Maximalist beauty is on the rise this spring, but when it comes to our nails, neutral manicures still reign supreme with ballet slipper nails—a soft, pale pink nail color—emerging as the latest must-try trend.
Paring back in one area of your beauty routine allows for bold, joyful makeup touches to really shine instead. Pale pink ballet slipper nails are also gaining fans on social media because they tap into beauty’s current love affair with nostalgia—specifically the ’80s and ’90s.
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What are ballet slipper nails?
The iconic Essie nail polish Ballet Slippers is one of the brand’s OG shades and has been beloved since its debut in 1982. The sheer, petal-pink hue has launched a thousand similar shades. As the name implies, it’s the same shade as actual ballet slippers and could easily be the love child of milky nails and soap nails thanks to its high-sheen milky pink and “just dipped my nails in a bubble bath” finish.
“Ballet slipper nails are taking the spotlight once again thanks to a universally flattering look that suits every nail shape and length,” says celebrity manicurist Milly Mason. “Clean, timeless and effortlessly chic, they create a healthy, groomed finish that pairs perfectly with any style.” In particular, expect ballet slipper nails to become the most requested bridal manicure of 2026.
It’s also the perfect shade to pull your look together if you’re leaning into ballet slipper lips—another trend that involves digging in the archives, but this time for frosted pink lipstick references.
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How to create ballet slipper nails
The ballet slipper nails trend is exactly as it sounds: glossy, with trimmed cuticles, a buffed nail bed, and a few coats of pale pink nail polish. Its hallmarks are a sheer rosy luminosity when you apply one coat and a more opaque pink finish with two.
Oh, and ballet slipper nails aren’t simply created using Essie’s cult nail polish. There are plenty of soft-focus nude polishes that channel a similar fresh, pretty minimalist vibe.
Another famous ballerina-coded nail polish is Chanel Le Vernis in Ballerina, while the Westmoreland Cosmetics Vanilla Gloss collection is designed to impart the perfect peachy pink shade to different skin tones. Alternatively, if you want to literally mimic the high-shine and satin texture of the slippers’ fabric, look for a polish that has the merest hint of finely milled shimmer, such as OPI Intentions Are Rose Gold.
