White Chrome Nails Are Trending—This Summer's Must-Try Manicure for Tanned Skin

White polish gets reinvented every summer—from coconut milk latte tones to vanilla ice cream white, with pearly mermaid-inspired versions popping up in recent seasons too. But the one to really watch this year is "white chrome nails," where metallic chrome powder is layered over a white base. The shine is more pronounced, and it flatters sun-kissed skin even more.

A few years back, Hailey Bieber made glazed donut nails—that creamy, glossy nude polish—a massive trend. This year, the chrome nail spotlight has shifted entirely to white. According to VOGUE JAPAN, citing VOGUE Italia, what sets white chrome nails apart from plain white polish is how the tips shift through hints of pale blue, pink, and even champagne as the light angle changes. That extra layer of movement beyond flat white makes the contrast between tanned skin and the polish feel elegant rather than harsh.

For a DIY version, the basic approach is to start with a white base coat, let it dry, then layer on chrome powder for that metallic sheen. If you're not confident handling chrome powder yet, you can simply go with a pearly white polish instead—just make sure to apply two coats so your natural nail color doesn't show through, which is key to getting that near-chrome reflective effect.

As for nail shape, the report suggests that while a sleek almond shape looks great, this white chrome polish with its delicate shine works just as well on short nails—if anything, it looks even more understated and natural.