The Naked Glitter Nail Trend: Timeless, Forgiving, And Easy To Replicate

Sometimes it's good to keep your nails naked. But other times, you want a little something to top off that nakedness. That's where the naked glitter manicure comes in. You may have also seen it referred to as the naked disco trend, or you might call it minimalistic glitter nails. Regardless of its name, this is a nail look that's trending, and for good reason.

The style starts with a neutral base color like peach, taupe, pale pink, or shades of cream. Nails are then given a coat of glitter polish or some sparkly detailing for a bit of twinkle. But you don't want to pack on the glitter; you want that naked part to still be visible. That's what gives this look its timeless quality — the neutral hue underneath the sparkle. The glitter element is what makes it forgiving — glitter polish always looks good, even if you mess up in the application. 

You'll also be happy to hear that naked glitter nails are easy to do, and won't cost you a fortune. For instance, you can get a set of Nicole Miller nail polishes in six nude hues for around $15 on Amazon — that's less than $3 a bottle. There are tons of glitter nail polishes to choose from, but you'll want to make sure the base of the glitter polish is clear, so it doesn't distort your neutral base. Wet N Wild "Kaleidoscope" is a stunner and is only about $1 on Amazon. And luckily, there are a whole lot of ways to work this trend into your mani, and we've got plenty of inspo for your next look.

Naked on top, but with glittery bottoms — quite the fashion statement. A peach base color matches the skin tone almost perfectly, setting the stage for a nude mani look. Gold glitter polish is then added to the base of the nail, following the line of the cuticle. You can apply one or two coats of glitter, depending on how sparkly you want to be, then taper the sparkles upward just a bit for a bit of a gradient glitter finish. 

Your sparkle factor doesn't have to come solely from tiny glitter pieces — you can also use gold-foil flakes to dress up your naked nails (Michael's sells a whole jar of them for about $4). A barely there cream-colored polish is the perfect neutral for a naked manicure, but then one nail on each hand is called out with gold accents. Just be sure to add a clear top coat over the flakes to keep them in place.

The actual glitter particles in sparkly polish can come in all different shapes and sizes, and if you can't decide on one type over the other, you don't have to — choose both. Select a polish that contains multiple sizes of glitter in the same bottle, or if you already have two polishes with sizes you love, you can combine them. Just apply one thin coat of each, letting them dry between coats. Both glitters look equally fab over a creamy pink nail polish color.

What could be more classic or neutral than a French manicure? And it would still be a gorgeous look if you wanted to let these pale pink nails with white tips stand on their own. But why not take it one step further by adding a coat of pink glitter polish on top? Sally Hansen Xtreme Wear polish in "Strobe Light" has pink and purple glitter flecks, and it's under $4 a bottle at Ulta. One thin coat will instantly up your naked Frenchie into twinkly territory.

Only feel like keeping your nails partially naked? Glittery tips are definitely the way to go. A very pale pink, neutral manicure goes to the disco with a solid coat of glitter on the tips. To avoid a distinct half-and-half line, fade the glitter polish as it descends the length of the nail. To get a more concentrated glitter on the ends, apply the polish to a makeup sponge first to absorb some of the liquid, then dab the glitter-filled sponge onto nail tips.

If you want to be the most naked, you can skip all forms color and simply go with a clear nail polish as your base. Top it off with a glitter polish that has tiny flakes; holographic glitter will give you silver vibes with light-reflecting prisms, or you can go with a solid color like gold. You just want a spattering of glitter, so only do one coat of the glitter polish before applying a clear top coat.