15 Strawberry Milk Nail Ideas for a Soft, Delicate Manicure

Beverages consistently make for some of the best manicure inspo. From lattes and Moscow Mules to champagne and spritzes, some of our favorite mani ideas have sprung from the pages of a menu. These include the many variations of the milk manicure.

Nail artist Betina Goldstein described the original milky mani as “a softer version of a stark white manicure,” noting it “Adds a bit more color than a sheer nude. It makes your nails look clean and polished.” The strawberry version gives you that same sophisticated finish, albeit with a hint of muted pink instead of the soft white. That hint can range from an undeniable rosy tone to a barely-there whisper of blush. Whether you go for a creamy shade with a touch of flush or a glossy, sheered-out tone, one thing is certain—your digits are about to look delightfully delicate. Scroll on for 15 of our favorite strawberry milk nail ideas.

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The Standard-Bearer

This might just be the Platonic ideal of a strawberry milk manicure: Sheer, creamy, and glossy, with just the right amount of pink. We’re petitioning to induct her into the Mani Hall of Fame.

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Keep It Glassy

This take on the shade leans a little pinker, a little sheerer, and a little glossier than the classic strawberry milk mani. It’s impossibly cool and sophisticated.

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Think Pink (and Pink, and Pink)

Strawberry milk is most often used in solid manicures, but it makes a great base for nail art (as this gallery will continually demonstrate). Take fine-lining nail art brushes and draw on gold, baby pink, and hot pink swirls for a fun, abstract, pink-forward look.

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Tell Me About It, Studs

“All-over rhinestone studs” is one of our favorite low-lift nail art designs. And we do mean low lift: All you need are rhinestones and a wax pencil to place them. You can add the studs to your top coat while it’s still tacky, or use stones with adhesive.

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Stay Gold

You know that sophisticated, glassy look a few placements up? Consider this gold-foiled mani its gilded, oval-tipped sister.

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The French Dispatch

She’s not a regular French manicure, she’s a secret French manicure. Paint your tips with a classic milky white polish, then add a sheer strawberry milk shade on top—not as the base—for a fun switch-up (literally) to the classic look.

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Strawberry Glazed Donut

What do you get when you top a strawberry milk manicure with chrome? A strawberry glazed donut manicure, of course. Nail artist Amy Le used a shifty aurora chrome powder for this stunning set.

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The Simple Life

Sometimes, it really is as simple as two coats of strawberry milk polish locked in with a super glossy top coat. Opt for a short, oval shape for maximum easy elegance.

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I Can Hear the Bells

For a more classic take on the French manicure, use a pearlescent white for the tips. This look screams wedding or engagement.

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Chrombré Strawberry Milk

Level up a strawberry glazed donut manicure with an ombré base. It’s a relatively easy DIY: After laying down a strawberry milk polish, paint a bubblegum shade on the tips of your nails. Use a sponge or nail art brush to diffuse the colors toward the center. Then, when everything is fully dried or cured, rub on your chrome powder.

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The Milky Way

If you prefer your strawberry milk manis with a little less syrup, this is the set for you. Here, Le topped topped blush pink polish with a sheer white shade.

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Hot Stuff

Strawberry milk isn’t just for mani minimalists; It’s a natural fit for bolder nail art looks, too. Case in point—these accent nails, which feature hot pink and holo center stripes over a strawberry milk base.

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Ribbons and Bows

Add a little dainty edge to your strawberry milk mani with a metallic ribbon and bow. It’s the perfect mix of sweet and tough.

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Meet Your Matcha

Nail artist Melanie Graves went for “a strawberry matcha spring vibe” with this pretty pastel mani, and it’s safe to say she nailed it. The matcha green stars and bubblegum pink butterflies are such a cute yet unexpected combo.

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Making the Gradient

As this gallery has demonstrated, there’s more than one shade of strawberry milk. So if you can’t pick just one (or you just don’t want to), wear them all in a glossy gradient or as a subtle take on the Skittle trend.