The clean girl aesthetic is trending in all areas with its modern and minimalistic beauty, and the nail polish world is no different.
Clean girl nails are kept very well manicured, with neatly trimmed nails and well-hydrated cuticles.
And even though it’s one of the top 2024 trends, I can tell you as someone who did nails in a salon for many years that this is more than a trend. It’s a lifestyle for some people.
Because of this, there are most definitely some iconic shades out there that have been topping the manicure charts long before this look was given a trendy name.
* Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
1. Ballet Slippers by Essie
Based on my time spent doing nails alone, I would guess that this iconic color is the top favorite. It certainly was with my clients!
I find that if you are into getting manicures, it’s highly probable that this shade is a household name.
We had to stock them in bundles in the nail salon I worked in because it was our most requested color and we constantly ran out of it. People can never have enough Ballet Slippers.
It is a gorgeous pale pink that has a white base but is never too pastel looking. It is so neutral and always beautiful.
It doesn’t have that chalkiness that some light pinks have and I think that’s why people love it so much. Chalky colors are fine, but not everyone wants that look.
Some like it more subtle than that, and it is a surefire go-to shade when you want to achieve that clean girl aesthetic.
2. Bubble Bath by OPI
I love Bubble Bath! It’s a beautiful sheer pink with some milky-ness to it. It has a barely there kind of look but is buildable.
I love the sheerness and how you can see the nail line through the polish. It doesn’t completely cover your nails as an opaque polish would, it only accentuates their natural beauty.
It’s not streaky and looks so good on freshly manicured nails.
This color is perfect for the clean girl aesthetic and if you like that sort of thing, I am pretty sure it’s a shade you will want to wear over and over again.
It’s that good.
3. London Fog by Butter LONDON
This one is a very well-loved pale gray-blue shade made with an amazing formula of clean ingredients.
This color is opaque in 1 coat and always looks polished and together, making it another perfect addition to your clean girl nail polish collection.
You can wear this to any place and any occasion. It has a subtle beauty to it that matches everything you could wear.
It’s long lasting, bamboo-infused for healthier nails, and fade resistant. It also dries super shiny just like gel polish.
If you want to try your hand at growing out your natural nails and you need a little extra help, I would try a nail polish like this.
With its chip-resistant qualities, it will protect the natural nails while you grow them out, and the bamboo extract will help lessen any peeling and breaking you might be struggling with.
Some people also like to mix this with other clean girl nail shades, particularly Bubble Bath. I’ve never tried it but they say you get the perfect mix when you use one coat of each of these 2 shades.
4. Milk by Zoetic Nails
After all those years working as a nail technician, I decided to create my own nail polish line.
One of my most loved shades is Milk, which is a sheer milky white nail polish that is 10-free, cruelty-free and vegan.
The best thing about mine is that it is easy to apply because it doesn’t streak.
I got so tired of trying to find the perfect milky white polishes for my clients because they all came out streaky and they all turned yellow, sometimes on the nails after polishing and sometimes in the bottle before even going onto the nails.
So I created my one that is non-streaky and non-yellowing. Finally!
This one also fits in so nicely with the clean girl aesthetic. It can be worn alone or with opaque white tips for a white-on-white French manicure.
Always fresh, always cute.
5. Cotton Buds by Butter LONDON
White nail polish is definitely a must-have staple in my opinion, and if you want luxury nail polish that feels and looks like gel polish, Butter LONDON is an excellent choice.
Not only does it last up to 10 days, but this nail polish was formulated to help you have healthier nails. It doesn’t have harsh nasty chemicals in it that will ruin your nails, but quite the opposite.
It is infused with bamboo extract which is supposed to keep your nails healthier and stronger. It’s also made with diamond powder to keep it bright.
It doesn’t need any UV or LED lamps to cure, it dries in natural light and has a finish like gel nail polish.
I don’t think there’s much more you can ask for from a nail polish.
6. Blush by Zoetic Nails
A beautiful sheer blush color that will give your natural nails a slight pink tint. This one is so sheer it’s barely there, as if your nails have a natural pink shine to them.
If you like French manicures, this works really well as a base for that too if you are going for a more natural type of look.
To keep it even more on the natural side, you can add some milky white nail polish to the tips for an American manicure.
This gently highlights and accentuates your nails and the nail line without completely covering them with opaque colors.
7. Let’s Be Friends Forever by OPI
Another clean girl nail polish shade you can’t go wrong with, this gorgeous pastel pink is pale enough to look like a pink tinted white color.
It’s perfect for when you don’t want to go completely stark white but you don’t feel like wearing a bubblegum pastel pink.
And aside from the color being gorgeous and indulging your inner clean girl, the nail polish itself is amazing.
It is chip-resistant and lasts up to 11 days when used with the base and top coat for this system and they come out extra shiny.
No matter which colors you choose, sticking with a pale pink, white or nude shade along with well-kept cuticles and well-shaped nails will give you that clean girl nails look.
And if you like pink nail polish, you may like this article where you can find pink nail design ideas.
Happy painting!
