A beauty expert has revealed tips to pull off the trending cherry mocha manicure - after Jennifer Lopez showcased her glossy red nails.
The new vampy look is soaring in popularity on TikTok, having amassed over 8 million views in the UK and increasing by a further 43k over the last week alone.
And now that J Lo has been spotted with the new understated manicure, interest is expected to soar. Cherry mocha nails mirror a 90s-esque look, featuring a classic deep red polish with brown undertones to create a dark, rich femme fatale vibe.
It’s no surprise that they’re becoming a staple of the season, given the similarly-styled ‘Cherry Cola lips’ were also trending throughout spring and summer, which drew inspiration from cherry cola soda to create a complimentary glossy red and brown hue. Like when choosing lipstick, according to Fresha London, the most important tip for the manicure is to match your skin tone so that the polish’s brown undertones come through - meaning J Lo’s exact polish (Essie’s Bordeaux) won’t work for everyone.
They say: “Those looking to replicate cherry mocha nails using J Lo’s exact polish may end up disappointed with the end result, as - depending on your undertones and skin colour - the look may not translate. Those with darker skin must opt for a slightly darker shade to ensure the brown undertones are detectable - otherwise, the nails will look more red.
“Equally for those with very light skin, the polish may look too brown-toned or almost burgundy rather than perfectly matching the freshness of the cherry mocha style. Your skin's undertone should also be accounted for to ensure the red polish looks how you want it to.
“If you’re cool-toned, some reds can emphasise the pink in your skin - instead, opt for red polishes with blue or purple undertones. Those with a warm undertone will need a polish with coral or orange undertones - more like terracotta - but be careful not to pull too orange. J Lo has warmer undertones, so factor that in when trying to replicate her look. Generally speaking, cherry mocha nails will look best on those with a neutral undertone.
“Muted reds with a touch of brown are often the most complimentary for those without strong pink, blue, yellow, or olive overtones.” Nail shaping is also key, with short squoval or short square nails the best way to ensure the look doesn’t attract too much attention - since simplicity and versatility are essential.
According to the beauty expert, the trending manicure is also perfect for those who suspect they’ll get proposed to this autumn - as it perfectly encapsulates the season’s typical style. To identify what the ideal proposal manicure looks like at this time of year, Fresha London analysed over 500 posts tagged #proposal and #engagement across Instagram, TikTok and Pinterest to determine the most common design elements people choose in autumn.
And it turns out that brown and burgundy are among the top three most-favoured base colours, with brown shades appearing in a fifth of seasonal manicures (20%), while burgundy appeared in more than 1 in 10 looks (13%) - so the combination of both is ideal. The benefit of opting for a shorter nail shape if you suspect you’re getting engaged is that you’ll ensure your new ring is the centre of attention in your announcement pictures - with over a quarter (26%) of new fiancées opting for short, square nails, and 12% choosing oval.
The expert said: “If you want your ring to be the focus in your proposal pics, you may want to swap out a more attention-grabbing style, like stiletto, for something softer, like a shorter square or rounded shape - which will look even better when paired with a solid base colour. Cherry mocha nails will look particularly complimentary for those who end up with a gold or rose gold engagement ring, as this will create a luxurious feel.
“However, the striking contrast between a brown-toned red and silver can also look stunning - like with J Lo's green and silver ring - so it’s a win-win all around.” Data gathered from 500+ TikToks, Pinterest posts and Instagram posts tagged #engagement and #proposal, sorted by month.