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When it comes to hair trends, the latest looks seem to be inspired by animals: "jellyfish" haircuts, "wolf" cuts, and even the "octopus" cut. When it comes to nails, however, everyone seems to be taking their cues from food. There are the ever popular "glazed doughnut" nails, the newly discovered "strawberry milk" nails, and the latest craze: "chocolate milk" nails.
I've been seeing the trend all over my social media feeds (and in real life), and although I typically veer toward lighter, sheer polishes, from the images I was seeing, there was a case to be made that brown was the new neutral. I saw the trending shade paired with all different outfits, and when it came time for me to choose "birthday nails" to go with my "birthday shirt" last week, I didn't hesitate before choosing a light-brown shade at the nail salon. When I received tons of compliments on the hue from friends and strangers alike, I knew I had found my new go-to manicure shade.
Keep reading to learn about the trend, how to achieve the look for yourself, and inspiration photos you can bring with you to your next salon appointment.
What Are Chocolate-Milk Nails?
Chocolate-milk nails are a play on the milk-bath manicure, one of the most popular neutral-nail trends as of late. "We are going through every iteration of a milky color, from almond milk to strawberry milk to chocolate milk," celebrity nail artist Sonya Meesh tells POPSUGAR. "Like the cappuccino or boba-milk-tea trend, chocolate milk is a great neutral look with a little edge that looks great by itself on short or long nails, making it very wearable across a wide range of skin tones."
While milk-bath nails typically feature a white, milky base color, and strawberry-milk nails feature a translucent pastel pink, chocolate-milk nails feature a light-brown color that resembles the look of chocolate milk, hence the name. The color can vary from a deep chocolate brown to a light chocolate brown, depending on how much "Hershey's syrup" you decide to add.
How to Get Chocolate-Milk Nails
If you're as obsessed as I am and you're ready to try out the trend for yourself, the good news is that the look is easy to achieve. Personally, I stopped into my local nail salon, but it's also easy to recreate it at home.
Either way, you're going to want to start out by filing and shaping your nails (or having a manicurist do it) into your desired shape. I've been growing mine out for the last few months, so I opted just to file them — and to keep my go-to shape, which is a mix between oval and almond.
You'll also want to make sure to clean up your nail beds and trim any broken skin around the cuticles. Since this trend is just one singular color without the addition of nail art or anything else, having healthy-looking fingernails is key. Once that's done, layer on two coats of your favorite brown color. Meesh suggests testing out the Orly in the shade "Coffee Break" ($11) or Manucurist gel polish in "Shell Beige" ($19). I used a no-name shade (#017 for anyone wondering) from my nail salon, and my technician layered on four coats because it was quite sheer in the beginning. However, the final result looked so good I could practically taste it.
Chocolate-Milk Nails Inspiration
If you've been convinced to test out the trend for yourself, keep scrolling to check out inspiration you can bring with you to your next salon appointment.
FAQs
"Chocolate milk nails are basically cool neutral tones with brown in them." However, it can also include darker shades of chocolate brown, says celebrity nail artist Brittney Boyce.
Why is chocolate milk so good? ›
Chocolate milk tastes so good because it adds rich, smooth cocoa powder or chocolate syrup to plain milk. This tingles your tastebuds, fills up a hungry tummy and is also believed to make your brain feel happy due to the pleasurable drinking experience which reminds you of eating chocolate.
What is good to eat with chocolate milk? ›
Chocolate pairs well with sweet fruits like strawberries and bananas. It also goes well with the tartness of raspberries. Adding chocolate milk to a frozen fruit smoothie is a great way to feel like you're indulging in a classic milkshake but with more nutrients.
How to tell if chocolate milk has gone bad? ›
Consistency: If there are large clumps or grittiness to chocolate milk even after you've shaken it, it might be bad. Smell: Chocolate milk will take on a sour smell like regular milk once it's past its prime, so give it a sniff to assess if it's gone bad. Taste: Chocolate milk should taste delicious and chocolatey.
What nail colors are trending in 2024? ›
The Prettiest Nail Polish Colors For Spring 2024. Soft peach, bold yellow, and fiery red are all in store. Spring breathes new life into everything from the greenery you see outside to beauty trends.
Are milky nails in style? ›
In 2022, we got into jelly nails and glazed donut nails. Now, the yummiest trend of summer 2023 is milk nails. You may have already noticed this eye-catching look on some of your favorite celebrities like Kourtney Kardashian and Dua Lipa.
What are the downsides of chocolate milk? ›
Chocolate milk contains added sugars and therefore more calories that can lead to more overweight and obesity. In the United States, 1/3 of children are already overweight and obese and at higher risk for chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and cancer.
Is chocolate milk good for the brain? ›
The flavonoids in chocolate milk also have neuroprotective properties, potentially enhancing brain function, improving memory, and reducing the risk of neurodegenerative disorders. The delightful blend of taste and nutrition in chocolate milk makes it a versatile and wholesome beverage.
Is chocolate milk good for diabetics? ›
Chocolate milk
However, you should make your own chocolate milk instead of buying it at the store, because available brands often contain a lot of sugar, which can increase the body's blood sugar level if used regularly.
What does drinking chocolate milk help with? ›
Chocolate milk provides carbohydrates to restore energy used during exercise, high quality protein to repair and rebuild muscle, and electrolytes and fluids to rehydrate and help maintain fluid balance.
Traditionally, chocolate has been viewed as a potential trigger for gut symptoms like pain, cramping, bloating, gas and diarrhea. This is because chocolate, particularly milk chocolate, contains a lot of sugar, including lactose, milk proteins and fat – all of which can cause symptoms in susceptible persons.
What to add to chocolate milk to make it taste better? ›
Add ins—Add a pinch of ground cinnamon or nutmeg for a hint of spice. Sugar-free—For a sugar-free version, substitute stevia for the powdered sugar. Start small and blend it in, adding more if needed to suit your taste. Hot chocolate—You can make hot chocolate with the same ingredients.
Can you eat year old milk chocolate? ›
In most cases, chocolate past its expiration date is still safe to eat, provided it has been stored properly and shows no signs of spoilage. However, if chocolate exhibits any unusual odors, flavors, or textures, it's best to discard it to avoid any potential health risks.
How long can chocolate milk stay out of the fridge? ›
Leaving chocolate milk out at room temperature for an extended period can lead to the growth of harmful bacteria and cause foodborne illnesses. Generally, it is not recommended to drink chocolate milk that has been left unrefrigerated for more than two hours.
What is the lifespan of milk chocolate? ›
The main reason milk chocolate has a shorter shelf life is because milk fat oxidizes and goes rancid faster than cocoa butter. Shelf life is 1 year in this case.
What color is milk chocolate? ›
Milk chocolate. Where do we begin? We recognize it by its color and flavor. It is light brown and is milky, smooth chocolate.
Does chocolate milk have artificial color? ›
Regular chocolate milk is full of ingredients that I don't allow the children to have and the sugar content is the least of my worries. In a short list of 8 ingredients two of them were petroleum based, chemically made products: artificial flavor and color. The ingredients list surprised me.
What is the color code for milk chocolate brown? ›
#513B1C (Milk Chocolate) HTML Color Code.
How to do chocolate milk nails? ›
To get the look, you can pick out a creamy chocolate brown nail polish and call it a day. But if you can't find one you like, it's also possible to stir together brown and white polishes to create a completely customized milky shade. Russell recommends using gel polish for the look if you're going the latter route.
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