Gray manicure - stylish combinations, fashionable design and current season trends (105 photos and videos)


Gray color is the result of mixing the main achromatic colors: black and white. Until recently, “mouse color” was not held in high esteem. Women who dress in gray were attributed to a craving for monotony, boredom and a desire to always remain in the shadows. But bright colors were an indicator of self-confidence, the ability to present oneself and self-esteem. But now everything has changed! Having looked closely at gray, the stylists saw a lot of charm in it. Today this shade symbolizes intelligence and wisdom. An important point that many people forget is that gray nail design is extremely stylish. A truly gray color, very discreet and does not like splashes and a wide variety of colors, which simply by default makes gray nail design extremely stylish. If you are a stylish girl and you want a stylish gray nail design, then you have come to the right place. We are simply overwhelmed with ideas for gray nail designs in the photo, various options with gel or varnish and other means that are used to create a nail design. For those who like to be on trend, our rating contains exciting new gray nail designs for 2020.

Features of manicure in gray tones

When choosing a gray color for a manicure, you should keep in mind that it does not tolerate bright colors . When composing a composition, you need to give preference to soft, discreet shades and pastel tones.

Fashionable nail designs in gray. Photo of the new 2020 gel polish, French, with glitter, rubbed in, pattern
The latest gray nail design ideas for 2020 are gray and its successful combinations with other colors.

The length of the manicure is also important. When applied to short nails in dark and matte shades, gray will visually shorten them. To avoid this, it is recommended to use light colors; options with a glossy or pearlescent sheen are possible.

Nails of medium length or longer will complement any texture and shade of gray. If you want to dilute it with other colors, use a range of natural and pastel colors. In this combination, a gradient, marble pattern or stardust looks great.

Nail designs in gray, depending on the shade, are suitable for girls of any color type.

Nail design in gray color 2019-2

Blonde-haired owners of blue and gray eyes should pay attention to the following shades:

  • silver;
  • platinum;
  • gray;
  • ashen;
  • gray-blue;
  • smoky;
  • frost;
  • flint;
  • pigeon.

Brown-haired women and brunettes suit deeper, darker and richer tones:

  • carbonic;

    Fashionable nail designs in gray. Photo of the new 2020 gel polish, French, with glitter, rubbed in, pattern

  • marengo;
  • monsoon;
  • slate;
  • Toro;
  • basaltic;
  • anthracite;
  • gray quartz;
  • wet asphalt.

When choosing a color for a manicure, you also need to take into account other components of the image.

Business style does not tolerate catchy “screaming” combinations, so the following are suitable for it:

  • quartz;

  • mouse gray;
  • French gray;
  • zircon;
  • Gainsborough;
  • pigeon.

In a more informal setting, calm, classic tones are relevant:

  • charcoal gray;
  • slate;
  • wet stone;
  • monsoon;
  • Toro;
  • Marengo.

Gray nail design trends 2020

Well-groomed hands for women are the basis of their image, so beauties carefully choose their nail design. If combined incorrectly, even the brightest shade will be inappropriate. Gray color is a stylish and universal base for creating nail designs 2018.

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A manicure in a trendy tone looks great on short nails, stretching out the fingers and making the skin whiter. Don’t think that the color is very sad and inexpressive; in 2020, designers offered a rich palette of shades:

  • slate;
  • steel;
  • wet asphalt;
  • gray pastel;
  • carbonic;
  • river mother of pearl;
  • tin.

Remember that gray is the tamer of all rich shades. With the right combination, you can emphasize the refined taste of a fashionista and express your bright individuality. The color looks best in a gradient. A gradual transition from one tone to another will make any manicure chic. Many ladies unfairly avoid manicures in gray tones, considering them ordinary and inexpressively boring. But in vain, since even gray color can be multifaceted, with an admixture of blue, violet, green, white shades, which will allow you to choose a coating for any outfit, while still looking stylish and not flashy, which is simply necessary in some life situations.

Light and dark gray

Light gray polish looks great on nails of any length . It is used as the main and base tone when applying a picture. Geometric shapes, colored contrasting stripes, plant elements, winter patterns, stars, and polka dots are harmoniously arranged on it.

Don’t forget about the fashionable technique of contouring, which visually lengthens your nails. To do this, you need to go through the center of the plate with a lighter shade of varnish, and on the sides with a darker one.

For those who prefer dark colors, deep gray will be an alternative to black. Despite the effectiveness of a single-color manicure, it can be diversified with light stickers, beads, rubbing, and rhinestones. In addition, the dark background will be refreshed by fine shimmer, which will give the nails a magical shine.

A bright accent can be created on individual nails by experimenting with polish textures and using a matte finish.

Matte or glossy?

Matte finish has been trending for several seasons as the most natural look. It allows you to create an everyday, discreet manicure and a rather extravagant one that will make its owner stand out from the crowd with its nobility.

Fashionable nail designs in gray. Photo of the new 2020 gel polish, French, with glitter, rubbed in, pattern

Gloss is a classic in fashionable holiday looks that never goes out of fashion among young girls. It is often used for both everyday and formal manicure. With the help of various rubbings, glossy gray can be enhanced with an unusual mirror tint.

Matt lacquerGlossy finish
Shades for everyday manicure
  • gray neutral
  • smoky
  • mousey
  • pigeon wing
  • quartz
  • french gray
  • zircon
  • stormy
  • platinum
  • quartz
  • Gainsborough
  • river mother of pearl
Shades for celebrations
  • carbonic
  • Marengo
  • burgundy gray
  • slate
  • granite
  • monsoon
  • wet stone
  • silver metallic
  • ash gray
  • steel
AdvantagesSoftens the harsh outlines of long, sharp nails. Recommended for use on square and triangular shaped manicures. Relevant at any time of the day and appropriate in various styles - from strict business to modern youth
FlawsEmphasizes imperfections and minor flaws in the nail plates. You can correct imperfections using a pattern, rhinestones, or foil. When applied with ordinary varnish, scratches are susceptible, which stand out strongly on a smooth surface. The situation will be corrected by coating with transparent shellac

To make matte nail art look elegant, you need to use dark, rich tones to create it. This manicure is suitable for self-confident people, while romantic natures should prefer soft pastel shades with a velvet design in the form of various powders, powders, and shimmering star dust.

For variety, experts suggest combining matte and glossy textures, creating a combined manicure.

Gray matte manicure 2020 photo

The original varnish makes the handles graceful and feminine. The trend of the outgoing 2020 has firmly entered the new year 2020. Elegant, confident women always choose a “velvet” manicure. It doesn’t take away the sexuality, but it can add a business-like touch to the look. The main condition for a matte finish is an ideal nail zone. The varnish does not accept unkempt fingers and lumpy plates, so you need to treat the important elements as much as possible. A dull foundation looks great on long and medium lengths, but is completely unacceptable on short ones.

A combined matte and glossy manicure will be a good option for a daily look. The substrate is made of gray, and shiny inclusions are applied in the form of stripes or small elements. It is important not to overdo it with additions and not make your nails vulgar.

French in gray tones

Nail design in gray using the French technique is a new original solution to the classic version. With a contrasting background, you can decorate the free edge of the plate with a dark slate or smoky shade in the form of a straight line or diagonal.

Fashionable nail designs in gray. Photo of the new 2020 gel polish, French, with glitter, rubbed in, pattern

To create a modern look when painting the edges, nail artists use glitter, foil or voluminous decorative elements.

Another option is to use a matte gray base and cover the edge with a darker varnish or sprinkle with glitter. Nails in this design will not go unnoticed and the manicure will be a bright addition to an evening and formal look.

Silver manicure 2020

A manicure in silver tones is perfect for the cool season of 2020. After all, the cold shade of metal fits perfectly into the snowy and New Year's themes. Silver varnish attracts attention, emphasizes subtle taste and at the same time does not look intrusive or catchy. Therefore, silver nail design is considered one of the most versatile finishes to a sophisticated, beautiful look. A silver manicure, which is a trend this season, will make your look more mysterious and dreamy. From time to time, every woman has a desire to change something in her appearance. Well-groomed hands are one of the aspects that allow a lady to feel confident. All shades of gray will captivate most women who prefer to combine different tones, thus reflecting their individuality. To give your appearance elegance, use this noble color.

Gray manicure with gel polish

Girls with brittle nails cannot afford to frequently change the coating, since the aggressive components of removers contribute to their further destruction. In this case, it is recommended to use gel polish, which ensures the durability of the manicure for up to two weeks.

Gray shades look great in this technique thanks to the final shiny coating. At the same time, the nails look well-groomed for a long time. The equipment is resistant to damage and scratches.

Photo of the most beautiful gray manicure 2020 stylish ideas

There are things that suit any look, style and occasion. Gray manicure is one of them. This is a very good option if you need to take the last days of your vacation off during the week, go to work, meet with friends to discuss this very vacation and meet an old or new love.


Gray varnish is the basis for almost any design. And then choose: if you need to maintain a more strict image, leave everything as is or make a small neutral accent, and if you want to add colors, you don’t have to hold back, because this color gets along well with almost any color.


Buying one or several shades of gray at once is a great idea for autumn and winter manicure, but in summer it can work wonders on your hands, giving them nobility and sophistication. The main thing is to place the accents correctly. This is a great addition to a bright outfit. In this case, the color will slightly balance the poles and accentuate the unusualness of the image, giving it an additional zest.

Gray shellac manicure

The good thing about shellac is that if you have an ultraviolet lamp, you can apply and remove it yourself at home. At the same time, it is as reliable as gel polish. This advantage makes it possible to realize individual fantasies in creating nail art compositions.

For example, gradient tints from deep gray to light smoky. You can combine colors at your discretion using the ombre technique, use spraying, creating an exquisite manicure for all occasions.

Gray manicure wet asphalt 2020

This shade is the darkest and most fashionable in the 2020 gray color palette. It is close to a black tone, but has greater depth and expressiveness. A manicure of this type is suitable for individuals with a strong character, self-confident, successful women with impeccable taste and sense of style.

“Wet asphalt” varnish is self-sufficient, looks great without additional accessories, drawings or prints, so professional stylists rarely decorate it even with glitter and shimmer, as well as other elements for decoration. The only suitable way to make such a manicure unusual and add individuality to it is to use magnetic gel polish of the appropriate shade. This technology will give your nail art an original glittering shimmer.

Ombre, gradient in gray

Combining gray colors using ombre or gradient techniques with shades of purple, pink, burgundy, black and even gold, masters create interesting compositions. The color transition is done both from light to dark and vice versa. An extraordinary solution would be the following: apply different shades of gray to each finger separately, creating a gradient transition from the big to the little finger.

It is appropriate to complement these techniques with large rhinestones or stones, geometric patterns, marble patterns, and shiny powder.

Gray manicure with gold

Gray is one of the few tones that goes well with gold . This combination looks impressive when performing French manicure, gradient, when creating applications with gold foil and spraying.

Fashionable nail designs in gray. Photo of the new 2020 gel polish, French, with glitter, rubbed in, pattern

Nail art with golden glitter emphasizes the luxurious image of its owner. Large jewelry will be appropriate in an evening look, and light gold dust will add sophistication to everyday life.

Gray manicure with silver

Gray manicure with a silver accent is a great alternative to gold. This design comes in handy in winter. Using silver sparkles or white varnish, you can create real snow compositions.

Appliques made in silver, for example, in the form of stars, will add a playful accent to the image. The only negative is that such experiments would be inappropriate in a work environment, so it is not recommended to perform them using the shellac technique or using gel polish.

Gray French manicure 2020 photo

French manicure 2020 in gray looks original. Gray French is very easy to make. To do this you will need a special stencil or a piece of tape. The nails are covered with the main shade of the manicure, for us it is gray. After the varnish has dried, take the tape and glue it to the nail plate, leaving the tip free. We paint the tip of the nail in any shade of your choice. In the presented photo, this is a gray manicure with a purple French manicure, natural nails with a gray French manicure, gray nails with a black and white French manicure.

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Gray manicure with glitter

Glitter gives a festive feeling and improves your mood. A manicure using large shiny decorative elements is suitable for special occasions, when creating an evening look and for relaxing in an informal setting.

To prevent shiny nail art from becoming a hindrance on everyday life, it should be “dulled down” with pastel shades and use a very fine spray, or apply glitter only to one or two fingers. An excellent option is to cover only the area of ​​the root hole with glitter. This composition looks discreet, but not boring either.

Top 5 color schemes for autumn manicure 2021: photos, new items, ideas

Pay attention to the top 5 colors of autumn manicure. Appreciate how original different colors look on nails of various shapes and lengths.

Manicure in beige tones

An elegant and discreet shade of beige, or nude, will become one of the most popular fashion trends for the fall 2021 season. There is also beige with the use of gold for decoration, matte beige nail coating, and options with nail art.

The nude shade is considered one of the universal ones, so it is most in demand in autumn manicure.

Manicure in gray shades

Discreet gray nail color is becoming one of the most popular fall fashion trends. It emphasizes the natural beauty of women's hands with manicure. If you choose a matte gray finish, it is advisable to accent one nail with a marbled pattern.

Manicure in wine tones

Nails in wine shades look noble and very stylish, making them a wonderful option for an autumn manicure. A matte-velvet finish in wine shades looks great on your nails, optionally complemented with foil or rhinestones, and you can also come up with a fabulous autumn gradient.

Manicure in brown tones

Universal shades of brown are more appropriate than any other color to complete autumn outfits. Brown adds depth to nails, especially with different texture variations - glossy or matte.

An autumn fashionable manicure using gel polish in brown shades will look great if you add some decor with crystal chips.

Manicure in blue tones

In the fall 2021 season, blue becomes even more relevant. Matte velvet nail coating in deep shades will be in trend. On long nails, a blue manicure with shiny silver decor looks stylish. Fashion trends, as in the photo, will help complete the look.

Gray manicure with rubbing

Rubbing with the effect of a mirror, liquid diamond, prism, chromatic - a trendy combination of 2020. These components have a silver tint that will perfectly complement any shade of gray.

The coating does not require bright decoration, but it can be varied with small rhinestones or spraying. The main thing here is not to overdo it so that the manicure doesn’t come out tacky.

Fashion trends

New autumn nail designs are based on popular trends and current manicure trends. We will try to cover the most interesting and creative ideas for fashionable nail designs for fall 2021.


Fall manicure trends cannot be considered in isolation from current clothing trends for the fall season. Analyzing the collections, designers identify the most acceptable combinations and shades that will be actively used in manicure to ensure that a woman’s image is elegant and complete.

In addition to the usual fall colors (red, orange, brown and burgundy), this season the cool shade of sea wave and blue-smoky color are popular. Two shades deservedly gained enormous popularity in nail design in the fall of 2021 – mustard and olive.

Gray manicure with rhinestones

Don't be afraid of nail art with rhinestones. It is still relevant this season. Craftsmen offer many options with small and large stones that look appropriate in any style.

Individual nails are decorated with rhinestones, laid out in longitudinal stripes or in a semicircle near the nail arch. With their help, you can create the appearance of light drops, small stars, use them as an accent in simple designs, or glue them in the corner of the plate.

If you use transparent elements or match them to the varnish, then this combination will be appropriate even in a strict business environment. It is not recommended to apply rhinestones of bright contrasting colors to a gray background .

Gray pastel manicure 2020 photo

Soft pastels will appeal to simple girls with a romantic nature. Manicure 2020 with gray pastel colors will be appropriate for a festive event and in everyday life. Milky gray nail polish color can be applied to the nails of businesswomen with strict office dress code rules. A manicure design composition can be easily created from pastel gray and another bright color, such as yellow or orange.

Manicure gray Cat's eye

If you have special magnets and varnishes with metal particles, you can create a stylish nail design in gray with an optical effect reminiscent of the shimmer of a cat's eyes. It looks beautiful on nails of any length and is durable.

Depending on the chosen shade, a “cat” manicure will be appropriate on weekdays and for special occasions. This type of nail art cannot be created with shellac, as it requires quick drying. But you can safely use simple varnishes and gels with magnetic properties.

Gray nail design with rhinestones 2020

Gray manicure with rhinestones is one of the most popular nail designs in 2020. Rhinestones add sparkle and sparkle to any design. Now the nail industry market is flooded with a variety of nail decorations, including rhinestones. The variety of rhinestones is overwhelming in its choice: large and small, square and round, colored. An excellent manicure choice in 2020 would be a manicure that combines soft gray with neat, attractive rhinestones. This manicure is not deprived of taste, sophistication and lightness.

Fashion ideas, new items

Gray with pattern

A manicure with a pattern has a number of advantages over uniform designs. With its help, you can hide flaws in the nail plate, visually lengthen the nail, give it a different shape, and place individual accents.

The classic drawing technique is easy to perform and does not require special skills. Drawings can consist of simple lines or intricate patterns. You can combine gray with bright, pastel, dark tones, the choice of which determines the appropriateness of such a manicure in a given situation.

Floral motifs are ideal for a gentle romantic look. For lovers of free style - ethnic designs, abstraction, broken geometry. Youth design diversifies animalistic or animated elements.

Gray with black

The combination of gray and black looks somewhat brutal. It is not used often, mainly on special occasions or when creating a certain image. Such a union will be transformed by glitter, powder, and shimmer.

It is best to combine these colors in the form of geometric patterns, lunar manicure, or complement them with a third, softening color, for example, powdery or milky white.

Gray with white

The combination of gray and white looks advantageous in a French manicure . It can be combined with an application of silver glitter or create a smooth ombre from light to dark.

White patterns look good on a gray background, especially if they are made using the 3D technique. This option is ideal for decorating a winter or floral manicure.

Gray with beige

Gray with beige is one of the options for the classic combination with pink. Here you can give free rein to your imagination and experiment with shades, shapes, techniques and designs.

An elegant everyday manicure involves combining matte gray and glossy beige. This decision can be made in any situation.

Gray with blue

Quite a rare and bold combination of gray and blue. It is used on long nails of the correct shape, otherwise the manicure may not look very neat.

It is important to combine either only cold tones or warm ones. This tandem of colors will be relevant all year round. Bright decorative elements will help refresh it.

Nail designs for fall 2021

At the peak of popularity there will be many of the most interesting and beautiful designs, which combine most of the already favorite execution techniques.

"Liquid metal"

A real hit this fall season will be nail art with chic droplets that look like liquid rhinestones. This is a great addition to your holiday look. The color of the droplet depends on what kind of foil was used. A manicure will become truly super fashionable if you complement it with black brush strokes.

Floral prints in nail designs

This fall, plant and floral prints are more welcome than ever in nail art. Motives can be both small and large. The most popular will be various leaves and twigs. The design itself can be laconic and discreet or bright and bold.

Minimalist style

In the fall season, it’s not just bright nails that are trending. Minimalism, the execution technique of which involves a laconic design, also remains relevant. First of all, this is a nude manicure and decor with a minimum number of patterns. For greater expressiveness, you can use shimmer.

Manicure with a predatory design

In the fall of 2021, manicures with animal prints will be in fashion, first of all, this concerns images of predatory animals. Drawings can be applied either to the entire nail or partially.

This depends on the preferences of the owner of such a manicure. There are many options for the most beautiful designs. However, it is better to give preference to matte finishes.

Cobweb

Spider web manicure is trending. The execution technique involves the use of special multi-colored gel varnishes, thanks to which you can create a wide variety of decorative patterns, including geometric ones.

In the fall of 2021, this manicure with any look will look stylish and glamorous. The most fashionable colors for this technique this season will be burgundy, chocolate and nude shades.

Autumn French

This season, the French manicure has a very specific style, which involves the use of several types of manicure in the design. In the fall of 2021, French can be combined with rhinestones, patterns, foil, and glitter.

In any case, such a manicure looks harmonious and stylish. The most beautiful design can be seen below.​

Gold in black autumn manicure

A black manicure with golden decoration always looks mysterious and chic. For even greater effect, it is recommended to use a matte base and negative space.

Such a manicure becomes most expressive when applied to long nail plates. These nails will look harmonious and stylish in any look.

Manicure with glitter

This manicure is applied on special occasions. The abundance of sparkles that completely cover all nails evokes a festive mood both in the owner of a sparkling manicure and in those around her.

You can achieve this design using a special coating, sequins, glitter, Yuki flakes and other shiny pigments. In autumn, this manicure looks bright and sunny.

Trendy neutral nail art

A neutral manicure is perfect for girls who are used to wearing well-groomed and beautiful nails, but are tired of too bright options. Many people think that this is the most ordinary manicure. However, this is not entirely true, because in this case it is necessary to choose correctly not only the color, but also the shade of the coating of the nail plates.

For a neutral manicure to look beautiful and harmonious, it should highlight the skin tone.

A varnish with the greatest transparency will help focus attention on light skin. But for those with dark skin, it is better to use denser gel textures in peach, apricot and pink tones. By following this rule, regardless of skin color, a manicure will highlight the natural beauty of your hands.

You can clearly get acquainted with the latest autumn trends, combinations of application techniques and beautiful designs by looking at photos of the most fashionable manicure options for autumn 2021.

Wedding manicure in gray tones

Modern wedding fashion has long moved away from classic images and allows the use of the most non-standard color solutions. For example, with a snow-white dress, a manicure with a shade of platinum, Gainsborough, or river mother-of-pearl will look great.

Lace nail decor has a special charm. To emphasize its delicate structure, you need a light contrasting background. The tones of monsoon, pigeon wing, and zircon are appropriate here.

French gray or silver manicure is also perfect for a wedding dress. Adding it with rhinestones, crystal drops, transparent or light patterns will add solemnity, charm and sophistication to the touching image of the bride.

Evening manicure in gray tones

The original version of an evening gray manicure would be a combination of a matte top and a stained glass finish or black shellac. A variety of decorations in the art deco style, geometric gradient, three-dimensional drawings, and stickers are suitable for going out.

In an informal setting, gray matte nail art with gold and adhesive tape is popular. The marble pattern, cat's eye, metal and mirror rubbing, and combinations of rhinestones look no less impressive. In an evening look, it is allowed to use decorative elements that are not recommended for everyday manicure.

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