Juliette Binoche's patent black nails are a lesson in French style - and not following every spring trend

Sure, lavender and lilac are pretty - but if French women say black nails are in for spring, so do we

Juliette Binoche is pictured wearing a black dress at the "The Return" red carpet during the 19th Rome Film Festival at Auditorium Parco Della Musica on October 19, 2024 in Rome, Italy/ in a pink watercolour paint-style template
(Image credit: Getty Images/Stefania D'Alessandro)
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At this point, we've seen and worn every iteration of a pastel manicure for spring. If, like us, you're feeling a tad uninspired by this season's milky array, Juliette Binoche's black nails might just offer the chic, French flair that's been missing.

After all, there are only so many spring nail colours you can rotate before boredom inevitably sets in, much as we love lavender and milky pink (both of which are 2025 nail trends). We've been on the hunt for a contrasting manicure, and thanks to French actress, Juliette Binoche, it seems glossy black nails are the answer. Timeless and effortlessly chic, there's a reason why black, like red, is a classic nail colour and, contrary to belief, it's very easy to wear - especially paired with stylish, short nails.

Juliette Binoche says black nails are French-approved for spring

While soapy pinks have been a go-to on the red carpet this season, Binoche opted for the opposite on April 10th, pairing a leather-look skirt and olive blazer with a short and chic black manicure.

On the left, Juliette Binoche is pictured wearing an olive blazer and leather-look skirt, with a black manicure at "The Return" Gala Screening at the Curzon Mayfair on April 10, 2025 in London, England and on the right, is a close-up of the same picture, focusing on her hand to show her black manicure.

(Image credit: Getty Images/Jeff Spicer / Stringer)

The glossy, patent-black hue perfectly complements her sophisticated attire and never fails to deliver a high-fashion, couture feel. More so when the dark colour is paired with a modern squoval or short square nail shape, which Binoche has opted for.

If you're keen to recreate the look, her nail artist Lucy Tucker shared an insight. In an Instagram post, Tucker revealed that the brand Nails.Inc was behind the glossy shade, while products from Byredo were used to hydrate the actor's hands.

Alas, we're unsure of the exact shade, but Nails.Inc do offer both gel-effect and traditional black nail polishes. As for the hand care, Byredo's Gypsy Water Hand Cream gets our vote - with its lightweight, nourishing formula and iconic scent of juniper berries, bergamot and woody notes.

Recreate Juliette Binoche's patent black nails

If you're keen to follow Binoche's stylish lead and swap pastels for a cool and edgy black manicure, we recommend opting for a similar square nail shape and applying two to three coats of polish - to achieve a streak-free finish. If your nails are feeling brittle or textured, using one of the best nail strengtheners as your base coat, pre-polish is also a good option.

Then, for a professional gel-like shine, add a clear top coat over your chosen black polish.

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Naomi Jamieson
Naomi Jamieson
Beauty Writer

Naomi is a Beauty Writer from Woman&Home, where she covers everything from skincare to beauty trends, as well as reviewing products and sharing her personal shopping recommendations. She specialises in feature and e-commerce writing and has previously worked as a Lifestyle News Writer for My Imperfect Life magazine, where she used her savvy for TikTok trends to bring readers the latest beauty buzzwords, fashion movements and must-have products. During her time on this title, she also reviewed beauty and skincare products and was commissioned to design some illustrations for one of the team's relationship features.


Before that, Naomi also worked across both GoodTo and My Imperfect Life, whilst training for her Gold Standard diploma in Journalism with the NCTJ, for which she earned a Distinction. Interestingly though, Naomi actually has a background in design, having studied illustration at Plymouth University but leapt into the media world in 2021, after always having a passion for writing.


Before working for Future Publishing’s Lifestyle News team, she worked in the Ad production team. Here she wrote and designed adverts on all sorts of things, which then went into print magazines across all genres. Now, when she isn’t writing articles on the best perfumes and must-have beauty buys, you can find her drinking copious cups of coffee, drawing and probably online shopping.