The catwalk has long been a springboard for upcoming beauty trends – and that's especially true when it comes to our nails. There's the minimalist colour palette (seen at Chloé and The Row) that prompted a frenzy for beige, barely-there manicures, while last season's wine-inspired reds signalled a resurgence for all things cabernet, cognac and merlot before making their way off the rail and onto our fingertips.
Now, the colour shaping up to be the shade of the season - 'buttermilk yellow' - is here to enliven your same-old rotation of polish, drawing inspiration from the buttery tones that took over at Loewe, Proenza Schouler and Bottega Veneta.
Picture that Tove Lauryn Buttermilk dress you’ve been endlessly lusting over, scrolling tirelessly on Vinted to find a replica. Or that butter-like bag courtesy of Jacquemus; a hue reminiscent of cake batter and chantilly cream. It's somehow statement making, somehow subtle; it goes with everything in your wardrobe and is as office appropriate as it is holiday approved.
What are 'buttermilk yellow' nails?
It’s a trend that nail techs are predicting to be big news this season. 'Pastels are all the rage at the moment and butter yellow seems to be top of the list of nail trends this summer,' shares Julia Diogo, otherwise known as Painted by Jools.
The shade - a milkier, pastel-like iteration of a warm yellow - is the perfect middle ground between the loud nail art fighting for your attention on Instagram and the near imperceptible manis that have reigned supreme recently. And that's exactly the appeal. 'It’s cute, fun and a little more playful than some of its counterparts,' she notes. If, like me, you tire easily of a fire-engine red, 3D nail art or fuchsia tips, here lies a welcome compromise: a fresh shade in a fashion-favourite colour without the major commitment of a bold statement.
Diogo also says that, following on from months of glazed, 'espresso' and nude manicures, there's a renewed desire to experiment with our nails again. 'I just think everyone’s no longer afraid to inject a little bit of colour into their manicures,' she says.
Dior Lemon Glow Vernis
L’Oxygéné - Folie Douce
OPI Classic Nail Polish
Chanel Le Vernis Longwear Nail Colour
And who do we have to thank for that? While the runway might be responsible for bringing butter back into the limelight, a string of famous faces (see: Hailey Bieber and Selena Gomez) also played a helping hand in shaking up the nail scene. 'Hailey Bieber, who is a pro at demonstrating colour in a minimalist way, debuted a butter yellow manicure with the addition of a soft chrome effect,' adds Diogo.
How to wear buttermilk yellow nails for summer
The good news is that it's not just for monochrome manis, either. Expect to see everything from butter yellow tips to stripes, dots and minimal hearts crop up in the fashion world's colour du jour.
'I think all pastel shades will be gaining momentum this year,' shares Diogo. 'If you don't want to commit to the full colour, you can just add little accents and still be part of the trend,' she concludes.
With a slew of beauty editors, fashion stylists and influencers jumping on the butter bandwagon, consider this your sign to book in to see your nail tech, stat.
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Amelia Bell is the Senior Site Beauty Editor at ELLE UK, developing beauty strategy, writing, editing, and commissioning, and overseeing all beauty content for the site. Amelia has a particular interest in sustainable beauty practices, exploring the skin-mind connection, and decoding the latest treatments, tweakments and runway trends. She also has bylines for Women's Health, Refinery29, British Vogue, Harrods Magazine, and more.
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