16 Gray Nail Ideas That Aren’t Boring 2023 (2024)

We’ve found that we end up with the most interesting manicures (that attract the most compliments!) when we go for something outside of the box. This year, we’ve tried everything—from an invisible French manicure to glitter nail designs and even indie nail art.

The next color that seems to be trending? Gray. But believe us when we tell you, a gray manicure is anything but ordinary. The color is often synonymous with bland or boring, but we can prove that gray nails are actually super chic. With so many different gray nails to choose from (think slate, charcoal, and taupe) everyone will ask what color you’re wearing. Check out the best gray nail designs to help inspire your next winter manicure.

1. Gray and Silver Cat Eye Gel

To get this specific nail effect, you’ll need to ask your salon if they carry cat eye gel nail polish. While it may look like chrome dust, they actually use a special type of gel and apply it with a gemstone technique. Then, they use a magnet to activate this light reflection. It’s basically nail science!

2. Slate Gray Shorties

We love a classic short nail. You can choose a simple slate gray or tailor a short nail art design with a gray color. Your choice, but remember short nails can be fun too!

3. Winter Sweater Nails

Sweater nails are super popular during winter months and they give the perfect cozy look. Pull a couple of inspo photos if you really want those 3D “cable knit’ accents. You can play around and add snowflakes like this example shows, too!

4. Lavender Light Gray

Nothing goes better together than gray and purple. Why not pick a gel polish that achieves both? This gray polish has purple undertones and, depending on which light, the manicure can look completely different! This is a great color variation of gray to try in a French tip, too.

5.Gray and Navy Accent Nails

Not ready to commit to a total gray nail look? No worries! Soften the deal with another color like a navy or light blue. It will compliment the gray well (no matter if you choose dark or light gray) and the manicure will still feel colorful and classic.

6. Pearl Silver Glitter

These pearl and silver squiggles are so dainty but add something special to this manicure. You can choose both design ideas or just one to incorporate into your next gray manicure.

7. Iridescent Blue Gray

Something about these nails just screams Elsa from Frozen. They’re the perfect icy blue that remind us of all things snow and snowflakes, yet they still have gray undertones within the polish color.

8. Gray Tonal Nails

Tonal nails, as we like to call them, are simply never going away. The key to keeping them from looking messy or like a mistake is choosing the right complementary colors. We love how this deep, almost navy gray was paired with a light taupe color. The darker color actually makes the taupe look like a true light gray nail polish.

9. Gray and Speckled Black Nails

Another accent idea is pairing black with gray, as it’s a fellow neutral color. Start off with a gray manicure and add in a black nail color before your top coat. This technique may take some practice, so try using a striping brush and the smallest amount of polish for the accent. The key is to make it look imperfect.

10. Marble Nails

Marble nails have so many dimensions to them! They can be challenging to attempt on your own but a salon will know what to do and will likely blend a couple different gray nail polishes and a white nail polish together. This is also a great opportunity to add in a rhinestone or two, should you choose to.

11. Striped Silver Nails

These feel super holiday-forward, almost like your ring finger nail is designed to look like a present with a bow! This silver stripe looks like a nail sticker since it is so precise.

12. Marble Matte Gray Nails

Here is another example of a marble nail, but with a matte finish. Matte nails tend to look better on long nails versus short, since they give the design more room to spread out and add dimension instead of looking cramped.

13. Gray and Gold Flake

The caption says it all: “Something slight, just make it extra.” Gold flake is an easy way to enhance a neutral gray polish.

14. Nude Gray

These nude nails play with your eyes a little bit; in certain light they may appear as a milky off-white color, but in others they appear as a light, nude gray. This is another great opportunity for a French nail, so a color like this is worth having in your collection.

15. Gray Glitter Nails

You can never go wrong with a subtle glitter nail, especially around the holidays. This medium gray features silver glitter pieces. We love this simple, cute nail look!

16. Gray Ombré Nails

Check out these flawless gradients! They’re polished and chic and remind us of those rhinestones nails Cassie sported on season two of Euphoria.

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