Some nail looks are certain no matter the trend cycle, and one of them is pastels for spring. The way we’re leaning into pastels this season? Lavender milk nails. Celebrity nail artist Tom Bachik recently created this soft, elegant, and floral-inspired manicure for Selena Gomez, and we’re calling it now: Light purple is the way to go this season.
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Remember strawberry milk and blueberry milk nails? Like those past trends we loved, this lavender opaque look is vibrant and easygoing, perfect for spring.
“We’re leaning towards soft light shades like lavender, mint, peach, and baby blues, which are really great and give an airy vibe,” says celebrity nail artist Elle Gerstein. Even better news for nail art lovers: “Pastels are also great for some of spring’s trending designs, including florals and French manicures,” she says.
Luckily for us, it’s easy to create this look at home. Find your favorite lavender-colored polish (Essie Nail Polish in Go Ginza is what we found closest to Gomez’s look above), and make sure to thoroughly prep your nails to get that long-lasting, super-glossy mani we all know and love.
“Begin by scrubbing your nails with an antibacterial soap; think of it like washing your face,” Gerstein advises. “Let the nails dry and then use isopropyl alcohol—75% and up—to cleanse the nail. This will act like an astringent and bring your nail to the proper pH level while eliminating any dust and debris from your nail.”
It turns out that acetone doesn’t actually clean your nails: Rather, it “leaves debris on the nail and causes polishes to chip faster or not to dry,” she says. Don’t forget a base coat prior to applying color and a high-gloss top coat to finish things off.
Color choice doesn’t affect the longevity of your mani—it’s all in the application. However, if you do feel like your lavender polish is fading, especially if it’s light or sheer, this could be “due to the sun or even your jeans. To prevent this you can use a UV top coat,” Gerstein says.