Despite what the current cold front in the northeast might indicate at the moment, spring is approaching fast, which means it's almost time to break out the pastel nail colors and the bright and bubbly designs that have become synonymous with sunny weather over the years. It also means that this is a great time to soak up the last few weeks of winter wearing one final warm and cozy manicure featuring a rich, darker shade, and Penelope Cruz's chocolate brown nails are giving me all the inspiration I need.
Cruz is set to star in the upcoming horror/sci-fi film, The Bride, which hits theaters on March 6. Ahead of its theatrical release, she joined a few of her co-stars in attending a photo call for the film in London, where she wore a low-cut black dress with long sleeves and pleats along the waistline. More importantly, instead of brightening up the look with one of the milky pink or neutral nail colors that have become a huge trend on red carpets in recent weeks, she doubled down on the dark theme and wore a glossy, chocolate brown manicure.
Chocolate and espresso brown have been massive color trends in both beauty and fashion throughout the end of 2025 and start of 2026, and it's not hard to understand why—it's comforting, rich-looking, and perfectly timeless. At the end of last year, celebrity nail artist Julie Kandelac predicted that deep browns would be some of the most popular winter nail colors, and considering it's been a go-to color for a handful of celebrities over the last few months, it's safe to say that she may have been onto something. Last fall, for example, Khloé Kardashian wore long, chocolate brown nails to match her Birkin bag of the same color, and Jennifer Lopez has also spent part of the winter months wearing "toasted brown" nail colors.
To shop luxe chocolate brown nail colors similar to Penelope Cruz's, read ahead.
