Tortoiseshell Nails Are Going Nowhere, So It's a Good Thing They're Easier Than They Look
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Tortoiseshell is a common color pattern for glasses, jewelry, and cats. But like all great things, it's made its way to the beauty world. First, there was tortoiseshell hair, a subtle brunette color with honey, caramel, and copper hues. Now, and perhaps even better, the pattern has made its way onto nails — and we didn't think a manicure could look so chic.
Tortoiseshell nails are great for beginners, mostly because the technique involves a lot of blobbing. Perfection isn't necessary — all you really need to complete the look on your own at home are some autumnal brown and black shades. The standalone style is definitely enough for a beautiful manicure, but simple tortoiseshell isn't the only way to create the effect.
If you're on the hunt for something a bit more involved, there are plenty of other interpretations of the design that take the nail art to a whole new level. Some options include accent nails, negative space designs, and even gold leaf effects, making the nail trend the centerpiece of any outfit.
Get a closer look at the different types of tortoiseshell nails out there, and get ready to bookmark all of them to either recreate at home or show your nail tech in anticipation of your next appointment.
French Tortoiseshell Nails
A classic tortoiseshell nail is chic and easy to recreate, but if you want to step things up a notch, we recommend opting for a french manicure. You can do a regular one as shown above or even opt for a reverse french manicure.
Long Tortoiseshell Nails
If you have longer nails, you'll have more surface area for any type of nail art, especially tortoiseshell nails. However, this design looks great on both lengths.
Short Tortoiseshell Nails
If you want to opt for a shorter nail, we'd recommend going for the squoval shape, as shown above. The fun shape has been trending lately.
Almond Tortoiseshell Nails
An almond-shaped manicure is a classic, and we love how simple and chic this set of tortoiseshell nails looks. You can opt for this look with natural nails or acrylic, although we'd suggest builder gel if you want to get to this length with your natural nail.
Coffin Tortoiseshell Nails
The coffin nail shape has been having a resurgence lately, especially this tapered, thin version. Opt for a fun gold accent at the base of your nail if you're into nail art.
Gold Foil Tortoiseshell Nails
If you want to go all out with nail art, we love this example that uses gold foil on all of the nails. The designs are different for each finger, but they still maintain a cohesive look.
Large Print Tortoiseshell Nails
There are a few different types of tortoiseshell print, so make sure if you visit a salon, you're clear with your nail tech what you're looking for. The above is a great example of a larger print.
Heart Tortoiseshell Nails
If you're into nail art, we love the idea of this accent nail featuring a heart. You could opt to do the trend with any shape, but the heart is especially cute.
Half-and-Half Tortoiseshell Nails
If you're looking for a fun way to embrace the trend but still want to keep your manicure somewhat neutral, you could opt for a half-and-half tortoiseshell nail look, as shown above. This example shows nude on one side, but you could go for any color you want.
— Additional reporting by Renee Rodriguez
Tori Crowther is a freelance beauty journalist and former PS UK editor.
Renee Rodriguez is a staff writer and social producer for PS. She writes across all verticals, but her main areas of expertise focus on fashion and beauty content with an emphasis on reviews and editor experiments. She also produces social content for the PS TikTok and Instagram accounts.