In the opening scene of FX’s Love Story (2026), Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy is getting her nails done. Paparazzi press against the window, camera flashes reflecting off her trademark blonde hair and freshly painted nails: a cherry polish that hums with defiance.

It is the manicure of a woman who, not long ago, was an independent Calvin Klein publicist living on her own terms.

But for this event, a Kennedy family wedding, she changes her mind – she looks down at her hands with a defeated expression and asks the nail technician to start over: Switch it to a neutral.

Though the show, which was released in 2026, is set in the 1990s, the nude or minimal nail aesthetic has made it to runways and streetwear in 2026.

Nail salons and polish brands have reported growing preferences for nude and pink polish, while some people are skipping polish altogether.

For some, the trend has become a rallying cry against complex beauty rituals – but for others, it’s a way for the privileged few to show their wealth (in Love Story, the nude nails were seen as a better fit for a Kennedy function).

Valeria Lipovetsky, an influencer, stopped doing her nails regularly two years ago. “My life quality has improved substantially since I stopped doing my nails,” she said, adding she had more brain capacity and more time. The video she posted in 2025 about her decision has been viewed more than three million times and has seen a resurgence in shares and views lately.

Vivian Tu, a financial content creator who used to work at J.P. Morgan, was inspired to ditch her nail routine, too. “Sitting in a salon for 90 minutes does not feel like a good use of my time,” she said.

Convenience is part of the pitch that Katia Beauchamp is making.

“Keeping my nails bare gives me so much freedom to always feel ready, or minutes away from feeling ready,” she said. Beauchamp, the former CEO of Victoria Beckham Beauty and Birchbox co-founder, will be launching Buff Beauty, a brand built ...