Not Butter Yellow, Not Sheer Pink: The Dreamiest Nail Color to Wear All Summer, Per Rihanna and Selena

When the stylish set wants to amp up their expensive-looking neutrals (iced coffee, creamy ivory, sheer pink, et al.), there’s a solid chance they’ll opt for butter yellow. After all, the creamy hue adds a bit of zing without appearing too saturated, keeping the overall look chic and understated. Not to mention, “It’s a sunny happy color that can be neutral but stands out,” nail artist Evelyn Lim, chief educator at MiniLuxe’s Paintbox studio, once shared about summer nail trends.

But this is not a story about butter-yellow nails. (Been there, done that!) No, we’re here to spotlight an even dreamier polish hue you should ask for at your next salon appointment—at least if Rihanna and Selena Gomez have anything to say about it. Per these celebs and their top-tier manicurists, dreamy lilac is the summer lacquer du jour. Scroll ahead to stay ahead of the trend.

We first spotted the luxuriously creamy color on Gomez, who donned Aprés Aster Family while appearing on ABC’s upcoming reboot of Match Game. Her long, almond-shaped tips looked elegant as ever, paired with a black Miu Miu dress and inverted, “cupped” lob. A few days after the event, her manicurist, Tom Bachik, reposted one of his photos, noting how he was “still in love” with the lilac mani (to which we say, same, Bachik).

Fast-forward another few days, and we clocked lilac nails yet again—this time on Rihanna, who wore The GelBottle Inc’s Diana (“a beautiful sheer lilac,” according to nail artist Jenny Longworth) at the Smurfs movie premiere in Brussels. The pastel hue beautifully complemented her baby-blue chiffon Chanel two-piece (which reportedly took 840 hours to make, BTW), a refined touch to the equally ethereal ensemble.

Lilac is what we’d consider an “almost neutral,” as it adds a little something extra without overpowering an entire outfit—just like its warmer counterpart, butter yellow. Plus, it’s universally flattering. Take it from celebrity manicurist Julie Kandalec: “Lilac is incredibly easy to wear on a multitude of skin tones,” she told WWW about the on-trend polish color. Consider it a chic summer color swap for when you’re craving something elegant and low-key—one that isn’t a pale yellow or milky, sheer pink.

Shop the Best Lilac Nail Polishes