3 Gradient-Style Nail Looks Inspired by Fall’s Trendiest Colors

Autumn doesn’t officially begin until September 22 (sigh). If you’re counting down the days until you can bust out your fall décor and fuzzy sweaters, why wait?

Let’s commence the harvest season right now by switching out warm weather colors for foliage-mimicking hues—starting with your nail polish.

Sporting a pumpkin-spice colored manicure is festive and all, but I encourage you to experiment with smoky reds, chilling grays, and chocolate brown shades. This year, apply a different shade of polish on each nail to create autumn-inspired, gradient nail looks.

Look #1: Leaf-ing Summer

Are you honestly going to miss Summer 2020 at all? Ring in a new season with a gradient nail look that pays tribute to the changing leaves characteristic of October and November.

Shades Needed:

• Smith & Cult Nail Lacquer in Mannequin Moves
• Smith & Cult Nail Lacquer in Color Me Curious
• Smith & Cult Nail Lacquer in Tang Bang
• Smith & Cult Nail Lacquer in Darjeeling Darling
• Smith & Cult Nail Lacquer in Bitter Bitch

Steps:

1. Apply Mannequin Moves or a caramel camel-colored shade to your thumb.
2. Apply Color Me Curious or a golden yellow shade to your index finger.
3. Apply Tang Bang or a burnt orange shade to your middle finger.
4. Apply Darjeeling Darling or a forest green shade to your ring finger.
5. Apply Bitter Bitch or a chocolate brown shade to your pinky.

Look #2: Red-y for Harvest

Go for rich, smokey reds in honor of grape harvest season, which occurs between August and October in the Northern Hemisphere.

Shades Needed:

• Smith & Cult Nail Lacquer in Love Lust Lost
• Tom Ford Nail Lacquer in Smoke Red
• Tom Ford Nail Lacquer in Bordeaux Lust
• Tom Ford Nail Lacquer in Plum Noir
• Tom Ford Nail Lacquer in Bitter Bitch

Steps:

1. Apply Love Lust Lost or an opaque rose color to your thumb.
2. Apply Smoke Red or a red wine-colored shade to your index finger.
3. Apply Bordeaux Lust or a rich maroon shade to your middle finger.
4. Apply Plum Noir or a deep red grape-colored hue to your ring finger.
5. Apply Bitter Bitch or a chocolate brown shade to your pinky.

Look #3: It’s a New Gray

Don an array of cool grays inspired by foggy fall mornings in San Francisco, where Beautylish is headquartered!

Shades Needed:

• Smith & Cult Nail Lacquer in Sugarette
• Smith & Cult Nail Lacquer in 5th Ave Fortress
• Smith & Cult Nail Lacquer in Unscene
• Smith & Cult Nail Lacquer in Doe My Dear
• Smith & Cult Nail Lacquer in Stockholm Syndrome

Steps:

1. Apply Sugarette or an icy white shade to your thumb.
2. Apply 5th Ave Fortress or frosted gray to your index finger.
3. Apply Unscene or metallic gray to your middle finger.
4. Apply Doe My Dear or grayish taupe to your ring finger.
5. Apply Stockholm Syndrome or an elephant gray color to your pinky.