Neutral, low-maintenance 'princess nails' are trending. Is the economy partially to blame?

In an age of economic uncertainty — where social media declares everything a “recession indicator” — many of us are evaluating how we spend money. One thing that people are reconsidering, according to social media, is how much money they spend on their nails. And it’s shifting the culture around what being well-manicured actually looks like.

Enter the so-called “princess nail,” aka shorter nails topped with neutral polish — similar to what’s typical for royalty. (Kate Middleton made headlines in 2023 when she was spotted out with red nail polish on her short nails — and she hasn’t been seen wearing anything but neutral colors since.)

But princess nails are about way more than just looking classic — they’re also about saving money while still staying en vogue.

Why princess nails are trending now

The term “princess nails” has floated around on social media and fits neatly into the minimalist, so-called clean girl aesthetic that’s been circulating since at least 2022 and has resulted in quite a bit of controversy. It also includes wearing no-makeup makeup and neutral-colored clothing.

Juli Russell, a Sally Beauty brand ambassador and nail expert, agreed that this princess trend has to do with the push toward minimalism in fashion, as well as so-called quiet luxury. But just because luxury is in the name, doesn’t mean you’re splashing out at the salon. Instead, she said, these “clean, competent, quietly cool nails” are both classy and “easy to maintain.”

But while some people are full-on embracing the trend of “princess nails” for its classic style, others have another take: It’s not merely another hot nail trend, but an indication that people are trying to spend less on their nail care.

“Princess nails aka recession indicator nails,” one TikToker shared in a video while showing off her pale pink mani.

Another wrote on her TikTok, “Me getting plain nails is the true recession indicator,” adding in the caption, “I’m in a state of mourning.”

The reality, though, is that like other fashion trends (think the day-to-night outfits of the early aughts, around the time of the 2008 recession), nail looks are inspired by economic realities. And economic realities also influence which nail designs will trend.

“We definitely have been seeing shorter nails become more popular in our salon locations,” Rianna Basurto, director of marketing at Los Angeles and Dallas-based nail salons Bellacures, told Yahoo News. “It’s something that has been gradually building over the last year or so.”

Basurto said that while these shorter nails are certainly tied to that minimalist look that’s trending, many people are embracing them because they offer a practical way to stay on trend. “Shorter nails are just easier to manage on a day-to-day basis,” she explained. And with “clients going a bit longer between appointments," they’d rather pick colors that “grow out really nicely.”

“Think sheer pink, soft whites, nudes,” Basurto noted. “Think OPI’s ‘Bubble Bath’ or ‘Put It in Neutral,’ which are two of the most popular shades across all of our locations.”

Why people just can’t quit getting their nails done

One thing people might be wondering: If people are trying to cut back on spending, why bother with nails at all? Abigail Hall, an associate professor of economics at the University of Tampa, told Yahoo News that it’s not surprising that people would continue to splurge on luxuries, even when attempting to cut back how much they spend on them in general.

“You see people, maybe counterintuitively, buying lipstick during recessions, because it's considered to be like a small luxury — it's a splurge, but if you spend, say, $15 on a tube of lipstick, it's something you can feel good about, and not necessarily feel guilty about,” she explained.

The same goes for nail trends: You may spend $50 on a manicure, Hall explained, but if that simplified manicure now lasts you far longer between appointments than, say, your long almond-shaped red talons ever did, you may feel less inclined to cut out the luxury entirely.

While Hall said that some people may forego getting their nails done altogether during times of economic hardship, others might simply swap out what they’re having done. “Say you're getting something like a full set of acrylics — you might try to stretch out the time between your appointments. So you'll see people letting their nails just go a little bit longer, or maybe a lot longer than what they typically would.”

Or, she noted, you might see people “switching from relatively high cost nail options to relatively lower cost scale options.” Hall herself said she went from getting her nails done at the salon to doing them at home.

At-home nails could be the answer

Maybe you’re a fan of neat, neutral nails — or, maybe, you’re just embracing them because you’d rather cut back on nails than, say, groceries.

But while “princess nails” are trending, they’re not the only nail trend out there. Russell pointed to other looks, such as jelly nails and cat-eye designs, which are also having a moment. If you are on a budget but prefer to embrace brighter, edgier nails, at-home nail options are better than ever, said Russell.

“Anything you get done at a salon, you can do at home,” Russell said. “Hair and makeup have been really popular to do at home, and nails are now just starting to catch up.”

Russell said that while doing your own nails at home may seem “really daunting,” many people are learning how to embrace their inner manicurist with items like dip powder and UV gel kits, which, for the person willing to practice, can earn you results close to the salon at a fraction of the cost. Companies like Nailnoo claim their dip powder sets will give you a salon-quality manicure for less than $3 per mani, for example.

And for those who don’t have a steady hand to paint on a manicure, Russell recommends press-on nails, which she says have come a long way in recent years, with longer-lasting glue and press-ons that come in a variety of shapes and sizes for a more custom fit.

But for those who can’t be bothered, Russell said that there’s an easy solution to keeping nails neat: “I love a clean, groomed manicure,” she said. “I always have cuticle oil in my purse and my bed and I apply it before I go to sleep — that's going to improve the look of your nails, hydrate them and help them get a little bit stronger.”