Predicted by Pinterest as one of 2022’s most prominent beauty trends, pearlcore is here to stay. No longer the fodder of our grandparents, pearlescent beads are set to cover our nails, faces, and hair.

Traditionally a thing of elegance, pearls have long been a sign of classic style, with people like Coco Chanel, Audrey Hepburn, Jacqueline Kennedy, Michelle Obama, and Sarah Jessica Parker, donning a string or two. Now, as likely to be a hair accessory as nail art design, pearls are going global, no longer limited to necks and ears. Here are the ways we like to wear the iridescent accents instead.

Elevate a classic French manicure with strategically haphazard pearls, creating small reflective pools of light across every digit.

A suitable shade for every situation, pearlescent pink lends nails a healthy sheen – early nights and adequate water not required.

Alternatively, opt for a cool pearlescent shade with undertones of mauve and ivory, for an almost white manicure. 

Pearls can be worn subtly, too. Here, a few have been fanned above the eye, following the curve of the orbital bone. A modern classic.

Or, as influencer Matilda Djerf likes, a disorganised spray of nano-pearls around the inner, outer, and lower eye. Without heavy eye and brow make-up, the pearls become the main event.

While I’m not sure how wearable a string of pearls along the eyelid is for hours on end, the effect is undeniably eye-catching.

If the new season of Euphoria is your style bible for the upcoming year, Instagram user Harini should be your first port of call. Here, the pearls set off the birds of paradise colour scheme, tying her eye make-up and jewellery together.

Braid or sew strings of pearls into the hair – the size is largely irrelevant. Smaller pearls create subtle links of light and larger ones become the style.

The return of the 90s accessory (and by that, we mean lots – all the time), pearl hair clips are a versatile, easily removable way to play with the style. 

Create the impression of a hairnet of pearls by placing them in corresponding straight lines. Again, the size of the pearl is largely irrelevant, all have their place – for this style, though, keep whichever size you choose consistent.

Frame the face by following the hairline, placing pearls where you want to draw the eye. 

Main image: Matilda Djerf