Marie Claire UK Marie Claire UK
  • Fashion Fashion
      • Fashion
        • View all Fashion
        • Fashion Trends
        • Shopping
        • Watches and Jewellery
        • Fashion News
  • Beauty Beauty
      • Beauty
        • View all Beauty
        • Fragrance
        • Hair
        • Make Up
        • Skincare
        • Nails
        • Marie Claire Beauty Awards
  • Health Health
      • Health
        • View all Health
        • Fitness
        • Nutrition
        • Female Health
        • Wellbeing
  • Life Life
      • Life
        • View all Life
        • Opinions
        • Travel
        • Sustainability
        • Weddings
        • Money & Work
        • Competitions
  • Culture Culture
      • Culture
        • View all Culture
        • TV and Film
        • Celebrity News
        • Books
        • Royal News
  • Vouchers Vouchers
      • Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Mint Velvet
        • Karen Millen
        • H&M
        • nobody's child
        • ASOS
        • ARKET
        • MANGO
      • Designer Clothing
        • View all Vouchers
        • Reiss
        • THE OUTNET
        • SSENSE
        • Mytheresa
        • Liberty London
        • Selfridges
        • Farfetch
      • Accessories
        • View all Vouchers
        • AllSaints
        • Aspinal of London
        • Charles & Keith
        • River Island
        • FitFlop
        • Kate Spade
        • Vagabond
      • Jewellery
        • View all Vouchers
        • Pandora
        • Abbott Lyon
        • Goldsmiths
        • Beaverbrooks
        • Astrid & Miyu
        • Swarovski
        • Angara Jewellery
      • Beauty
        • View all Vouchers
        • Sephora
        • Cult Beauty
        • Space NK
        • Dyson
        • Clarins
        • Look Fantastic
        • Clinique
      • Activewear
        • View all Vouchers
        • Lululemon
        • Gymshark
        • Sweaty Betty
        • Nike
        • adidas
        • New Balance
        • Helly Hansen
  • NEWSLETTER Signup to our newsletter
  • logoCreated with Sketch.
    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!


    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

    You are now subscribed

    Your newsletter sign-up was successful


    An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
    Trending
    • Women in Sport 2026
    • Marie Claire Masters
    • Spring Summer 2026
    • Nail Trends 2026
    • Best Investment Bags
    • Best Perfumes
    • Digital Issues
    • Women Who Win
    1. Beauty

    Milky nails are over—we're making way for BB cream nails now

    Clean-girl manicure lovers, this way

    Jazzria Harris's avatar
    By Jazzria Harris
    Published 12 March 2024 In Features

    When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

    Woman with bb cream nails on her phone
    (Image credit: Getty Images)
    Jump to category:
    • The best BB cream nail polishes
    • Facebook
    • X
    • Pinterest
    Share this article
    Join the conversation
    Follow us
    Add us as a preferred source on Google
    Subscribe to our newsletter

    There’s something about a new nail trend that gets me excited—particularly when it involves a nude, sheer polish. Simple it may be, but, when paired with a neat cuticle and classic shape, there really is no nail colour chicer, in my opinion. Recently however, I stumbled across a nail trend that took my love for the timeless shade to a whole new level, and, I predict it’s going to be a big hit with anyone who’s a fan of a minimalist mani—say hello to BB cream nails. 

    Made popular by Canadian brand, Gelcare, BB nail polishes work in a similar way to the blemish balms for your skin. Slightly different from milky manicures (which deliver a higher pigment), BB cream nails offer a layer of light, sheer coverage, they create a natural-looking, glossy base that acts like a veil on the nails, blurring and camouflaging any imperfections for a perfectly polished finish. The result? Think glazed-doughnut skin in nail form. Yep, now you see why I’m obsessed with them. 

    A post shared by Mateja Novakovic (@matejanova)

    A photo posted by on

    As well as BB cream nails looking deliciously good, the best thing about this look is the simplicity as it means they can work for so many different occasions. Understated enough for the office yet eye-catching enough for your next night out, I've got to give BB nails props for their versatility. They even make the perfect bridal mani if you’re looking for chic wedding nail ideas that look simple and sophisticated. 

    A post shared by GELCARE® (@gelcare.official)

    A photo posted by on

    By now I’m assuming you’re just as obsessed with BB cream nails as me and are desperate to try them out at your next nail appointment. I, of course, made it my mission to track down the original inspiration, Gelcare, and while you can get them shipped from Canada via their website the wait won't be suitable for anyone as impatient as me *sob*. 

    Thankfully, however, there are some great alternatives available from some of my favourite brands. Plus, alongside offering the perfect amount of sheer-nude coverage, many of these polishes are also packed with other nail-loving benefits to strengthen and smooth as they colour. Keep scrolling to shop the edit...

    You may like
    • nails Bare Nails Are Trending, But My Nails Weren't Ready Until I Tried These 'Nail Concealers'
    • nail brush benefits My £4 Secret to a Minimal Manicure—This Simple Tool Makes Bare Nails Look Immaculate
    • How to keep long nails clean My Long, Natural Nails Never Look Clean—Here’s How 3 Nail Experts Recommend Keeping Them Salon-Fresh

    The best BB cream nail polishes

    BB Cream Nails Chanel La Base Camelia

    Chanel La Base Camelia
    £29 AT JOHN LEWIS

    BB Cream Nails Avon Nail Experts 7-in-1 Nail Treatment

    Avon Nail Experts 7-in-1 Nail Treatment
    £5.35 AT AMAZON

    BB Cream Nails Nails Inc Glow With The Flow Glow-Enhancing Nail Perfector Polish

    Nails Inc Glow With The Flow Glow-Enhancing Nail Perfector Polish
    £9 AT AMAZON

    BB Cream Nails Nailberry Oxygenated Nail Lacquer in Candyfloss

    Nailberry Oxygenated Nail Lacquer in Candyfloss
    £16 AT JOHN LEWIS

    BB Cream Nails Kiko BB Base Coat

    Kiko BB Base Coat
    £6.99 AT KIKO

    BB Cream Nails Alûstre DiamondInfused Glossy Nail Polish in Milky

    Alûstre DiamondInfused Glossy Nail Polish in Milky
    £31 AT ALÛSTRE

    Marie Claire Newsletter

    Celebrity news, beauty, fashion advice, and fascinating features, delivered straight to your inbox!

    By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
    Jazzria Harris
    Jazzria Harris
    Freelance Fashion & Beauty Writer

    Jazzria Harris is a freelance fashion and beauty journalist with over 8 years experience working in the industry. At just 4ft 11, she’s an expert in petite dressing and previously wrote the column Jazz’s Short Stories giving tips and advice on dressing for petite proportions. Her wardrobe staples are a great black blazer, a hardworking slip skirt and of course a great pair of heels (for the extra inches, of course). Jazz has written for publications including ELLE UK, heat magazine, Eliza, Women & Home and more.

    Read more
    nails
    Nails Bare Nails Are Trending, But My Nails Weren't Ready Until I Tried These 'Nail Concealers'
    nail brush benefits
    Nails My £4 Secret to a Minimal Manicure—This Simple Tool Makes Bare Nails Look Immaculate
     
     
    How to keep long nails clean
    Beauty My Long, Natural Nails Never Look Clean—Here’s How 3 Nail Experts Recommend Keeping Them Salon-Fresh
    Gel nail polish ban Bella Emar wears white Polo Club Top, white high waisted Sézane Skirt, white bag, Rolex Datejust watch on August 03, 2025 in Berlin, Germany.
    Beauty Is Gel Polish Inherently Problematic? Inside Gel Polish’s Never-Ending Safety Scandals
     
     
    Latest in Beauty
    The long hair trend and the post-bob era
    Hair I’ve Spent Two Years Growing My Bob—Turns Out, There's a Reason Long Hair Is Trending
    Best foundation balms
    Make Up If You’ve Fallen Out of Love With Foundation in Your 30s, This Hydrating, Blurring Alternative Still Gives Impressive Coverage
     
     
    Beauty Digest
    Beauty The Beauty Digest: The Foundation Using Exosome Technology, the Treatment That Transformed My Skin Texture—Plus, the Ever-Earlier Advent Calendar Race
    nail brush benefits
    Nails My £4 Secret to a Minimal Manicure—This Simple Tool Makes Bare Nails Look Immaculate
     
     
    Latest in Features
    The long hair trend and the post-bob era
    Hair I’ve Spent Two Years Growing My Bob—Turns Out, There's a Reason Long Hair Is Trending
    @nlmarilyn in transitional autumn outfits
    Fashion Goodbye Summer Dresses, I'm in Autumn Outfit Planning Mode—These 5 Are Fresh
     
     
    Arsenal footballer and Lioness Chloe Kelly
    Health and Fitness Women in Sport 2026: Featuring Chloe Kelly, Elite Beauty Products, Grand Prix 2.0 and So Much More
    Mischa Anouk Smith on an astrology travel trip to Türkiye, where she got engaged less than 24 hours after a birth chart reading.
    Travel I Let Astrology Plan My Holiday—Less Than 24 Hours Later, I Was Engaged
     
     
    logoCreated with Sketch.
    • Site Archive
    • Contact Future's experts
    • Contact us
    • Terms and conditions
    • Advertise with us
    • Privacy policy
    • Cookies policy
    • About us
    Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google

    Marie Claire UK is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

    © Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.