OPI's Cajun Shrimp dates to 1990, one of the original shades in the brand's first Spring/Summer collection. According to NewBeauty, cofounder Suzi Weiss-Fischmann named it after the Cajun spice on jumbo shrimp she ate at dinner during a New Orleans trade show. Lacquer Tracker lists it in that 1990 collection and again in a 2018 reissue.

Then came summer 2024. A TikTok creator posted her "shrimp summer theory": one coat of Cajun Shrimp and one coat of Glazed N' Amused, a sheer pearl pink. Weiss-Fischmann answered with a TikTok of her own telling the naming story, and it passed a million views.

So cajun shrimp nails means a glossy, opaque coral-red with pink-orange undertones, worn alone or softened with pearl. Manicurist Russell told Byrdie the shade makes fair skin glow and brings out warmth in medium to deep tones, though Byrdie notes it may be too bright for some. The collage below has the mood: a plate of spiced shrimp with lemon, half a papaya, orange satin and linen, and a hand with short, glossy coral nails.

The first grid is polishes in coral and orange-red, for painting the shade yourself. The second is press-ons in coral, peach and tomato red, for the days you have ten minutes.

Here is a test I like: paint one nail, then look at it by a window and again under a lamp. A good cajun shrimp coral should look spicy in both. If it goes flat pink at night, that is your cue to layer.

JINsoon supplies the boldest reds here. Crush is a vivid, translucent orange red that the brand compares to balsam flower petals. Enflammée comes from the Tila March Collection and Sinopia from the Painted Ladies Collection, and the photos show a coral-orange red and a plain coral. The brand does not say more, so I will not either.

Londontown's Lakur is the one to reach for if you care about what is in the bottle. The brand says it gives gel-like wear and shine, with rapeseed flower oil, cucumber extract, garlic extract, evening primrose oil, chamomile and vitamin E, and it is free of gluten, parabens and sulfates. The shade in the photo is a coral-red creme.

Olive & June has four, and they are the softer end. I'll Take Another Spritz is a sheer red-orange iridescent that the brand says fizzes with shimmer. Papaya Gloss is a sheer coral pink. Ride into the Sunset is a bright coral inspired by the pinky-orange of the western sky. Stinson Sunset is a peachy-pink coral named after a place the brand's founder loves.

Here is a pairing I like, borrowed from the shrimp summer theory: pair a sheer with an opaque. Put Spritz or Papaya Gloss over a solid coral and you get depth without picking a new color.

What I would skip: the brightest orange-reds if your skin runs cool and you find the shade too loud. Byrdie flags that for the original, and Papaya Gloss or Stinson Sunset give you the idea more quietly.

Olive & June's Coral Velvet is a soft coral orange with a velvet shimmer, cut in an extra short squoval. Its Sunset Blvd Chrome is a medium oval, a sunset gradient of pink and orange with chrome on top, and the brand lists it as a limited edition. Together they are the most polished-looking sets here.

Dashing Diva's gel strips are the playful ones. Papaya Breeze is clear and peach with iridescent glitter and seashell accents. Buda-zest mixes oranges, corals and sunny yellows with citrus and floral designs. Both are semi-cured gel with a glossy finish, so check the box for how to finish them.

ohora leans sweet. N Petite Tomato has a soft red blush base with subtle green accents and a tiny tomato stem, which is the closest thing here to the shrimp red with a joke on top. N Peach Jelly is a translucent peach-pink, and the brand says it comes in an upgraded size developed from US customer data.

Nail Reformation has two sets that share the same product name. From the photos, one is a red-orange French and the other a coral-red chrome French. The kit is a salon-style press-on with glue: press each nail firmly for 10 to 15 seconds, file to shape, and finish with cuticle oil.

Here is a trick I like: if a set is a little too orange, take the edge off with a glossy top coat and short nails. Short reads calmer.

What I would skip: the tomato and seashell sets if you want the plain solo shade. Those are decorated, and Coral Velvet is the plainer pick.

I think the reason cajun shrimp nails caught on is that the story is so ordinary. Somebody ate spiced shrimp in 1990 and named a polish after it, and decades later a stranger's layering trick made everyone want it again.

My rule is simple. Start with one coat of coral and one coat of something sheer, and only add a third if it looks patchy. If the shade feels loud, keep your nails short and your top coat glossy. It reads as a summer color in any month. If you want to keep browsing, I also put together Nails Art Started With Henna and Gold Dust and Clear Nails and the Quiet Return of the Naked Manicure.