Makeup has already infiltrated the skincare sphere with hybrid skin tints. But now it seems our nails are keen to get in on the act, too, with BB cream nails gaining steam on TikTok and Instagram.

Canadian nail brand Gelcare coined the phrase BB cream nails to describe its Rose BB Cream and Lavender BB cream polishes last year, and, since then, this new riff on milky manicures has exploded.

You can expect to see it everywhere this summer as we lean into what we’ve dubbed the “Brit-girl manicure” – the mani equivalent of glossy, no-makeup makeup.

So what exactly are BB cream nails?

As the moniker implies, this manicure takes its inspiration from a BB cream (a.k.a. blemish balm cream), a two-in-one makeup and skincare product.

When used on the face, BB creams act as a primer, foundation and moisturiser. Delivering the same coverage as a light to medium foundation, they add a sheer tint – just enough to cover up redness, acne scars and an uneven tone – as well as being deeply hydrating to plump skin from the inside out. There are even those that contain brightening ingredients.

BB cream nails lean into some – if not all – of these benefits, making them perfect if you’re longing to channel a low-maintenance manicure for summer or on a break from gels.

“BB cream nail polishes are a nude-toned, sheer glaze for your natural nails,” says Lou Stokes, ORLY’s UK Ambassador, who likens the effect to “an instant beauty filter.”

It’s about coating your natural nails “with light coverage that blurs out any imperfections – exactly what a BB cream does for your face,” agrees nail artist Mateja Novaković, who suggests that BB cream nails can be created with both a sheer polish and a gel manicure.