The chewing gum pink manicure is officially the nail trend to watch for spring 2026. Selena Gomez's nail artist Tom Bachik has declared that classic nude is giving way to milky, translucent pinks with vivid undertones — a shift he describes as a glossy lip balm effect for your nails. The look is rooted in 90s nostalgia and built for everyday wear.
Nude nails have ruled manicure culture for years. The safe, barely-there finish became the default for anyone wanting polish that worked with everything. But according to Tom Bachik, the celebrity nail artist behind some of Selena Gomez's most talked-about looks, that era is closing. What replaces it isn't bold or maximalist. It's something softer, shinier, and decidedly more playful.
The chewing gum pink manicure is the answer — and it's already generating serious buzz after Bachik posted his creation on Instagram and spoke to Allure about where nails are headed this season.
Chewing gum pink is replacing nude as the go-to spring manicure
The shift isn't dramatic, but it's deliberate. Classic nude — that flat, skin-toned finish — is being edged out by something more nuanced. Bachik describes the new direction as milky, translucent, and alive with color. Think of it as nude with a pulse.
"For spring and summer, nudes will still be milky and translucent, but with more vivid and intense undertones," Bachik told Allure. That one sentence captures the whole movement: the softness stays, but the flatness disappears.
Milky nude vs. chewing gum pink: both are sheer and wearable, but the pink version carries a vivid rose undertone that reads as fresh and luminous rather than neutral and invisible.
A 90s reference reframed for 2026
The chewing gum pink shade is being described as "very 90s" — and that's not a coincidence. The decade was defined by glossy, candy-toned lips and nails that looked sweet without being loud. That aesthetic is back, but reinterpreted through a modern lens: less sticky-sweet, more polished and intentional.
The finish Bachik is championing is shiny and translucent, not opaque. It catches light rather than blocking it. And that quality is exactly what makes it work as a nude replacement — it still reads as clean and understated, but it carries warmth and life that traditional nude simply doesn't.
What Selena Gomez's nail artist actually created
Bachik shared the look on his Instagram account before the Allure interview amplified it. The photo showed nails coated in a rose-toned, semi-translucent finish — the kind of color that looks almost like a stain rather than a full coat. Gomez, who has long been a reference point for wearable, elegant nail choices, was the inspiration and the canvas.
Bachik's description of her reaction says everything: "Sel loves this shade because it's like a glossy pink candy lip balm for nails. Translucent, but always a vivid pink." That gloss-meets-color balance is the heart of the trend. It's not a statement nail. It's a nail that quietly elevates everything around it.
Why this trend works across all looks and skin tones
One of the reasons nude nails became so dominant is their perceived universality. They don't compete with outfits, they don't clash with accessories, and they work in professional settings as easily as casual ones. The chewing gum pink manicure doesn't abandon those qualities — it simply adds dimension to them.
The milky, translucent quality of the shade means it adapts rather than dominates. On deeper skin tones, the pink reads as a warm flush. On lighter tones, it leans toward a classic candy sweetness. The sheerness is the mechanism that makes it universally flattering, much like a tinted lip balm adjusts to the wearer rather than imposing a fixed color.
If you're already exploring spring 2026 nail trends like the striped manicure, chewing gum pink makes an ideal base — its softness lets graphic elements pop without overwhelming the overall look.
- Translucent finish works across skin tones
- Shiny texture adds luminosity without bold color commitment
- Versatile enough for professional and casual settings
- Pairs naturally with other spring 2026 nail trends
- Not a substitute for those who want a truly neutral, colorless finish
- Sheer formulas may require more coats for desired opacity
How to wear the chewing gum pink nail trend this spring
Bachik's guidance is clear: lean into milky pink shades with a rosy, slightly vivid undertone. Avoid anything too sheer or too saturated — the sweet spot is that translucent middle ground where color is visible but never heavy. Soft, powdery pinks that still carry definition are the target.
The finish matters as much as the shade. A glossy topcoat is non-negotiable here. The whole point of the chewing gum pink manicure is that light-catching, lip-balm quality — matte simply won't deliver the same effect. Think high-shine, almost wet-looking nails in a rose-toned hue.
For those who want to track the evolution of this trend in real time, Bachik's Instagram is the most direct source. He consistently posts his work with Gomez before it reaches wider media coverage, making it one of the better early indicators of where nail color trends are heading each season.
It's worth noting that beauty decisions rarely exist in isolation. Just as choosing the right hair color for your skin tone requires understanding undertones and contrast, selecting the most flattering nail shade involves the same logic. The chewing gum pink works precisely because its translucency respects the skin's natural undertone rather than overriding it.
Bachik's prediction for spring and summer 2026 is consistent and specific: nude nail polish isn't disappearing, but its flattest, most colorless iteration is being retired. What takes its place is warmer, glossier, and more alive — a shift that feels less like a trend and more like a long-overdue upgrade.
