“Milky nails have a soft, semi-sheer white or neutral base that creates a creamy, milk-like appearance,” explains Tinu. Soap nails, on the other hand, are a lot more shiny. “They have a glossy aesthetic with a shinier, almost wet-look finish,” says Tinu. Soap nails also tend to be a lot more sheer, and often have an iridescent or pearlescent effect to “capture the glistening aspect of soap or bubbles”.