These Unexpected Nail Colors Make for Knockout Manis

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These Unexpected Nail Colors Make for Knockout Manis featured image
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Pastels aren’t the only spring-appropriate nail shades! If you’re looking to give your mani a new twist, we’re rounding up the best unexpected nail colors. From murky greens to dusky pinks, these colors weren’t your average choice for a mani, until now!

Unexpected Nail Colors We Love for Spring

Stand out with these unconventional nail shades! You might be surprised by how perfect they are for the season.

Neutral Greens

Unlike traditionally bright seasonal choices, these are more muted tones of green that feel lived-in and elegant while keeping an earthy, grounded look.

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Londontown Lakur in Star Moss ($16)

This versatile shade is a go-with-everything hero that works no matter the season.

Londontown Lakur in Star Moss ($16)
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ILNP in Treetop ($10)

A high-performance creme with a gorgeous mossy green pigment, this shade is a breath of fresh air in springtime without being too bright or overpowering.

ILNP in treetop
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Londontown Lakur in Sedona ($16)

This shade is just the right side of bright. Still a perfect neutral that can perform in any season, this muted sage is a gorgeously unconventional nail color.

Londontown Lakur in Sedona

Off-Beat Purple Tones

Unlike the lavender and lilac shades we’ve been obsessing over in early spring, these purple shades are a little more unconventional. Just take duo-chromes that journey from green to pink to soft purple—these feel festival-appropriate and a little alien, in the best way.

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Mooncat in Fields of Elysium ($15)

Combining a sage green with a purple shimmer makes for a hypnotizing combination.

Mooncat in fields of elysium
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Dazzle Dry in Celestial Dreams ($22)

A muted magenta, this shade delivers a moody edge to your spring mani.

Dazzle Dry in Celestial Dreams
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Bee’s Knees Lacquer in Curses and Toads ($14)

This hand-mixed, small-batch lacquer is a favorite among nail polish junkies for a reason, and the moss-to-violet of this formula is unexpectedly perfect.

Bee's Knees in curses and toads

Swampcore

You might consider these nail polish shades “ugly.” We consider them under-loved. These dark, murky tones are a bold neutral, especially in a pastel season.

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ORLY in Metamorphasis ($10)

A teal polish with a copper finish, this polish has a gorgeous oil-slick effect that makes it an instant standout.

ORLY in metamorphosis
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Côte Beauty Nail Polish in Smokey Sage ($18)

This earthy tone is an elegant take on a neutral, with gray-brown undertones that create a low-key shade you’ll love.

Cote in smokey sage

Earthy Browns

These grounded shades are forever neutrals and work beautifully no matter the season.

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J. Hannah Nail Polish in Carob ($22)

This coffee-inspired brown is a captivating dark walnut that will pair beautifully with a matcha or pastel pink. Or wear by itself for a bold, earthy mani.

J. Hannah Nail Polish in Carob ($22)
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Chillhouse Forever Wear in Not Your Princess ($12)

This gray-copper is a gorgeous brown that catches the light and transforms into a shimmery silver.

Chillhouse Forever Wear in Not Your Princess
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Ella + Mila in Of the Earth ($11)

On the lighter side, this honey brown is an effortlessly wearable shade that makes any mani look ultra luxe.

ella + mila in of the earth

Almost Pink

There’s something so understated and elegant about these dusky pink shades. Rather than the sheer soap nails trend or the more pastel approach that you might think of in spring, these shades incorporate subtle purple, gray and even brown tones to create a more subdued look.

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Essie Gel Couture Nail Polish in Tassle Free ($13)

This light gray sits perfectly between a dusky pink and a milky lavender.

Essie Gel Couture Nail Polish in Tassle Free
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Deborah Lippmann Gel Lab Pro in Sure Thing ($17)

This dusky pink is a more muted take on a soap nail, offering a slightly moodier version of the trend.

Deborah Lippmann in Sure Thing
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Olive & June in Shacket ($9)

This warm rose has just the right amount of pink for the perfect spring neutral.

Olive & June in Shacket

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