Elizabeth Hurley 'hates' having her fingernails painted, but never skips this unexpected toe polish
The keen gardener hardly ever has her nails done, but always paints her toes with this moody shade
When it comes to manicures, everyone has their own preference. While some love a trip to the nail salon, others would rather skip it altogether. Elizabeth Hurley falls firmly into the latter camp when it comes to having her fingernails done.
While you're unlikely to find Liz Hurley trialling some of the most popular 2026 nail trends, there is one autumn pedicure shade that she'll never skip for her toes – and the moody hue might just surprise you.
In an interview with woman&home, I quizzed the actress on whether she's a fan of getting manicures, to which Hurley exclusively told me: "No, I hate them. When I put polish on, it comes off within a day because I'm always out in the garden."
However, that isn't the case when it comes to pedicures; she says: "On my toes, I like dark colours. It looks great on the feet." More specifically, Hurley's go-to hue is "somewhere between black and purple," which is perfectly apt for the autumnal months.
OPI's Black Cherry Chutney is a vampy plum shade equipped with a burgundy-purple shimmer and a subtle pearl finish. This nail polish boasts a fast-drying formula that delivers an even, streak-free application.
Essie's 'Wicked' nail polish is somewhere between a blood-red and rich plum. This pigmented formula boasts saturated, streak-free colour payoff and shine that rivals salon manicures.
Rimmel's 'Black Cherries' nail polish is a dark cherry-plum shade that appears midnight black in other lights, not to mention it also boasts subtle red and gold micro-shimmers. The clue is in the name with this formula, it reveals super glossy, high-impact colour that dries in 60 seconds flat.
After noticing her interest in gardening as I scrolled through her Instagram page, I thought it was apt to ask the actress about the health of her nails. Elizabeth jokingly responded: "Crap! Oh my god, they're all broken and chipped right now. Even though I wear gardening gloves, if I see a weed, I'll pull the glove off and grab it. So, no, they're pretty bad—they're not even done today."
Despite not having a manicure at the time of the interview, Hurley noted how she frequently has her nails painted with a nude polish during filming: "When I'm filming, they do them every day, [but] I don't do gels anymore because they ruin your nails."
That said, you can almost always find Elizabeth with a pedicure. The actress hailed discontinued black-purple Estée Lauder and MAC nail polish colours as some of her favourites of all time, which you unfortunately can no longer get your hands on. However, there are many similar options available to shop on the market right now.
Moody hues are always a popular manicure choice for the colder season, with burgundy and aubergine shades rising in the ranks this autumn, but are now also seemingly gracing the toes as an elegant pedicure colour. However, these deeper, richer shades will always feel sophisticated, no matter the season.
