It's Engagement Season: Here's How to Choose the Perfect Manicure

The first thing I did when my boyfriend (now fiancé) told me he was ready to shop for engagement rings was book a manicure. I repeated the process every two weeks for six straight months, popping in for an emergency polish change any time even the most minor chip emerged (thankfully, there are three nail salons within a one-block radius of my New York City apartment).

I played around with powdered tips, gel extensions, and Japanese gels to figure out what would make my fingers look as ring-ready as possible. I also stuck with strictly neutral shades, fearing I'd be caught off guard with quirky nail art or ultra-bright polish when the moment finally came.

My dedication to having the "perfect" engagement nails teetered on obsession, but I'm far from the only one who's put forethought into how they want their hands to look when they're first adorned with a sparkly new diamond. I had plenty of nearly-engaged friends who were more than willing to join me at my bi-weekly appointments, and I have received many calls from male pals trying to figure out how they could get their soon-to-be-fiancés into a salon without blowing the surprise of their proposal. On TikTok, #engagementnails has nearly 60 million views. On Instagram, there are another 61K posts with the same hashtag. In other words? It is very much a thing. 

Unsurprisingly, nail pros attribute this phenomenon to the rise of the "engagement pic" on social media. "The [engagement manicure] has definitely grown in popularity in the social media age of sharing and making a big announcement," founder of Nails.INC Thea Green says. "Since the engagement photo has become more popular, manicured hands have followed suit. You don't want chipped nails when you post the official picture, right?"

Beyond social media, though, being newly engaged means that your hands attract a lot of attention in real life, too. Simply put, people want to see the ring—there's a lot of hand-grabbing in the weeks and months following the proposal from family and friends. And any time you're showing off your beautiful new piece of jewelry, it makes sense to want to have beautiful nails to compliment it. 

How to Choose the Perfect Engagement Manicure

Deciding what type of engagement manicure you want is a very personal choice—there's no one right way to go about it. That said, there are a few things worth considering as you narrow down your options. For starters, specific colors complement different metals. Yellow gold looks best with neutrals, rose gold really pops with red, and white gold or platinum goes with pretty much any hue (but it looks especially great with deeper shades like berry or burgundy). 

But of course, this matching method only works if you know what the ring looks like. If not, celebrity nail artist Julie Kandelac recommends a simple nail look. "I think of one word: timeless," she says. "That photo will serve as a memory for years and even decades to come, and a simple and timeless mani will not only allow the focus to be on your ring but make the photo itself a timeless memory." Green seconds this sentiment, pointing out that super minimal nails have been trending lately. "[I recommend] glassy, natural neutral shades or a classic French," she says. 

If you're not into nudes, that's okay, too. "If you love bold color, don't shy away from that," Green says. "And if you love trending nail art and that's what you get engaged in, it can also be a fun memory of you really living in the moment," Kandelac adds. 

Regardless of what type of manicure you go for, it's worth considering an option with a lifespan slightly longer than the 7-10 days regular polish offers. Gels (which last up to two weeks), Japanese gels (which last up to six weeks), and gel extensions (which last up to a month) are all great for ensuring a chip-free experience. And when all else fails? There are plenty of press-ons you can pop on to get ring-ready in minutes. 

How to Get Your Hands Ring-Ready

The tricky thing about prepping your hands for an engagement is that you don't know when it will happen; however, there are a few things you can keep your hands ring-ready. If your nails need rehab, try a strengthening treatment—like CND RescueRX—to help them grow and prevent breakage. "I always recommend our Gimme Strength Nail Strengthener topped with our Better On Top Top Coat for ultimate natural gloss. Or, if you're all about the glow, then our Glow And Grow Nail Treatment puts in the work to keep your nails glowing and healthy," says Green. "We've formulated these treatments to maximize nail health, hardness, and length."

While you're at it, it's important to focus on softening and moisturizing your hands with the help of a scrub and moisturizer. We recommend the Sidia Hand Exfoliant and Bioeffect EGF Hand Serum. Implementing an exfoliant and serum will help remove dead skin cells and infuse your hands with hydration.

The Final Takeaway

Though your manicure shouldn’t be a make-or-break part of your proposal (in the grand scheme of marriage, it is really not that important), the idea of getting to accessorize your ring with some pretty polish is just incredibly fun. And I can honestly say that—after months of trial and error—I loved how the pale pink I chose for my nails complemented the yellow gold ring in my engagement pictures. I also loved that they were longer and healthier than ever, thanks to the intensive rehab I put them through. IMO: We all deserve to treat ourselves and show our hands some extra TLC ahead of our engagements.