Kylie Jenner's New Nails Declare the 2010s Taupe Manicure Trend Is Back

Kylie Jenner leaving an event with her nails visible — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Kylie Jenner shares so much of herself with the world, between her social media and her family's reality TV show. After years of following the beauty mogul, though, I've learned that looking at her nails is the quickest way to figure out what's really going on with her. For instance, when Jenner started dating actor Timothée Chalamet after years of being in an on-again, off-again relationship with rapper Travis Scott, she began opting for shorter manicures and romantic, feminine colors—a shift many interpreted as a reflection of her soft girl era.

Now, it seems Jenner is in the midst of another beauty vibe shift. Or rather, a return to form. Earlier this month, the mother of two unveiled a vibrant teal dye job on Instagram in a clear callback to the hair she had during her King Kylie era. She even had nail artist Zola Ganzorigt lacquer her tips with OPI's Lincoln Park After Dark—a vampy, near-black hue Jenner has been wearing since she was a teenager—for the momentous occasion. The self-referential throwback seemed like an isolated incident, though, until I caught sight of her latest manicure: a glossy taupe with squared-off tips that looks strikingly similar to Essie's Chinchilly, another defining shade of the 2010s.

Kylie Jenner taupe manicure — Kylie Jenner shared a glimpse of her taupe nails on Instagram.

"Cozy time," Jenner captioned the clip on her Instagram story, in which she's seen snuggling with longtime friend Stassi Karanikolaou under a gray blanket that matched her fall nails.

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Coincidence? I think not. Like I said, when it comes to Kylie Jenner, the manicure tells all. Her pointed return to the trends of the 2010s almost makes me wonder whether she might be on the precipice of re-releasing some archival Kylie Cosmetics products and shades from the early years of running her company. The move would certainly make sense given the resurgence of indie sleaze aesthetics in fashion. I wouldn't be opposed to seeing "Posie K" lip kit from her 2016 Valentine's Day drop make a surprise comeback in 2024, right along with leopard print, oversized bags, tights, and low-rise jeans.

Then again, there are some 2010 beauty trends I really wish would remain in the past. Let's hope Jenner has long forgotten about crackle nail polish.

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Hanna Lustig is a staff writer at Marie Claire, where she gets to gab every day about the topics she holds most dear: fashion, beauty, and celebrity. Hanna’s editorial journey began with formative internships at Elle and InStyle, where she was lucky enough to work for some of the smartest women in media while she was still in college at the University of Tennessee. Hanna then accepted a digital culture reporting fellowship at Insider, where she helped carve out a new beat dedicated to covering influencers. Those experiences later served her well as a staff writer at Glamour, where she developed a knack for spinning quick turnaround celebrity news and trend reporting into juicy feature stories. Some of her greatest hits include an earnest ode to the no-pants trend, this meticulously reported feature exploring the rise of endoscopic facelifts, this snappy take on the Chanel-designed fantasy of Sofia Richie’s wedding, this tribute to WAGs past and present, and this timeline of Katie Holmes’s life and career as told through her denim collection.

Diane Keaton once hung up on Hanna during an interview, but thankfully that mishap did not derail what has otherwise been a deeply fulfilling career writing for and about women. As one of Marie Claire's resident experts on style and culture, her current coverage ranges from exploring TikTok's contrast makeup theory and the return of the boat shoe trend to interviews with costume designers for hit shows like Nobody Wants This and The Penguin. When she’s not at work, Hanna can probably be found listening to pop music, talking to her dog, and gossiping with her best friends. For more of Hanna’s perfect opinions on pop culture, you can follow her on Instagram and X.