You might think Instagram sparked the golden age of manicures. But looking back, it turns out the early aughts walked so the 2010s could run. The new millennium started out with some late-’90s mall relics like frosted polish and French manicures but became more adventurous as time went on when Chanel’s gone-but-never-forgotten Black Satin polish hit the scene. And things just got more over-the-top from there.
But like so many other nostalgic fashion and beauty trends, we suddenly want to wear them all over again. In fact, the biggest nail trends of 2021 are remarkably similar to those that took over 2001. To prove it, we’re taking a walk down manicure memory lane with Brittney Boyce, celebrity nail artist and founder of Nails of LA, and including ways to re-create the looks right this second. Best of all, the polishes and products of this decade are much healthier for our nails and a little more, well, polished overall.