Soap Nails: How To DIY and Inspiration Photos

This year, we’ve seen countless nail trends circulate our Pinterest feeds. From glass nails to chrome and tortoise nails, the design inspiration for your next mani is a dime a dozen. However, we’ve recently noticed a new nail trend to add to the list: soap nails. The natural looking, “clean” manicure look is the perfect everyday mani you’re sure to fall in love with. It’s simple and understated, and bonus points for the fact that it pairs with just about every outfit. Interested in trying the trend? Keep reading to see the trend yourself and get inspired for your next mani.

What are soap nails?

Soap nails can be described as simple, natural looking nails that usually have a subtle pink, nude or white tint. They make nails look ultra glossy, squeaky clean and polished, and are perfect for someone looking for an easy everyday manicure.

The soap nail look is typically created using very sheer, light-colored polish. If you want to keep it ultra-simple and natural looking, you can paint on just one coat. Or, for a more opaque look, you can swipe on multiple layers until you reach your desired look. Soap nails are truly versatile, and can be altered to fit your preferred look.

How to do soap nails at home

Looking to try out the soap nail trend yourself at home? Luckily, it’s super easy and can absolutely be done yourself. There is no design or art skills required; Simply swipe on and go!

Step 1: Prep nails

Like with any manicure, prep is key to ensure longevity and make nails look like you just left the salon. Push your cuticles back using a wooden manicure stick, then file and buff nail beds. Trim to your desired length and shape with a nail file.

Step 2: Apply base coat

Next, paint on a base coat to give your nails a solid foundation before any color goes on. Let dry.

Step 3: Paint on polish

Now for the fun part, choose the color you want to paint on for your soap nails. We recommend a sheer, light pink, nude or white. Do one to two coats until you reach your desired color, then finish with top coat.

Step 4: Clean excess polish and moisturize

Lastly, use a cotton swab and nail polish remover to clean around the nail and remove excess polish from skin. Apply cuticle oil and moisturize your hands with a hand cream.

11 soap nail ideas

Keep scrolling for soap nail inspiration to DIY at home or bring to your next salon visit.

Nude soap nails

These glossy, nude-toned soap nails by @matejanova look so natural, you’ll have people wondering if you even have color on or if your nails are just naturally that shiny. These nails are also a perfect example of how soap nails can be done on short nails as well as long.

@matejanova also created this soap nail look, similar to the one above, but this mani is even more natural looking and creates the illusion of healthy, bare nails.

These soap nails by @andreabook_, a nail artist for Vanity Projects, are a bit more opaque, but still give the illusion of natural nails.

Pink soap nails

While these soap nails by @dovenailsbysharon are more pigmented than the example above, they still have that natural-looking, glossy finish that you want in soap nails. The color used for this look was Aprés Sheer Nude Gel Couleur in “Vintage Carnation”.

Achieve milky, sheer pink soap nails like this look created by @sadiejnails by using DND Lacquer in Pink Bubble. Another common polish shade that can be used for this manicure is OPI Nail Lacquer in Bubble Bath.

These soap nails by @alessiab.estetica have the most subtle pink tint, and are far from opaque. It’s the perfect in-between of sheer nude and sheer pink.

For the nail art lovers, this soap nail design by @matkapolkahybrydowaa is for you. It has a pink-ish, sheer hue, with simple floral accents on the ring finger.

All it takes to get this soap nail look by @kenzonailstudio is a couple coats of DND Lacquer in C’est la Vie.