Sparkly dark red nail polish has always been a go-to for an edgy pop of color, and now, it has a new name per TikTok: cherry cola nails. Pairing perfectly with the goth and dark academia aesthetics, this stylish shade is fall’s hottest nail trend.
So, how did this classic shade become the shiny new thing of the season? We’ve got the details below.
What do cherry cola nails look like?
The thing is, cherry cola nails aren’t actually brown like cola—they’re more of a Bing cherry red with a hint of brown. In the past, you may have seen similar styles referred to as red cat eye nails, red chrome nails, and vampy nails. For that fizz element, they typically come with a bit of a sparkly or chrome finish.
@dee_ray I’ve been doing a different red every season ❤️🔥@itsalwaysasia #october #nails #cherrycola #naildesigns ♬ Eyes Without A Face – Sinnerella
Where does this trend come from?
Let’s start with the history of the name. Cherry cola, of course, refers to cola with cherry syrup added to it. While Coca-Cola officially introduced Cherry Coke in 1985, many soda fountain shops actually played with this combination in the early 20th century.
As a Beautytok trend, cherry cola has been around since 2023. Primarily buzzy in the lip and hair color spaces, its earliest form drew inspiration from the ‘90s and early aughts. Dark red lips evoked ‘90s grunge, while burgundy hair, popularized by stars like Dua Lipa, brought to mind Y2K nostalgia.
Besides alluding to the turn of the millennium, the 2023 trend also paid homage to Lana del Rey and the Americana coquette aesthetic. The songstress has often referred to cherry cola in her songs (such as in “Last Girl on Earth”) and incorporated dark red into her visuals.
@beansforfun Lana Del Rey coded lips 🖤🍒 #lanadelrey #vampylips #burgundy #cherrycola #redlips #rarebeauty #lipliner #ysl #yslcandyglaze #lipgloss #cherries #darkred #vampy #makeup #fall ♬ getaway car – tayloraudios🎧
So why has this nail color surfaced—arguably resurfaced—at this specific moment? Well, the burgundy shade, much like the muted pink in the milk tea lips trend, makes perfect sense for autumn. And with Addison Rae’s release of “Diet Pepsi” this year, the resurrection of “cola” as a trend was all but inevitable. In fact, you’ll often find examples of this nail color set to the viral song.
Examples of cherry cola nails
While it has a fancy name, the cherry cola nail color is relatively easy to find at the drugstore or request at your local nail salon. If you’re shopping around for the just-right polish shade or want something to show your nail tech, here are some gorgeous examples of the cherry cola nail trend.
@lightslacquer cherry cola velvet nails 🍒🥤 products used: tru blood, frenemies, & totally gelly. #fallnails #halloweennails #rednails #blacknails #nailartinspo #nailinspo #nailtutorials #nailartvideos #magneticnails #nailartinspo #athomenails #easynails #simplenails ♬ Lover boy Gilmore girls sound track – Drama queen x
@roxycanty CHERRY COLA 🥤🍒 but make it jelly #nailtrend #rednail #rednailtheory #fallnails2024 #nailinspo2024 @Sarah-Leonie Nails ♡ ♬ Bed Chem – Sabrina Carpenter
@nailzbyfrey cherry cola chrome 💋☕️🤎☁️🍷 thats what im naming these 🤭 #chromenails #chrome #cherrychrome #rednails #nailart #nailartlove #nailartvideos ♬ gilmore lala – <3
@ashlyvett OBSESSED ✨🍒🤎🫶🏼 #newnails #fallnails #cherrycola ♬ Diet Pepsi – Addison Rae
@taliyah.joelle Fall nail inspo #redfrenchtip #cherrycolanails #fallnailinspo ♬ L’AMOUR DE MA VIE – Billie Eilish
@parker_ewing FALL NAILSSSSS – cherry cola edition ♥️✨🍒 Color: complimentary wine by OPI ♥️ #fallnails #fallnailinspo #fallfashion #fallaesthetic #cherrycolanails #cherrycokenails ♬ Diet Pepsi – Addison Rae
@amandahowardx fall nail inspooo for you #rednails #rednailtheory #nailart #fallnails ♬ original sound – Amanda Howard
@jenacouture Fall Vibesss 🍂 I’m obsessed!😍❤️🔥 Done by the best @Listhenailfairy 🧚🏻♀️ #explore #FORYOU #fyp #nails #nailart #nailinspo #nailsoftiktok ♬ Bed Chem – Sabrina Carpenter
@tatlafata She’s baaaaack!!! Cherry cola is THE fall nail color 🍒🥤
♬ Diet Pepsi – Addison Rae
More beauty explainers:
- Add a touch of warmth to your makeup with the ‘milk tea lips’ trend
- Viral goth makeup looks from different goth subcultures are making waves
- In a chaotic world, the clean girl aesthetic attempts to channel order
- Add a fresh twist to your summer looks with Aperol spritz makeup
- What counts as the Y2K aesthetic? Here’s what you need to know
- ‘Beetlejuice lips’ beauty trend inspires backlash: ‘An influencer’s nightmare’
- 2014 Tumblr is back in full swing: Here’s what to know about all things Tumblrcore
- What is ‘fake’ vs. ‘real’ coquette, and how has the definition changed over time?
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