Over the pandemic, more and more men – gay and straight alike – are cozying up to intensive grooming rituals. And that includes the male manicure – the “menicure,” if you will.

We’ve seen it all over Hollywood these past few years, with male celebs normalizing painted nails on the red carpet. Now, nail art for men is taking Tiktok and Instagram by storm. Esquire even dubbed 2020 the “ Year of the Menicure .” 

So why do men paint their nails? Can men paint their nails? Let’s take a deep dive into the resurging trend.

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A post shared by MONTERO (@lilnasx)

No longer is nail polish for men who go against the tide. You don’t need to be emo to be in black nail polish, nor do you need to get up in drag to sport stiletto nails. In fact, the tide is shifting toward a new era of painted nails being unisex and accessible. The menicure is no longer tied down by sexual orientation or subculture – it’s just style. 

So how did we get here? Why do men paint their nails black, blue, or even pastel? ​​You could chalk it up to pandemic boredom. More guys experimenting and coloring their nails while stuck indoors from a forced lockdown. Perhaps it’s also due to Gen Z and their polarizing effect on gender norms. That, and the many high-profile celebrities we’ve seen grace the red carpet with perfectly painted nails.

There’s now a collective acceptance of gender fluidity. Men are recognizing that it’s okay to blur the lines and not play by the rules. Let’s admit it, being “masculine” is so restrictive sometimes, and it feels good just to break free from all that pressure. 

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Men wearing nail polish isn’t exactly new. Historically, men have been painting their nails as early as 3,200 B.C. Back then in Babylon, warriors put war paint not just on their faces but also on their nails. There’s also evidence that men wore nail polish in ancient Egypt and ancient China.

Over time, the lacquered fingernail became a female-targeted accessory. Then came the opening of America’s first nail salon in the 1800s to the invention of liquid polish in the 1900s, making nail polish and nail art accessible to the masses.

By the ’70s and ’80s, glam rock and punk rock superstars made the man-icure a symbol of the counterculture. Case in point: icons like David Bowie circa Ziggy Stardust, Iggy Pop, and Lou Reed and his black polish, and Kurt Cobain in the ’90s with grungy chipped polish on his hands. These artists inspired many a guy going through a punk phase to dabble at painting their own nails for a boost of rebellious confidence.

By the late 2010s, fashion magazines began weighing in on the manicure for men. Many doubted its longevity and, well, they’ve been proven wrong. In 2019, men painting their nails shifted into the mainstream. That same year, Queer Eye grooming expert Jonathan Van Ness became the first male brand ambassador for Essie.

This wouldn’t be a list of good nail polish for men without mentioning Harry Styles. He’s rarely seen without a coat of color on his nails. Of course, there’s also Lil Nas X, known for his flamboyant style and makeup. 

But up until this point, men’s nail polish still carried with it the “stigma” of it being for girls or at most gay, non-binary, or trans men and women. That is, until the media picked up on rapper A$AP Rocky and his next-level nail art. 

One iconic moment was when he sported smiley faces on his nails. “ I feel like men should be able to do nail art without feeling feminine, “ A$AP Rocky said in a Vogue interview. We saw other male celebrities follow suit: Bad Bunny, Lil Yachty, Post Malone, and even Pete Davidson.

Looking for an understated clear polish or perhaps a more vibrant coat of color? There’s a bunch of brands out there now, for men and by men. Just pick up a color or two from some of these best nail polish brands, launched by our faves.

A post shared by Pleasing (@pleasing)

Harry Styles’s genderless nail polish line, Pleasing, launched in November of 2021. We’d like to argue that this was the catalyst for male celebs launching their own nail polish brands.

Given the former One Direction star is known for his non-binary style choices paired with vibrantly polished nails, the “life brand” was designed to “dispel the myth of a binary existence.” You can see it in the brand’s lookbook, where nail polishes are shown on a diverse set of hands – women, men, even older folk can “find their Pleasing.”

Currently, there are four shades in finishes from matte to pearlescent. Altogether, the line makes for endless color combinations. A huge bonus: the formula is sustainable, vegan, and cruelty-free. 

A post shared by UN/DN LAQR (@undn_laqr)

Love him or hate him, Machine Gun Kelly’s maximalist, and modern grunge aesthetic proves that punk ain’t dead. He’s known for some pretty bold style choices, like that time he wore freakishly long hot pink and silver-studded acrylics. 

Honestly, MGK’s got major nail game. So it only makes sense for him to get into the beauty industry via nail polish. Enter UN/DN LAQR – pronounced “Undone Lacquer” – which just launched in December 2021. 

From shades like “Depressionist” and “Mary Jane” to a nail kit called “Therapy Sessions,” UN/DN LAQR is an extension of Machine Gun Kelly’s disruptive personality and style. It’s reminiscent of the pop punk-slash-emo era of the early aughts, all about self-expression and attitude. 

No matter your orientation or preference, just keep creating yourself. As the website says, “No permission needed.”

A post shared by CRETE (@crete__co)

Lil Yachty launched Crete last year in May but left it in November short of a new drop. Granted, Lil Yachty’s stint at the helm of his own nail polish brand Crete was short-lived. But that doesn’t take away from what the brand stands for: that nail polish and nail art has no gender. Nail polish for men is and should be accessible and inclusive. And it shows even down to Crete’s innovative packaging–a retractable Nail Paint Pen, as opposed to a bottle of polish. 

Lil Yachty created Crete after hearing about Trevor Wilkinson getting suspended from school just for wearing nail polish. As a brand, Crete aims to redefine the norm and change the perception of masculinity. More unisex, more self-expressive, less binary. It’s simple self-care – “kind of just like getting a haircut,” as Yachty said while speaking to the Washington Post . 

huh? https://t.co/MDW6fXzvsC pic.twitter.com/pw4ePMRU9S

— Tyler, The Creator (@tylerthecreator) September 21, 2020

Yet another “male polish” drop in December, this time by contemporary rap legend Tyler, the Creator. His fashion and lifestyle label dropped a capsule nail polish collection in Golf le Fleur’s signature sky blue and sunset orange color palette. Each shade represents Tyler, the Creator’s version of happiness. 

When asked about his inspiration behind venturing into beauty, Tyler, the Creator simply sees it as another avenue for creativity. Again with our recurring theme of self-expression overcoming gender rules. “I like to wear glitter nail polish a lot, so I wanted to make a few colors that I rarely get to see. That’s all it is ,” Tyler, the Creator said in an interview with Allure . “ It is less wanting in on [the] beauty world and more, ‘Oh, I want to try my hand at this. ’”

A post shared by Dazed Beauty (@dazedbeauty)

Let’s face it: nail polish on men is so hot right now. And honestly, we don’t think it’s going away any time soon. We live in an age where beauty is self-expression, and it’s for everyone.

Men are becoming more comfortable getting manicures. We’re shifting away from metrosexuality and toward a more inclusive and expressive new normal. Nail care and nail polish aren’t reserved for the gay man or the feminine type anymore – getting a manicure should be as normal as styling your hair. It’s just grooming. 

And seriously, who even wants crusty cuticles these days? 

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NOT a fan! Most of the times I’ve seen them on guys- they look sloppy, like a 6-year-old painted them on.

@GayConservMan – at least color on nails comes off, conservatism is a permanent ugly stain

So agree!! HUGE AND INSTANT turnoff for me!!

@joverit. Permanent & ugly stains include name-calling, unkindness & confusing politics with aesthetics.

Nail polish on men: I find very unattractive.

100% Disgusting. I hate it. Major turn off.

@GayConservMan, (Or should I call you @SamB, @openminded, etc….)

And most gay men don’t want the men they sleep with to support bigots and homophobes, so trust me, they won’t be banging down your door.

@CatholicXXX, you didn’t like the response you got under the @GayConservMan screename so came back in under this one?

My real nails are very weak and brittle, so I go to a neighborhood nail salon every other week for a “Dipping Powder” treatment to protect them some and to actually have nails instead of the torn messes I normally have. During COVID lockdown the salon closed down for, like, 5 months and when it opened, they’d lost half their technicians and half their clientele. So one day I said, “Hey, you charge extra to *decorate* nails right?” She said, “Yes, a couple of dollars extra per nail.” I said, “Then let me throw money at you. Decorate every finger and do ANYTHING YOU WANT. I don’t care, just let me help keep your doors open.”

So they do. And I have had great designs and patterns put on those nails and every two weeks, my uptight, straight, male co-workers stop by to see what the newest design is.

So go for it, guys. You can have them just look like regular old nails (but not torn and nasty) or you can have them as wild as you can bear. The only one you need to please is your own damned self. (Work restrictions are really the only ones that should matter.)

Nail polish on men: INSTANT turn off!!

There are some trends that simply do not translate well across the sexes. Whether its the shape of their fingers or the care and huge amounts of money women spend getting the best nail designers or the best colors, nail polish simply looks a LOT BETTER on women than it does on men.

All the nail polish I’ve ever seen on men look like water colors sloppily splashed on fat, ugly and coarse fingers resembling sausages. We men should do ourselves a favor and leave this one to the ladies. They obviously know what they’re doing, and we don’t!

i think nail polish looks great on guys. it’s a trend i hope more men will embrace. only reason i haven’t tried it yet is because of how mean and hateful some gay guys are when it comes to stuff like this… as seen in several of the comments here. i also think its unfortunate that some gay guys would probably make assumptions, like “he’s wearing nail polish so he must be a femme sub bottom” etc., which is so lame because i know several straight guys who are very conventionally “masc” who wear nail polish.

This is very much an age-restricted trend. If a man over 50 appears with polished nails, oh, the horror.

I like the idea and I SHOULD do it, maybe in the color(s) of my favorite hockey team?!

If you don’t fall for the celebrity/brand hype, this is an inexpensive fad. And with nail polish remover, it’s reversible. I’m for it.

Yep. Anyone under 30 it’s rebellious. Anyone over that means you’re probably transitioning.

Jesus H Christ. Why do so many of you feel the need to flap your jaws about stuff like this if you aren’t into it? NOBODY cares if its an “instant turn off” for you. NOBODY cares if you are “masc4masc”. You think the rest of the gay and bi men of the world live their lives around what turns YOU on? Unless you are TRULY something epic and amazing to look at, I doubt very many people give a crap what turns you on or off. If you don’t like nail polish on men, don’t f*cking put it on and don’t date a guy who wears it. Its that simple. Your running commentary about it is not required.

Yeah, well no one cares what you think either. Maybe just avoid reading the comments if you’re so fragile. As for me, nail polish and nose facial piercings on guys are a true turn off to me and I don’t care who knows, as if it matters anyway.

Says the account that cared enough to respond to him.

I am 65 and im not a huge fan but on certain guys or certain looks I like it. Much better than dirty ragged nails that show a lack of cleanliness. It is a fad and so like all fads could last a year or a decade. I am old enough as Im sure a lot of you are that I saw the clone look, Long hair, short hair, man bun, no hair. And if you like men masculine why do you like shaved balls? I love body hair but am not mad that it isnt popular right now. Getting so mad about tiny shit like this may make you miss the love of your life. Unless you are looking for a carbon copy of yourself. I want my man to open me up and vice versa in ALL ways

some people need to lighten the f up around here!

I said it last time you covered this subject: I’m glad it turns some men off. Saves me wasting my time. Painting my nails actually stopped me from a life-long nail chewing issue. Plus, it looks great! Also, my husband and boyfriend both like it. So… Win-Win.

Yeah, sure and why not. Men have been having their ears pierced and wearing earrings for years so what’s the purpose for this article?, When I was a youngster, i had to wear clear bitter tasting nail polish to break me from the habit of chewing my nails. I don’t like nail polish on men this but as this is America an this is my right to disagree without being disagreeable. The old saying ‘do yourself a favor and don’t worry or care what others think or say about you as that’s their issue, not yours if you don’t make it your issue. This timeless philosophy has worked for years for me and has served me well and relieved me of unnecessary worries.

Interesting, so rehabilitating the “@openminded” screename to try to become a more stealthy troll got called out and didn’t work, so you’re trying it with THIS one??

This is the screename where you routinely defend anti-LGBTQ bigots. Probably would have been smarter to start with a new one all together then to try to make this screename seem like a reasonable one.

But props to ya, at least you’re trolling is a BIT more interesting this week.

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