a classic French manicure, the manicurist will start with a nude base and then use opaque white nail polish to paint the smile line just right. “You should start by using a pure white polish to draw the white lines,” she says. “Then apply a sheer nude nail polish over the top. This makes it look more muddy and subtle.” Inspiration, below.
Bettina Goldstein
