Autumn manicures are usually all burgundy, chocolate and plum. Nicole Kidman went the other way. At Chanel's spring/summer 2027 show in Paris on October 5, the actor wore a soft, sheer neutral manicure that has beauty editors talking.
Interestingly, two major magazines described the same nails in slightly different ways. Here is what each said, and how to recreate the look at home.
What Nicole Kidman wore to Chanel
Kidman sat front row at the show alongside Dua Lipa, Alexa Demie and Pedro Pascal, according to Cosmopolitan. Cosmopolitan describes her outfit as a Chanel blazer worn with long bangs, while Harper's Bazaar UK describes it as an understated grey blazer dress.
Both agree the nails were the quiet star of the look.
Chai latte nails, according to Cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan's Jasmine Hyman called the manicure a creamy beige polish with a milky, chai-esque finish, and dubbed it chai latte nails. She described it as an anti-fall manicure, a reminder that an October manicure "doesn't have to be dark and moody at all times," and called the colour the ultimate goes-with-anything neutral.
Cosmopolitan's DIY method: groom and shape the nails, buff away any roughness, then apply a sheer beige or creamy nude polish, letting each coat dry before adding the next. The aim is a wash of creamy colour rather than an opaque finish, so a hint of the natural nail still shows. Finish with a generous glossy top coat for a glassy shine.
Cloud nails, according to Harper's Bazaar
Harper's Bazaar UK read the shade as whiter. Writer Urmi Pandit described sheer washes of milky white polish with a subtly glossy finish, and placed the look in the cloud nails trend, a near-translucent manicure the magazine links to Pantone's colour of the year, Cloud Dancer.
The magazine spoke to Sue Carroll, founder of Young LDN in Notting Hill. "The beauty is in that soft translucency rather than a stark, opaque white," Carroll said. "You can still see a suggestion of the natural nail underneath, which makes it feel fresh and delicate, but very intentional."
She also praised the shape. Kidman's softly rounded nails follow the natural shape of the fingertip, which Carroll said "immediately feels elegant, effortless and gives the fingers an elongated appearance." According to Carroll, "Nicole's shape keeps it timeless and sophisticated."
Lighting, camera settings and screens can make a sheer neutral look beige in one photo and white in another, which may explain the different readings. The common ground is clear: sheer, milky, glossy and softly rounded.
How to get Nicole Kidman's nails at home
Carroll's advice for a DIY version, as told to Harper's Bazaar UK, starts with prep. Because the natural nail shows through, "the cuticles need to be immaculate and the nail plate smooth."
Then follow these steps. Gently shape the nails into a soft round and tidy the cuticles. Apply a milky white polish, or what Carroll calls "a very pale neutral with a jelly-like finish," in very thin layers, starting with one coat and adding a second only if needed. "You want the nail to look almost filtered rather than painted," she said. Finish with a glossy top coat. "Finishing with a glossy top coat for a glass-like shine is what takes it from a simple pale manicure to that expensive-looking cloud nail finish," Carroll explained.
If you prefer the warmer chai latte version, simply choose a sheer beige or creamy nude instead of a milky white.
Sheer neutrals are low-risk and grow out gracefully, since there is no hard line at the cuticle. They suit short and medium lengths, work with every outfit, and, as Carroll puts it, quietly complement everything rather than competing with the rest of the look.
FAQ
What colour were Nicole Kidman's nails at Chanel?
Cosmopolitan described them as a creamy beige chai latte shade, while Harper's Bazaar UK described sheer, milky white cloud nails with a glossy finish.
How do I recreate Nicole Kidman's cloud nails?
Prep the cuticles, shape the nails into a soft round, apply one or two very thin coats of milky white or pale neutral polish, and finish with a glossy top coat, as Sue Carroll of Young LDN advises.
When did Nicole Kidman wear this manicure?
She wore it to Chanel's spring/summer 2027 show in Paris on October 5, 2026.
Cover photo: Martin Kraft / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0