In the unending trend cycle, there’s one fall manicure that has been trending every year for almost half a decade: chocolate chrome. Bieber is known for her clean-girl aesthetic, which brown chrome definitely can fit into, but when done with a dark base polish the look can feel almost edgy—more glam rock than soft girl. That’s all to say, chocolate chrome nails are versatile, with about a million variations that look great on every nail length and skin tone.
Here, some expert tips for getting the look yourself, plus a handful of inspiration photos to bring to the salon. Still, that basic combination can lead to some very decadent final results. The first step is deciding what vibe you want.
Whether you go with a nearly-black cocoa or a creamy caramel as your base, Estrada recommends chromes that lean more gold than silver: Think champagne, bronze, or copper (though “an airy pearl chrome adds a cooler editorial twist”). Regardless of which color you prefer, Swan says to look for a sheer chrome with a delicate pearlescent finish. Brown chrome also works well in a mismatched manicure, another example of nails trending toward the theatrical.
While it is possible to do chrome over regular polish, the look is more commonly created with a gel set, since the base color needs to be totally dry before you rub the chrome on top. Too much is precisely the point!” Kara McGrath is a contributing beauty editor at Cosmopolitan with over 15 years of experience covering the beauty space and an at-home nail art enthusiast. Both jobs include browsing and saving countless manicure ideas for research, plus chatting with professional artists for insight into current nail trends.
Kara McGrath is a writer and editor with over 17 years of experience covering the beauty industry, women’s health, and a wide range of other lifestyle and wellness topics. After most recently serving as content director at Allure (2019-2025) and executive editor at Bustle (2014-2019), she is now fully freelance. In addition to Cosmo, her writing has appeared in Allure, The New York Times, Marie Claire, Business of Fashion, Playboy, NH Magazine, and more.
Kara lives in New Hampshire with her dog, four cats, and a rotating cast of foster animals. You can find more of her work at karamcgrath.com.
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