Spice Up Your Mani with Cinnamon Brown Nails This Fall

At this point, we all know that a brown manicure is a fall staple. Even as I type this right now, I’m wearing one that’s a week old (in DND Spiced Brown, if you’re wondering). Espresso nails? Love. Chocolate brown nails? Yep. Chai latte nails? A lighter way to do things. But, it turns out we haven’t exhausted every way to wear the shade quite yet. The latest brown look to get on my radar is cinnamon nails, the warm, spicy take on the fall-friendly color. And honestly, with the holidays around the corner, the smell of cinnamon is sure to be wafting through my kitchen for the next couple months, so the timing couldn’t be better.These warm, spicy nails combine rich brown with subtle red and copper undertones for a cozy, cinnamon-inspired shade that feels tailor-made for autumn. Ahead, with the help of celebrity nail artist Stephanie Stone (she’s Sally Hansen’s nail style director and has worked with lots of your favorite stars—ahem, Charli XCX) I’ll break down everything you need to know about trending cinnamon brown nails, including plenty of inspo pics, tips for getting the look, and polish recommendations.What are cinnamon brown nails?As the name suggests, cinnamon brown nails are inspired by the warm, reddish-brown hue of the spice itself. It’s warmer than a classic brown and less red than a terracotta, sitting right in between the two. While espresso and chocolate brown nails tend to lean darker and cooler, these bring some toasty and earthy vibes to your fingertips. While a classic creamy polish looks great in cinnamon, the shade also offers plenty of opportunities to play around with the finish, like with a dimensional velvet cat eye manicure or a chrome topper.The latter is one of Stone’s favorite ways to wear the trend—she reaches for Sally Hansen’s Miracle Gel in Chics in Charge to get the effect. “Think the glazed donut’s cousin coming to visit for winter break,” she says. And especially apt for the holidays, you can add a little dazzle to the shade: “If you want to give them some extra sparkle, add a crystal at the base of your nails for an extra catch of light,” she adds.How to achieve cinnamon brown nailsStone puts it perfectly: “Every great manicure starts with immaculate cuticle prep and nail care.” Before reaching for any polish, “trim and file your nails to their desired shape,” she says. “Then use Sally Hansen’s Push & Buff Cuticle Pen to clean your nail plate of an excess dead skin.” This helps clean up your cuticles easily and quickly. Next, “wash your hands with soap and water and wipe your nail beds with alcohol,” she adds, noting how important this final prep step is, especially if you’re doing a metallic finish. “Metallic shimmer and polishes expose any texture or dust you may have on your nails,” she explains.Then, it’s polish time. This part is pretty straightforward: Paint your nails with two coats of your favorite beige or brown nail polish, she says, recommending a medium brown shade “if you want your nail look to be reminiscent of a cinnamon roll” or a reddish brown “if you want your nails more reminiscent of cinnamon as the spice itself.” After letting dry for a few minutes, add top coat and cuticle oil to finish things off. Need some product recs? Stone’s go-to polish is Sally Hansen’s Miracle Gel Polish in Been There, Dune That, but you can also get the look with Olive & June’s Nail Polish in Sassy Molasses or Essie’s Gel Couture Liquid Diamonds in Marquise Please too.Cinnamon brown nail ideas@themaniclub@disseynails@samrosenails@overglowedit@raelondonnails@amyle.nailsMeet the expert Stephanie Stone is the Sally Hansen Nail Style Director and a celebrity nail artist. She’s worked with stars like Karol G, Zara Larsson, and Charli XCX.Why trust Cosmopolitan?Catharine Malzahn is a contributing beauty writer at Cosmo. She’s covered and tested all things nails, from the coolest new polish colors to cuticle care and nail art trends.Catharine Malzahn is a contributing beauty writer at Cosmopolitan and was previously the beauty assistant at Good Housekeeping, Woman's Day, and Prevention.