The five September manicure colours that nail artists are flagging this season run from earthy chocolate browns through to bright aquatic teals, and there is a shade here whether you are clinging to summer or already deep into pumpkin territory.
Celebrity nail artist John Avery and nail artist Tom Bachik have both weighed in on what works for the transitional weeks at the end of the warm season. Here is what they are recommending, and why each shade earns its place.
The Five September Manicure Colours Worth Booking In For
Chocolate brown is the smoothest route out of summer. It reads autumnal without going full gothic, and a glossy finish keeps it versatile enough to wear with anything. Think of it as a stepping stone rather than a full seasonal commitment.
If brown feels like a stretch, amber is the gentler option. ‘Amber nails will be a natural next step after a summer of warm neutrals,’ says Avery. His recommendation: skip the flat opaque formula. ‘Rather than a flat opaque color, I love this in a sheer, jelly-like finish,’ he adds. The translucency keeps it light enough for the last warm days while still shifting the palette away from summer brights.
Burgundy is the headline shade for autumn, and Avery is already all in. ‘I’m loving deeper merlots and burgundies,’ he says. His pick for the deeper end of that spectrum is OPI‘s Complimentary Wine. ‘It’s rich, dark, and super chic, it’s perfect when you want something a little moodier and more dramatic,’ Avery says. Burgundy functions the way a pale pink does in summer: endlessly wearable, goes with everything, never needs justifying.
Coconut milk nails have been circulating since Anne Hathaway was spotted wearing the look this summer. Her nail artist Tom Bachik told Cosmopolitan that the semi-opaque finish is ‘fresh, clean, and interesting.’ The exact shade Bachik used is Essie‘s Arctic Jelly, and it remains a strong September option for anyone not ready to commit to the full beige-and-brown transition. It is close enough to a neutral to sit alongside autumn tones without feeling out of place.
Finally, bright blue, specifically teal, is still showing up well into September. It has been one of the more playful shades of the warmer months, and it works as a way of keeping an aquatic feel going before cooler weather fully takes hold. Sally Hansen’s Electric Splash and OPI’s I’m Yacht Leaving are both cited as go-to options in this category.
John Avery: The Artist Behind the Recommendations
Avery is a Miami-based nail artist. His client list, as reported by AOL Canada, includes Alix Earle, Camila Cabello, and Paige DeSorbo, among others. That context matters when reading his shade picks: these are not just editorial suggestions, they are the colours being applied to some of the most-photographed hands in the industry right now.
Tom Bachik’s client list runs through Selena Gomez, Anne Hathaway, and Jennifer Lopez, which explains why his coconut jelly recommendation landed with such force when the Hathaway sighting went wide this summer.
How to Pick Your September Manicure Colour
The straightforward logic here: if you are still hoping for warm weather, amber or teal keeps summer going without looking out of step with the calendar. If you are ready to shift, burgundy or chocolate brown moves you into autumn cleanly. Coconut milk sits in the middle, a genuine all-season option that does not commit either way.
The only real mistake for a September manicure colour is defaulting to the exact same summer shade you have been wearing since June. Even a shift to amber signals that you are paying attention. Book the appointment, pick your shade, and get it done before the season makes the decision for you.