Hailey Bieber nails have defined mainstream manicure trends since 2022, when her glazed donut manicure — created by celebrity manicurist Zola Ganzorigt for the Met Gala — turned a sheer white manicure with chrome powder into a global obsession. Below is the definitive timeline of her 12 most iconic nail eras, each with the exact formula and what to ask for at the salon, plus a step-by-step glazed donut tutorial you can do at home.
Why Hailey Bieber nails set the trends
Few celebrities move the nail industry like Hailey Bieber. When she debuted glazed donut nails at the 2022 Met Gala, the hashtag #glazeddonutnails passed 24 million TikTok views and the look became one of the most requested salon styles of the decade. Her formula is consistent: an almond shape — her near-exclusive silhouette, which elongates the fingers — paired with sheer, luminous finishes rather than heavy art. That restraint is exactly why her manicures photograph so well and why they keep spawning entire trend cycles, from strawberry glaze to cherry mocha.
Her longtime manicurist Zola Ganzorigt created the icons behind the most famous Hailey Bieber nails; more recently, Kim Truong did her 2026 dark chocolate set in London. Knowing the artists matters because they’ve shared exact product formulas in interviews — which means every look below comes with a real recipe, not a guess.
The 12 iconic Hailey Bieber nail looks: 2022–2026
Twelve eras of Hailey Bieber nails, in chronological order. Each includes the moment, the formula, and the salon ask.
The glaze era

1. Glazed Donut (Met Gala, May 2022) — The one that started everything: a sheer muted-white base with a pearlescent chrome glaze that looks like fresh donut icing. Zola Ganzorigt used OPI GelColor in Funny Bunny, layered a top coat, then rubbed OPI Chrome Effects in Tin Man Can over the nail before sealing. The formula: sheer white base + pearl chrome powder + almond shape. Ask your tech for: “glazed donut — Funny Bunny base with chrome.”

2. Strawberry Glaze (2022) — The pink iteration of the Hailey Bieber nails icon: a light pink base under the same chrome treatment, giving the glaze a rosy warmth. Zola’s tutorial starts with a gel base coat, a shiny top coat, then a light pink color before the chrome goes over the entire nail and gets brushed out evenly. The formula: light pink base + chrome powder + almond shape. Ask your tech for: “strawberry glazed — pink base, chrome finish.”

3. Chocolate Glazed (Fall 2022) — Hailey deepened the trend for autumn: a rich glossy brown with a whisper of pearl chrome, balancing polish and edge. The recommended base is a deep brown like OPI’s Espresso Your Inner Self with a light dusting of pearl chrome powder, sealed glossy. The formula: deep brown base + pearl chrome + almond shape. Ask your tech for: “chocolate glazed — dark brown with chrome.”

4. Blueberry Milk (Summer 2023) — The summer pivot in the Hailey Bieber nails story: a milky egg-blue spread over a white base — soft, creamy, and unmistakably seasonal. Dua Lipa and Zendaya wore versions too, but Hailey’s almond-shaped set defined the trend. The formula: milky light-blue polish over white + glossy top coat + almond shape. Ask your tech for: “blueberry milk — milky pale blue, almond.”
The French evolution

5. Vanilla French Tips — Her update to the French manicure swaps sharp contrast for softness: a barely-there nude base with fine, muted white tips. Start with a sheer nude like Essie’s Ballet Slippers, then paint ultra-thin tips in soft white and finish glossy. The formula: sheer nude base + thin soft-white tips + almond shape. Ask your tech for: “vanilla French — sheer nude, thin tips.”

6. Micro French — The minimalist extreme: an ultra-thin white tip line, barely a millimeter, that blends into the natural nail. Use a detail brush for the thinnest possible line, or a polish with a fine brush built in. The formula: natural base + micro white tip + almond shape. Ask your tech for: “micro French — thinnest possible tip.”
The bold chapters

7. Cherry Mocha (27th Birthday, Nov 2023) — The vampy turn in Hailey Bieber nails history: a deep burgundy she formally claimed as “cherry mocha,” matched to her velvet birthday gown. The shade became a defining fall/winter color across BeautyTok — juicy, berry-dark, and sophisticated. The formula: deep burgundy polish + high gloss + almond shape. Ask your tech for: “cherry mocha — dark burgundy, glossy.”

8. Glossy Black (Academy Museum Gala, Dec 2023) — The end of the glaze era, declared on a red carpet: pure black matched to her YSL sequin gown. Zola used two coats of OPI GelColour in Black Onyx plus Stay Shiny Top Coat, calling it “timeless and classic.” The formula: black polish ×2 + high-shine top coat + almond shape. Ask your tech for: “glossy black — Black Onyx, extra shiny.”

9. Emerald Green (Coachella, April 2024) — Festival season in lacquer form, and a reminder that Hailey Bieber nails aren’t all neutrals: an emerald green that glowed neon in the desert light. Green is quietly her favorite color — she’s worn neon, emerald, and deep greens repeatedly. The formula: emerald green polish + gloss + almond shape. Ask your tech for: “emerald green — bright, glossy.”

10. Dark Chocolate Croc (Paris, Sept 2023) — Texture meets trend in this Hailey Bieber nails standout: dark chocolate brown with a crocodile-print effect, spotted up close in Paris. The croc texture adds dimension that flat brown can’t — it’s the most tactile look in her archive. The formula: dark chocolate base + croc texture effect + almond shape. Ask your tech for: “chocolate brown with crocodile print texture.”
The latest chapters

11. Coffee-Milk Custom (Fall 2024) — The bespoke moment in the Hailey Bieber nails timeline: Zola mixed five different polish shades to create a warm tone evoking coffee, milk, and autumn leaves — a color that exists on no shelf. It marked the season with brown dominating every trend list, from chocolate to cherry cola. The formula: custom warm-brown mix + gloss + almond shape. Ask your tech for: “warm coffee-milk brown — custom mix if possible.”

12. Dark Chocolate (Sept 2026) — The current chapter: a glossy, decadent dark brown created by Kim Truong in London — rich as a Godiva assortment, worn as the not-quite-black accessory. It confirms the chocolate family is still her go-to four years after the first glaze. The formula: deep chocolate brown + mirror gloss + almond shape. Ask your tech for: “dark chocolate — glossy deep brown.”
📌 Found your Hailey era?
Pin these Hailey Bieber nails to your nail board so the formulas are waiting at your next appointment.
How to do glazed donut nails at home
The iconic Hailey Bieber nails technique, broken into five steps. You’ll need: sheer white gel polish (OPI Funny Bunny or similar), no-wipe gel top coat, chrome powder (OPI Tin Man Can or equivalent), a silicone applicator, and a UV/LED lamp.
- Prep and apply the sheer base. Push back cuticles, buff lightly, and apply 1–2 thin coats of sheer white gel polish, curing 60 seconds after each coat.

- Add the no-wipe top coat bed. Apply a layer of no-wipe gel top coat and cure fully. The chrome powder needs this smooth, tack-free surface to grip evenly — skip it and the powder goes patchy.

- Rub in the chrome powder. Pick up a small amount of chrome powder with a silicone applicator (or fingertip) and rub it over the entire nail in small circles until the pearlescent glaze appears.

- Brush off excess and seal. Dust away loose powder with a soft brush, then apply a glossy gel top coat over the chrome and cure 60 seconds. This locks the glaze in and gives the wet-look shine.

- Oil and inspect. Massage cuticle oil around each nail and check the glaze in natural light — it should shift pearlescent as you move your hand, just like the original.

With gel, the manicure lasts 2–3 weeks; with regular polish and a chrome-effect top coat, expect 5–7 days. For the full product breakdown, Bustle’s definitive guide documents her looks with Zola’s own commentary.
FAQs
What are Hailey Bieber’s glazed donut nails?
Glazed donut nails are her signature 2022 look: a sheer milky-white base (OPI Funny Bunny) topped with pearl chrome powder (OPI Tin Man Can) for a luminous, icing-like glaze. Created by Zola Ganzorigt for the Met Gala, the style passed 24 million TikTok views and remains one of the most requested salon manicures.
How do you ask for Hailey Bieber nails at the salon?
Name the specific look, not just “Hailey Bieber nails” — techs respond better to “glazed donut with a Funny Bunny base and chrome” or “cherry mocha, dark burgundy, glossy.” Bring a reference photo from the timeline above and mention the formula line; it tells your tech exactly which base, finish, and shape you want.
What nail shape does Hailey Bieber wear?
Almost exclusively almond — it’s her signature silhouette. The tapered shape elongates the fingers and shows off sheer, luminous finishes like the glaze better than square or coffin. Every look in this guide assumes almond unless noted.
Can you do glazed donut nails without a UV lamp?
Yes, with a compromise: use a sheer white regular polish and a chrome-effect or pearlescent top coat instead of true chrome powder, which needs gel to grip. The finish will be softer and less mirror-like, and wear drops from 2–3 weeks to about 5–7 days — but the glazed impression still reads.
What is Hailey Bieber’s most recent nail look?
As of late 2026, a glossy dark chocolate manicure by Kim Truong in London — a deep, decadent brown worn as a not-quite-black neutral. It continues the chocolate family she’s favored since the first chocolate glaze, confirming rich browns as her enduring go-to.
Four years after the Met Gala, Hailey Bieber nails still set the agenda — from the original glaze through cherry mocha to today’s dark chocolate. The through-line never changed: almond shape, luminous finish, restraint over decoration. Pick your era from the timeline, screenshot the formula, and show your tech the ask-for line.
Which Hailey era is yours? Tell us in the comments — and if you loved these, keep exploring:
