Hailey Bieber ditches her pearl nails for a sky-blue nail polish shade that will change everything this summer
Hailey Bieber has a rare gift for turning every beauty detail into a global trend. Her current nail polish colour is no exception. This summer 2026, the model and Rhode founder is closing the chapter on her iconic pearl nails to embrace a sky blue that is as unexpected as it is covetable.
A cerulean blue spotted in New York on 19 July 2026
On 19 July 2026, Hailey Bieber was photographed alongside Justin Bieber as they arrived at restaurant The Corner Store in New York. For the summer evening out, she wore a dark red slip mini dress. In striking contrast, her manicure featured a vivid cerulean blue, as chic as it was cool.
True to her preferred nail shape, a medium-length almond, she layered up a creamy sky-blue polish. The shade was delicately tinted with lilac undertones, lending it an unexpected softness.
The choice marks a clear break from her pearl nails, which had become her signature over several seasons. The surprise is all the greater given that Hailey Bieber typically reserves blue shades for autumn.
A departure from her seasonal habits
Last year, for instance, she went for a deep sapphire blue with an ultra-glossy finish. This time, her nail polish colour is far softer and more airy. It is not unlike Tiffany blue, the defining colour of summer 2026, which has been everywhere from fashion collections to beauty trends.
“This summer, cool tones are taking over and look set to dethrone the bold, vitamin-bright shades.”
Icy pastels bring a sense of lightness and freshness that feels especially welcome in the heat. And this aesthetic direction is winning over audiences well beyond Hailey Bieber’s inner circle.
A movement driven by several celebrities this summer
Hailey Bieber is not the only one gravitating toward this cool nail polish colour trend. Michelle Obama recently showed off a similar pale blue polish. Emily Blunt, for her part, opted for a delicate lavender manicure.
- Hailey Bieber: creamy sky blue with lilac undertones
- Michelle Obama: similar pale blue nail polish
- Emily Blunt: delicate lavender manicure
- Taylor Swift: a very soft mint green shade
- Tiffany blue: the defining colour of summer 2026 in fashion and beauty
Taylor Swift also kicked off the season with a very soft mint green. Yet it is sky blue that has firmly established itself as the most coveted nail polish colour of the moment.
Why this shade is making such an impact this summer
Icy pastels deliver an instant visual freshness. As a result, they answer a genuine need in the height of summer, when vivid or saturated shades can feel heavy. The nuance Hailey Bieber chose, with its subtle lilac undertones, also plays on the softness of pastel without tipping into anything childlike.
What’s more, this type of shade works across a wide range of outfits. A sky-blue nail polish can complement a red evening dress, as Hailey Bieber herself proved, just as easily as an everyday casual look.
Where to find this nail polish colour in the UK and beyond
You don’t need to cross the Atlantic to get in on this nail polish colour. Several options make it easy to recreate this soft, luminous sky blue. Among the closest matches, OPI’s Big Bluetiful Planet (Nature Strong range) is a blue-grey with a creamy finish worth trying.
Essie’s Salt Water Happy (No. 374) is also a great alternative for that fresh, summery effect. Equally, Mavala’s Mini Color Bleu Cyclades Blue (167) comes close to this cerulean nuance with effortless lightness.
Having reigned over pearl manicures for several seasons, Hailey Bieber is opening a new beauty chapter. This sky-blue nail polish colour looks set to appear on plenty of beauty lovers’ fingertips before summer 2026 is out.
