Nailed It
Lizzo and Hailey Bieber are fans of the look.
Whether you want a quiet luxury vibe for your mani or one that’s more colorful, crocodile nails can do it all. With over 45 million views on TikTok, the reptilian texture serves up all sorts of chic looks for people’s fingertips.
Celebrities are on board with the trend, too. Hailey Bieber recently rocked a maximalist mismatched mani with a colorful crocodile print on multiple nails. Blake Lively and Lizzo have also been spotted wearing the look. And you really can’t scroll #NailTok without spotting croc nails in the wild. According to Juli Russell, a DIY nail expert for Sally Beauty, the print is super well-known in fashion, so it was only a matter of time before the unique texture made its way to the nail art world.
Because this nail art focuses on the fun, scaly texture, the idea is to play around with color to get the exact vibe you’re looking for. “Croc nails can be created with muted, subtle tones for a more elegant edge, totally nodding to the quiet luxury trend,” Russell tells Bustle. “This print also pairs well with lots of color, as an accent nail, or even as a French manicure pattern to make it edgier.”
While you can rely on a nail technician to create the intricate print, you can achieve a similar look at home with polish. According to Russell, it’s as easy as laying down a base color before dropping a second color on with a nail art brush. “Try to lay the color into the top coat in cylindrical shapes, staggering the position for a more realistic croc print effect,” she says.
To see how the girlies are wearing their croc nails, take a look at these cute designs below.
1
Reptilian French Tips
To dip your fingertips into the world of crocodile nails, start with a sliver of eye-catching texture on a French manicure. These glossy green and yellow tips feel extra summery, and are a fun way to embrace the trend.
2
Chrome Croc
Chrome works with e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g, croc print included. This puffy 3D chrome design shows off the funky texture of the scales.
3
Multicolor
While you might not spot an electric blue crocodile in the wild, go ahead and create a cartoony fantasy on your fingertips with an array of blue, yellow, pink, and green scales.
4
Bejeweled
Take your croc-print French tips up a notch by adding a rhinestone to each nail.
5
3D Croc Print
For another take on the French mani trend, opt for a luxe croc texture in matte white — and make it really stand out with 3D scales.
6
Airbrushed
Airbrushed manis are also trending, and the look happens to work perfectly with the crocodile print design.
7
Negative Space
Get funky with your croc nails and try lilac tips with curvy negative space.
8
Matte Black Croc
Long, matte black nails with glossy scales are a chic — and totally goth — take on the trend.
9
Pool Water Croc
Pair the pool water nail trend with crocodile print for tips that scream summer.
11
Neon
Go neon with your crocodile print. This set is perfect for the season with its bright pink and orange scales.
12
Pastel Croc
If you want to stick with softer colors, add a touch of texture to pretty pastel tips.
13
Metallic Foil Croc
You can also rock the scaly motif with metallic foils. This fuschia set is absolutely stunning.
14
Ed Hardy Style
Adorn your croc print tips with silver crosses for early 2000s Ed Hardy vibes.
15
Barbiecore
You can keep your love of Barbiecore strong by sporting crocodile print nails in bright pink hues.
